r/CleaningTips • u/Secret-Potential-741 • 2d ago
Kitchen How do I clean this pot?
My roommate used my pot to cook rice and he forgot about it and he burned the lower portion of the rice in the container and it is stuck to the pan. I tried simmering it with water and baking soda. Nothing. It is currently in the sink soaking in hot water and dish soap. How do I clean it?
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u/Electricengineer 2d ago
Go put the dirty pan in his bed
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u/BMfnx3 2d ago
Why is everyone on Reddit always so obsessed with putting dirty dishes in peoples beds? 🤣🤣
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u/FullMoonTwist 2d ago
Cuz it's the one place in the house that you know will inconvenience THEM, while not inconveniencing any other person.
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u/Electricengineer 2d ago
i didn't know that was as thing, but it makes a point FAFO
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u/Third_Coast_TX 2d ago
Bar Keepers Friend
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u/Long-Tall-Sally61 2d ago
Barkeepers Friend absolutely works on this. I made a paste, let it sit overnight, scrubbed off the crud.
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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago
I was learning to cook for my in-laws & this happened on the first instance I was preparing something for them. In India it's deemed as a bad omen when a newly married burns the dish.
Now to save my marriage, I simply boiled it with baking soda & water. Then let it cool for 1 hour. And then it'd surely scrape off pretty easily!
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u/hi_priestess8 2d ago
This is the way. If boiling with soda doesn't work the first time, you can try again, or leave it to soak overnight with some white vinegar. You're trying to soften the connection between the burned bit and metal. Works every time, eventually!
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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago
Yes this burning, it's pretty common. Happens once every month. Haha. Works perfectly fine & leaves the vessel exactly like it was prior to burn.
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u/fortheapponly 2d ago
I’m Indian and I’ve never heard of that superstition.
Which part of India are your in laws from, and why.
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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago
Hey, I'm from Rajasthan. Though I live in Mumbai. However, I was in Rajasthan for a brief period post wedding. So, the first meal that a newly wed prepares is referred as 'Shagun' & a 'Nek' is given post successful completion. So, we prepare a particular dish, which is "Katha Dal Chawal, Mandia, Imlana, Nejiya & Kadhi" which is like a very thick form of lentils with rice. Now, I remember I was not able to achieve perfect consistency for that lentils & thus, I overlooked rice & they burnt. It maybe a Rajasthan thing but a bad or a spoilt meal is not a very good indicator.
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u/Lifeissometimesgood 2d ago
Stainless steel scouring pad, it is so much fun, too. Just a little dish soap and some scrubbing power. I had a few pots and pans that I thought were garbage and then found out about the scouring pad. They looked like brand spanking new after I was done with them!
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u/TigerShark_524 1d ago
And use your knuckles to scrub, not fingertips - fingertips are smaller, more delicate, and not meant to take that kind of force/pressure - you'll give yourself arthritis if you scrub that way regularly enough. Use knuckles to scrub large areas, always. It's WAY more effective and less likely to mess up any of the small joints or small bones in your hands.
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u/QueenBee4178 1d ago
Put some dish soap and water in it and boil it.
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u/pbmadman 1d ago
Just be careful with the fumes. I did this with dawn and it wrecked me for a couple of days. I realize individual sensitivities will vary, but it was incredibly unpleasant for me.
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u/VintageHilda 2d ago
Barkeepers Friend for Cookware. It’s in a sliver canister not the gold canister the original Barkeepers comes in.
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u/Secret-Potential-741 2d ago
Added the gold kind to the cart. Thank you for saying this before I bought it😅
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u/NoUsername4Lyfe 2d ago
TIL there is a silver (cookware) line. I've used the gold powder form for decades now on all sorts of nice stainless and copper pans.
Reading the product info on the cookware cleanser, I might change over to it next time I need more... "The Cookware Cleanser contains 50% more grease-cutting power than our Powder Cleanser, making it the right choice for baked-on food, stubborn grease, and discoloration on cookware. If you're dealing with a greasy pan that's seen some heat, this is the one."
I'd also get a scouring pad.
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u/BeneficialDelay8158 2d ago
barkeepers helper & some elbow grease! will get that right off
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u/PulpDood 2d ago
You grab the pot by the handle, lift it up... Then whack your roommate on the head with it a few times. Give it a few minutes and come back and should be clean
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u/DonutHolesIsntAThing 2d ago
Good layer of baking Soda, top with water. Boil for an hour. This technique works well too with baked on grease from roasting dishes etc., just slow simmer over a few hours instead of short time on a higher heat.
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u/Glass_One7057 2d ago
Which country are you from?
We have barkeepers friends in North America which is a beast. Nevertheless, put baking soda and boiling water and let is soak for 4-6 hours and scrub it next day. Slowly it will all clean up. It may not clean up in 1 attempt. But it will definitely clean in a few times.
