Forgetting about the meal you’re simmering on the stove for a few minutes can spell real disaster in the kitchen. The dishes you cook in can burn and dirt can be difficult to remove.
Here are some effective tips to help you get rid of this recurring problem.
- baking powder
Washing up can be a hassle when food sticks to pots and pans. But don’t panic, the best way to clean is a simple and affordable ingredient that everyone has available: baking soda! All you need to do is sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda at the bottom of the dirty containers. Avoid diluting the powder too much with water beforehand. Then wait about 30 minutes before using a scouring pad or metal scraper to scrub and rinse. You will notice its effectiveness immediately! And of course this trick doesn’t involve any harmful chemicals. You can apply baking soda to your sponge every time you do the dishes.
The outside of pots and pans can be cleaned with baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice. You can mix 2 tablespoons of each ingredient and rub the outside of the pans with the resulting paste. The dirt disappears immediately.
- White vinegar and baking soda
For this trick, you not only need baking soda, but also white vinegar. But before that, you need to follow some steps before applying them:
- Remove as much burnt food and debris from the pan as possible
- Place the pan back on the stove and heat until a drop of water sizzles
- Add 1 cup water or a mixture of ½ cup water and ½ cup white vinegar to the hot pan and bring to a boil. If you have a large pot or pan, use more white vinegar.
- While the liquid is simmering, use the spatula or scraper to clean the bottom of the pan and remove any burnt bits of food
- Pour the liquid down the sink and do not dry or wipe the pan
- Sprinkle the bottom of the utensil generously with baking soda and allow to cool.
- Scrub the bottom of the pan vigorously with a damp scouring pad or nylon brush
- Once all stains and burnt bits are removed, wash and dry as usual
More tips for removing burnt food from a pan
There are more tips for cleaning a burnt pot or pan, here they are:
- Add ketchup to the bottom of the burnt pan
Many people who have burnt the bottom of a pan think it’s a good idea to throw it away. However, this is not necessary. An unlikely product that can help in such cases is ketchup. This product contains vinegar, which is excellent for removing burnt-on foods thanks to its acetic acid content. What should you do? Grease the pan with a thick layer of ketchup and let it stand for about half an hour. After this time, simply scrape off the residue with a wooden spatula and then wash out the pan.
- Use lemon so as not to damage the surface of the pan
Another popular way to remove sticky residue from your cookware is to use lemon and water. Similar to the acetic acid in white vinegar, the citric acid in lemons helps dissolve burnt food stains, but without the pungent smell. The lemon method not only cleans a burnt pan, but also gives your kitchen a refreshing citrus scent.
First, cut two lemons into quarters or thick slices and place them on the bottom of the pan. Then add enough water to cover the entire burned area and bring to a boil on the stove. You will see the burnt food particles come off the bottom of the pan as the lemon floats.
After about 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let it soak while the water cools to room temperature. Discard the water and lemon pieces, then lightly scrub the remaining dirt with a soft sponge.