How to clean a burnt pan?

Did you let your pan or pot burn while cooking your favorite dish? Don't panic, you can clean a burnt pan using common products such as white vinegar, baking soda, or even simply with boiling water and salt.

Cleaning a burnt pan with baking soda

Baking soda is one of those magical products you should always have in your cupboards. It can be used to clean everything in your kitchen, from the oven door to the sink. It is also a product that can save a burnt pan. All you have to do is:

• Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with 4 tablespoons of baking soda;
• Add 2 cm of water to form a paste, then heat to boiling;
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 30 minutes.

Run a sponge across the bottom of the pan to remove the last traces of burning.

Cleaning a burnt pan with white vinegar

Inexpensive and environmentally friendly, white vinegar is also a product that often proves itself very useful at home. Besides descaling a kettle or a coffee pot, it can also allow you to easily clean a burnt pan. Here is the procedure:

• Pour 20 cl of white vinegar into the bottom of the pan;
• Heat the pan over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove it from the heat;
• Let the vinegar cool.

Gently rub the bottom of the pan with a sponge to remove the burnt residue. You can also combine white vinegar and baking soda for an even more effective result: in this case, pour 10 cl of white vinegar into the pan, add two centimetres of water, and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda. The mixture will now foam up. Let it sit for about fifteen minutes, then clean the bottom of the pan with a sponge.

Cleaning a burnt pan with hot water and salt

You don't have baking soda or white vinegar in your cupboards? Sometimes all you need to recover a pan is a little boiling water and fine salt; the same salt you use to season your meals. To use this to clean your burnt pan, all you need to do is:

• Cover the bottom of the pan with fine salt;
• Add 20 cl of water and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes;
• Leave the mixture for a few hours, or even overnight;
• Discard the saltwater and wipe off the residue with a damp sponge or cloth.

Cleaning a burnt pan with citric acid

Do you want to use a natural product to clean a burnt pan? Enter the citric acid contained in lemons. This is available in powder form and is particularly effective in removing all residues. However, be careful not to use it on enamel or aluminium pots or pans, as this could damage them. Here's how to do it:

• Pour two spoonfuls of citric acid or lemon juice into the bottom of the pan;
• Cover with boiling water and leave for a few minutes;
• Then remove any residue with a wooden spoon or sponge;
• Rinse the pan.

Cleaning a burnt pan with bleach

Bleach is a valuable ally for cleaning and disinfecting absolutely anything. It also allows you to recover your burnt pans if they are made of enamel. To do this, you must first prepare a container where you’ll prepare the following mixture:

• Mix 250 ml of water with a tablespoon of bleach;
• Boil the mixture for 15 minutes and then leave to cool.

Boiling the bleach makes it more concentrated and therefore more effective. You can then use this mixture to clean your burnt pots or pans, before rinsing them thoroughly.

Cleaning a burnt pan with soda crystals

Are you using cast iron pans? If so, feel free to use soda crystals to recover your burnt pan. However, be careful not to use them on aluminium pans, as it can damage them. To clean your cast iron pan with soda crystals, you need to

• Boil 20 cl of water in the burnt pan;
• Add a handful of soda crystals;
• Leave overnight;
• Wipe the bottom of the pan with a damp sponge or cloth.

Remember to wear gloves during this process; soda crystals can be abrasive to the skin!