.If you are in the habit of piling your pots inside of one another after cooking, you might find one day that the pots are stuck together.
To make matters worse, it happens to all cooking pots, be it ceramic or stainless steel.
Neither is safe. If you have tried twisting, turning, and banging to try unstuck them, well, here are some other ways that may be of substantial help to you.
Why Do Pots Get Stuck Together?
Since most cooking pots are nearly the same size when you place them together, there is a frictional force which results in them being difficult to separate.
Other than the force, it can be something as simple as a leftover sticky substance like food with high sugar content.
Therefore, depending on your cooking pot material and available items, you can employ any relevant methods, from cooking oil to hot water and some ice cubes.
How To Separate Stainless Steel Pots Stuck Together.
Since most stainless-steel pots are subject to expansion and contraction when exposed to heat, the solution is temperature.
- Clear your sink, place a stopper to close the water drainage point, and put the stuck cooking pots in the sink.
- Fill up the kitchen sink with hot water up to just below the top of the bottom cooking pot leaving the top one empty. This will ensure the bottom pot expands while the top one contracts.
- Add ice cubes on the base of the top cooking pot.
- Leave the stuck pots in the sink for 5 to 10 minutes. The ice cubes ensure that the top cooking pot contracts.
- Turn the cooking pots in different directions to separate them, ensuring you insulate your hands to avoid burning your fingers.
How To Separate Two Ceramic Pots Stuck Together
If the hot water method does not work on your particular ceramic pots, you can try the cooking oil method.
- Pour a bit of oil (vegetable oil, cooking oil, or even olive oil) between the pots. Use a paper towel dampened with oil, and wipe it around the part the two bowls are in contact. You can use oil or an oil-based spray for this method.
- Carefully twist or pull apart the cooking pots apart. If they are still stuck, wait about 20 to 30 seconds. This is to give it time for the oil to trickle enough to take effect. Add oil if needed.
How To Prevent Cooking Pots Stuck Together
To avoid getting your cooking pots from getting stuck, you should avoid stacking them on each other to save yourself from future problems.
Another thing is to ensure that you wash off the contents to prevent any sticky layer from remaining on the bottom of the cooking pot.
Avoid stacking durable cooking pots such as stainless steel or ceramic cooking pots with materials such as glass bowls.
This is because the hot water and ice cube method may cause adverse effects. Such as breakage of the glass due to the sudden temperature changes.
You may even end up cutting yourself when, by accident, you touch the broken glass when it cracks.
You no longer have to get stressed out when you accidentally get your cooking pots stuck. If one method does not work for you the first time, you have another solution to try out.
Sources