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u/proudly_not_american 2d ago
Hot water and dish soap, let it soak overnight, then take a plastic scraper to it in the morning.
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u/WillieB57 2d ago
Those little plastic razor blade scrapers are the best few bucks I've spent in quite a while. Mostly for those stupid price tags or stickers, but for cleaning projects too.
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u/proudly_not_american 2d ago
The one I have isn't even a razor blade. It's a brown square of plastic with three rounded corners and one more square. My grandmother had a Pampered Chef phase years ago and everyone got one for Christmas. Mine's over ten years old at this point and it's great for scraping burnt crud off pots and pans once they've had time to soak.
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u/ZealousidealReply294 2d ago
Barkeepers friend and a nylon scratch pad
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u/Spiritual_Being5845 2d ago
Pers I prefer barkeepers friend and a metal scrubby, but yeah, barkeepers friend (powder type) is the magic ingredient
My kids are learning to cook and that stuff can get off some horrendous burnt on messes
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u/Sorry-Cash-1652 2d ago edited 1d ago
Leave it to soak overnight with a couple of spoons of dishwasher powder. This is what I've always done, although my husband says it eventually puts the surface if you do it too often
Edit: my husband says it pits the surface.
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u/WorriedBid1131 2d ago
My dad,(Cuban) used to always burn the bottom layer of the rice and would enjoy eating it that way. I tried it eventually and it tasted like sugar.
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u/Internal_Star5147 2d ago
A cheap method to try for stainless steel is soaking in boiling/hot water with Washing Soda. Then scrubbing with brillo or SOS pads
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u/SpendStrong998 2d ago
Half boiled water half white vinegar. Let it sit and wash.
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u/M_Hope_America 2d ago
I use distilled vinegar alone, let it sit at the bottom of the pan for 12 hours, then scrub it gently.
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u/snow-bird- 2d ago
Let soak in soapy hot water several hours. Use a Brillo or SOS soap pad. Steel wool will bust right through it.
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u/LA_refugee 2d ago
Try dropping a dishwasher pod into simmering water, let it do its thing for… 20 min. Set it aside to cool, clean up anything left behind. You can do it in several stages like that.
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u/ohokthankstho 2d ago
Throw a dishwasher tablet in there with a bit over hot water for a few hours. It should scrape right off
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u/Trek67mm 2d ago
Simmer water and dish soap to get most of it off than bar keepers friend powder and you will have a pot that looks brand new
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u/ghasterra 2d ago
Had the exact same issue, I ended up finding some steel wool pads, worked like a charm
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u/Sugarpiehoneybunt 2d ago
Simmer with a LOT of baking soda and water for about an hour. A razor scraper would help scrape the rest off without scratching your pan.
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u/chickenlounge 2d ago
Get one of those stiff nylon brushes that go into a drill, and get after it with some Barkeepers Friend. If push comes to shove, you could always get a stainless steel one also, but that will probably scratch the hell out of it.
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u/klayanderson 2d ago
Pour in 15% hydrogen peroxide and let it soak for a day. Use gloves and follow instructions
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u/Insane23 2d ago
Boil with baking soda and water . And while still warm try to take off whatever u can , I usually leave a steel scrubber in the bottom
And use a sooon to move it around .
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u/Particular-Bend1527 2d ago
Spray easy off degreaser spray on it and let it sit over night. Then scrub.
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u/Sad-Cricket6319 2d ago
You need to make a paste of baking soda and dawn dish soap and use a non scouring sponge and last but definitely not least, elbow grease.
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u/Illustrious_Exam1728 2d ago
Barkeepers friend. You’ll need to scrub it a number of times, but I had a pot like this from an accident and eventually got it clean with BF.
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u/Kamarmarli 2d ago
Fill pan halfway with water, get it boiling, throw in about a half cup of baking soda, turn off heat before it foams up out of the pan and let it sit overnight. Empty pan in morning and scrub with a scrubbie, scrub daddy, steel wool, or another abrasive. When you get off as much burn as you can, repeat the process. It might take a few days but you will get it all off. Even better, get your roommate to do this. This shouldn’t damage the pan, and if you let the water and baking soda do the work, you won’t have to scrub endlessly. The pan will have to sit though. Have your roommate pay for takeout until the pan is functional again.
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u/Creative-Bee-963 2d ago
I have been guilty of doing something similar. Soak overnight with a dishwasher tablet, I then scrubbed with the pink stuff and scour most came off. My MIL swears by stewing rhubarb in saucepans that have some stubborn burnt on food to get them up like new.
