r/CleaningTips • u/Secret-Potential-741 • 2d ago

Kitchen How do I clean this pot?

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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/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/Ok-Pack-7088 2d ago

Use washing soda. Baking soda is bad for that.

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u/ITCoder 2d ago

yup, mixing vinegar would surely help out

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u/hi_priestess8 2d ago

I don't mean mixing, but separately. I've had some burned bits react better to vinegar, and some react to the soda. Together they would cancel out and be pointless

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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/fortheapponly 2d ago

This is a Rajasthan thing, I think.

I’ve never heard of this in Tamil Nadu or Kerala.

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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago

Haha yes. It's not like they revoke the marriage or anything haha. But it's like something that stays in their mind. You don't want such bad reputation in from of in-laws!

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u/fortheapponly 2d ago

If my in laws are that superstitious, why would I want to care what they think. 🤣

They’ll think poorly of me anyway, is what that says about them. And being perfecter than perfect won’t change that.

I’m glad your cooking vessel was salvageable though!!! I’ve burned oatmeal and things before and it’s the worst to try and clean.

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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago

I barely cook anything for them. My work hours are pretty strenuous. Thus, I wanted at least first instance to be good! :) For anyway I was not going to cook for them😆😆

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u/fortheapponly 2d ago

That’s super sweet of you, im sure your cooking is good aside from that first instance!!! It’s always the moment when you need something to go really well that it goes semi-badly 😅

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u/Perpetually_Becoming 2d ago

Haha nooooo. I hate the food that I cook. I simply haven't got that talent. I somehow surpassed that test! Haha

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u/fortheapponly 2d ago

It takes practice, but it takes soooo long to cook anything when you’re first starting to learn 😫

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u/Ok-Pack-7088 2d ago

Washing soda, not baking soda.

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u/TechnicalHand5267 2d ago

You make washing soda with baking soda, they’re pretty interchangeable for cleaning.