How do I get the black stuff off my pans?
How It Works: Fill your dirty pan with equal part water and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Remove from heat and let soak for up to 15 minutes. Discard the liquid down your drain and then use a sponge or scouring pad to scrub away any remaining burnt-on bits.
Boil water and baking soda in the pan
Then use a long-handled brush or scouring pad to scrub off your mess (again, new pads will work better). It's best to do this while the pan is still hot, so it may help to use gloves and grip the pan with a towel or oven mitt.
A combo of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and time helps old pans look brand-new. Baking soda to the rescue again! When your glassware builds up a not-so-appetizing layer of burnt-on grease, all you need is baking soda, a little soap, aluminum foil, and an old toothbrush.
The blackness left behind on your pans is actually soot resulting from incomplete combustion due to a lack of oxygen.
Teflon is a synthetic chemical made up of carbon and fluorine atoms. It was first created in the 1930s and provides a nonreactive, nonstick, and almost frictionless surface. The nonstick surface makes Teflon-coated cookware convenient to use and easy to clean.
Baking soda is abrasive and will help to lift the staining. Use a scouring pad to massage the baking soda to combat any remaining burn marks on the bottom of the pan. Rinse it clean.
Over time, oil and grease can stain your pots and pans brown. They'll still work just fine, but if you're all about keeping your kitchen sparkling clean, the stains have got to go. But scrubbing with a little bit of soap and water often just doesn't do the trick.
Vinegar & baking soda will make pans sparkle
These natural products will do wonders for burnt marks, and really will make your pans, pots and oven trays look like new again. Sprinkle the surface of your dirty pan with baking soda, then pour on a solution of 1 cup hot water and 1/3 cup vinegar.
The coating itself is considered non-toxic. Even if you ingest small flakes of it, it passes right through you. But some experts are concerned about what happens when Teflon gets too hot. "When pans are overheated, that PTFE coating begins to disintegrate," Fenton told Live Science.
Simply wash your pan with vinegar and rinse with water to remove discoloration. Additionally, vinegar can be used to rid your pan of white calcium build-up stains. Make a mixture of one part vinegar to three parts water and boil in the affected pot or pan. Allow the mixture to cool, empty the pan, and wash as normal.
Are discolored pans safe to use?
Nonstick pans develop light or dark spots as food builds up. While it's still safe to use a nonstick skillet with discoloration, a darker color indicates that the coating is coming off. Again, it's best to toss your pan.
Soak It. If the pan is deep enough, fill it with water, plus a few tablespoons of lemon juice or cream of tartar, says Varney. Boil 10 minutes and drain. This should lift the dark coating, which you can then sponge off with soap and water.
Soak the sheet pan with a mixture of 1 Tbsp. baking soda, a few drops of dish soap, and hot water for one hour to overnight. After soaking, you should be able to scrub away any debris or stains. For non-stick pans, avoid heavy-duty or abrasive scrubbing.
You can recoat your non stick pan – but this is rarely the best option. To do a full-recoat of a non-stick pan, it's a lengthy and complicated process – that involves bathing the pan in hydrochloric acid, applying up to seven layers of PTFE, and then baking it at over 800°F!