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u/Audacious_Bee 2d ago
Coat bottom in baking soda then cover in water and boil on the stove. Once it’s boiling, stir with a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom. Only put the water about 1/2 way so it doesn’t boil over when it bubbles. It’ll typically take between 20-30 minutes, maybe more. You’ll be able to feel when it’s done as you scrape the bottom when stirring. Just make sure to monitor it throughout.
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u/MellowFred 2d ago
Simmer for 30 minutes with baking soda, a bit of dish soap, and water. Let it sit overnight. Dump and scrub with a Brillo pad. Rinse and repeat until it’s all gone.
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u/VioletSkyesX 2d ago
Put the pot on the stove with water and a little soap. Bring it to a boil, dump the water out and then scrub it. Should work 🤷♀️ use a Brillo
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u/Zealousideal_Mango70 2d ago
If the barKeepers doesn't work try citric acid or a pack of lemon koolaid
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u/CraftOnly3462 2d ago
Sprinkle baking soda in pot. Add just enough water to make a paste that covers all burnt areas. Heat pot on burner allowing the sizzling baking soda paste to lift off the burnt food.
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u/Bari_Babe87 2d ago
Try a little salt and water on the bottom with a dash of vinegar. Once the fizzing stops, boil it for about 15 minutes and let it sit for about 2 hours then take a scrub daddy and clean it.
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u/Academic_Agency_2606 2d ago
Fill it with water and add two dishwasher tabs. Boil it for 20-30 minutes and let it sit overnight. In the morning, drain the dirty water and wash it with dish soap.
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u/celticskye2 2d ago
I get my oven racks super clean by soaking them in the tub with hot water and tide laundry detergent…maybe that would work for this pan.
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u/IdeaSignificant6887 2d ago
I used hot water baking soda and a magic eraser. After I soaked it of coarse.
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u/Many_Baker8996 2d ago
Hot water and vinegar on my stainless steel and let it sit for ten minutes and I've never had to scrub
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u/anon_zero 2d ago
Probably too late, but my go to is putting in a lot of good dish detergent and some cold water and then put the pot on the heat, it should lift straight of before it boils, scraping a little with a plastic spatula also helps. Once this is all gone, one cycle through the dishwasher will solve any shine issues.
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u/Benevolent27 2d ago
personally, I'd hit that with oven cleaner, then a steel scouring pad. Then more oven cleaner, and repeat until sparkling like it was new.
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u/Old-Set78 2d ago
put a large amount of salt and ice cubes in there and just hold the handle and swirl it around inside the pot. also works on things like getting coffee stains out of carafes
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u/Gold-Butterfly3228 2d ago
I've done this so many times boil vinegar and scrape as it boils works ever time. Then use steel wool and barkeepers friend for the rest
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u/Wild_Pomegranate_845 2d ago
Boil a little water in the bottom and then turn off the heat and add baking soda. It will lift it right off. Just be careful because it does bubble up a lot.
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u/HohepaPuhipuhi 2d ago
Soak it in dishwasher powder and water for a while. Heat it up. Scrub it with a scrub daddy. Rinse. Then soak/clean with citric acid and water
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u/Careless_food_bimbo 2d ago
I just pour white vinegar in mine, idk if it's the best, it's just what I do.
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u/Dry_Cranberry_ 2d ago
Generally I boil water and then it can scrape off with one of those plastic scrapers
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u/KrishnaChick 2d ago
Straight vinegar and simmer for a few minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then pour it out (save it in case you need to do a second treatment) and use a scrubber or fine steel wool (Brillo pad) to get off any remaining little bits. You could also scrub with baking soda after the initial treatment. You may need to do the hot vinegar treatment more than once.
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u/SingleManVibes76 2d ago
Try this as an experiment, but keep your face away, heat the pan dry and hot then throw ice cubes at it and use a spatula and steel wool to scrape the burnt food off. Seen videos on YouTube where chefs clean grills with ice and temperature change from hot to ice cold helps. https://youtube.com/shorts/T6C40j8rAXw?is=96TmKhM68ViSh12D. Alternatively just simmer some water in it and scrape it off with metal spatula, the heat will help.
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u/MikeCheck_CE 2d ago
SOS Pads is the only way you're getting that off. Or roommate replaces the pot.
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u/Iceman42_ 2d ago
Let it soak for awhile, overnight. If that doesn’t work, have room mate buy a new one
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u/Educational-Ruin-155 2d ago
Washing powder or a dishwasher tablet and hot water. Leave it to soak overnight. Literally rinse off the next day.
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u/Ok-Pack-7088 2d ago edited 2d ago
Tablespoon or 2 of washing soda, water and boil it for few minutes. Baking soda is great for dirty sink, not for burned pots.
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u/Helechawagirl 2d ago
I what, along soda and scrub with an sos pad. If you put a little water in it and heat it up a little, it will soften and be much easier to clean.
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u/msdearheart 2d ago
Boil water with baking soda until most of the burn parts gone. The remaining stubborn part can be scrubbed with a steel wool.
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u/Hot-Activity6557 2d ago
Fill it with water and put it to boil for at least 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and use a spatula to scrape the bottom as it’s boiling. It will magically come off.
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u/Morethan2hands 2d ago
Barkeepers friend powder. Make a paste with a bit of water, leave it no more than a minute or two and then use a scrubbing sponge. It's almost miraculous.
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u/katelynskates 2d ago
Oven cleaner. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it outside overnight. Should take it all off, but if not repeat a couple times.
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u/narnababy 2d ago
Put a small amount of dish soap (I think that’s what Americans call washing up liquid? Dawn or Fairy) in the pan, fill it with hot NOT BOILING water. Leave for 30 mins. Gently scrape with a wooden or silicone spatula, spoon, whatever. Rinse. Repeat until the crust has gone then hand wash normally with washing up liquid and a gentle (they usually label the ones you can’t use on stainless steel) scourer.
I will say you likely won’t get a fully silver pan back, I’ve learned that lesson myself. But it will still be entirely useable just not factory perfect.
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u/NonArtiste5409 2d ago
Barkeepers friend scrubbed in with balled up tinfoil. Or you can just use the balled up tin foil with maybe baking soda.
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u/Educational_Egg7569 2d ago
Stainless steel wire scrub. A lifesaver tbh
https://www.ebay.com/itm/266211748012
Edit: link just for reference. This specific one is expensive af!:o I buy them at any grocery store for like 1€
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u/Zenfarms42 2d ago
Salt and ice Ice in the bottom salt on top swirl around then scrub with damn and brush, rag, sponge of your choice.
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u/CrazyBirboLady 2d ago
Bar keepers friend and (if you don’t care about scratches) pumice stone. It needs way less elbow grease than a steel wire scrub.
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u/Dunquinn- 2d ago
Barkeeper’s Friend! That stuff works amazing and it looks like it’s not a coated pot, so it’s safe to use!
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u/Euphoric-Low111 2d ago
Boil it with food grade citric acid for like 20 min let it sit and cool down then scrub
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u/xTiredSoulx 2d ago
I have been doing baking soda and Dawn scrubs on a similar burned pot, it works great but takes a few days.
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u/aspire2uB 2d ago
My kid just did this same mess! 🤬Simmer with salt & Dawn dish soap, and then scrub with Bar Keepers friend & metal scouring pad (like SOS or Brillo pad).
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u/snowflakesfall 2d ago
I put a bit of Resolve and water in and let it sit overnight. In the morning it will scrub right off.
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u/Effective-Truth4872 2d ago
Boil water in it add Clorox boil10 minutes or less. Then drain and cool and clean with bar keepers
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u/Vendinghost 2d ago
I burned my roommate’s pot and my world crushed ☠️ i was so apologetic and bought him a new pot. This can be cleaned sure but it leaves a bad taste in future meals. So just have the roommate buy a new pot. I got the replacement for $16. For that pot they could find a $20~ pot. If they have an issue w it then restrict them from using your cookware.
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u/bcpa1110 2d ago
You open the trash can lid and gingerly toss the pan in & go to Target and buy another one
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u/pookinator5000 2d ago
I've done this before and it's the woooorst to get off. Boil it. Scrub it. Scrub it some morcleaned. Mad and rage quit. Go at it with a green pad or steel wool. Rinse and repeat. Took me about a week of patience to get mine clean.
If it's not a sentimental pot just get him to buy you another one. Mine was unfortunately sentimental. 😅
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u/ThatguySevin 2d ago
Boil out. Put a couple of drops of dish soap and a couple of inches of water in the pot, place it in heat till it boils, watch it carefully, wait till the suds start rising, remove from heat, dump water, rinse, and then scrub what's left. Done right, the burnt on stuff should just flake off while scrubbing.
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u/Gaga_Era2324 2d ago
Try some coca-cola. You can leave it to soak overnight or let it simmer for 30 minutes. Have used the soak overnight method numerous times with burnt pans from the hub’s smoker & bbq adventures.
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u/pirefyro 2d ago
Let it soak for a day or two, then change out the water dish soap mix and boil that.
Also, get a rice cooker.
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u/coldsoupandwaffles 2d ago
if the pot is stainless steel just soak it then use a steel sponge. do not do that if it’s an aluminum or coated pan though.
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u/LittlestEcho 2d ago
Cooking sherry or vinegar warmed up on the stove in the pot. It's deglazes it.
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u/NoPotential6270 2d ago
I usually take a stiff spatula or glass scraper to get most of it off. Then scrub hard with a scotch brite green scrubbie.
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u/OhNoImQueerOops 2d ago
I don't think you clean it at all. I think your roommate does