The kitchen might just be every one’s favorite room in the house because normally that is where the food is. We all know for kitchenware to last it needs maintenance to last longer.
When the kitchenware is properly maintained even the food tastes better. Most nights after eating a delicious meal and you had probably hosted a bunch of people for dinner, the kitchen must have been eventually looking like a mess.
Talk about knives with bits of vegetables, cutting board in the sink, pots and pans everywhere. That must be hard to clean!
Honestly a quick clean up is not the best especially when we are talking about kitchenware maintenance. I know it may have been a long day and you just want to get them done but proper maintenance is necessary to increase the lifespan of your kitchen equipment.
How to remove rust from a pan
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Using baking soda
Rinse the metal with water and shake dry. Dust with the baking soda which will stick to the damp areas making sure to cover all rusty areas.
Leave the item for an hour or so then scour with scouring pad removing it down to the metal. Rinse and towel dry.
This method is best used for less severe rust light rust rings and on thin metal. The pros are that it is cheap since baking soda is readily available at the supermarket, convenient store or even at home.
The disadvantage is that the process is lengthy. It takes up to one hour before you can really start to work away the rust because it can be quite a stubborn nuisance.
The key is to use a scouring pad so prepare to use some elbow grease.
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Vinegar bath
For this method you will need to submerge the rusted pan in white vinegar and let it sit overnight. Remove it and scrape with a metal brush or steel wool.
If it can’t be submerged soak rags in white vinegar and wrap the rusted area. It is best used on pans made of steel which can be submerged without compromising the integrity of other surfaces.
It is super easy and takes hardly any elbow grease because the soaking loosens the rust. The cons are that the item needs to be soaked overnight so it takes a while to get it clean.
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Potato and dish soap
This may be a new method to you but it works as good as the rest. Cut your potato in half and cover the open end with a dish soap.
Use the potato like you would a scouring pad on the pan and watch the rust fade away as it reacts with the soap and potato.
It is best used on small less-stubborn rust stains and easy to reach surfaces. It is relatively easy and fast. Works great on kitchen appliances and you won’t have to go out to buy the items since you have them at home already.
The disadvantages are that it is quite messy for removing rust. I’m sure you are nodding as you read this haha! Be sure to work over a sink or somewhere where the clean-up will be easy.
The methods above work for most pans that have rust so when one does not seem to give you the best results be sure to try another one.
How to remove rust on cast iron
Cast iron skillets are great for almost everything from breakfast to baking. The downside is that they require a little more maintenance than your average pot and pan.
For cleaning it and ridding it off rust you will use an abrasive pad and some white vinegar. With a little work your cast iron will be as good as new.
Also, if you have an oven with a self-cleaning setting, that is another great way to remove the rust and “reset” that pan.
For this you will let it soak for one to six hours depending on how bad the rust is. Then use a scrubber where a copper pad is preferred.
You could also choose to use the salt scrub method where you add a light layer of salt to cover the bottom of the pan and use bunched-up paper towels to scrub away any food particles stuck to the pan.
The process of restoring your cast iron pan continues where you will add a small amount of oil to the entire piece the handle and bottom.
Place it in the oven upside down on the top rack of your oven and place a sheet of aluminum foil or a foil-lined baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any oil drips. Heat it for one hour at 350˚F. Turn off heat and let it cool.
They are Good as new!
How to clean burnt oil from stainless steel pans
Tough burnt oil and grease can give you a struggle when cleaning but not to worry because there are a few tricks aside from elbow grease that is quite preferred because it will remove the burnt oil without destroying your pan.
Abrasive pads
Metal pads work better than plastic scouring pads but may still work well if you use your arms to apply lots of needed pressure.
Metal scouring pads have built-in abrasive power and require less hard scrubbing on your part saving you that energy.
Boiling water baking soda and vinegar
For this method, place your dirty pan on an oven burner.
Add a squirt of dish washing soap, 1/2 cup of baking soda or 1 cup of vinegar into the pan and enough water to cover the entire surface area of your pan.
Bring this liquid to a boil for three to five minutes. Let the pan cool and then scrub off the oil, with a little extra baking soda added if the oil remains stubborn.
How to prevent getting the oil residue that may lead to burning
Some cooking products and cooking methods reduce the chance of oil burning onto your pans.
Oil sprays that contain a chemical propellant are more apt to cause oil to brown and stick to the pans, so make your own spray bottles containing natural cooking oils instead of buying these brands.
Keep cooking temperatures at medium-high or below when sautéing or pan-frying to minimize burning or scorching oil.
Use good-quality stainless steel cookware that conducts heat efficiently, so that you don’t need high cooking temperatures.
How to clean a scorched non-stick pan
It doesn’t matter if you’re a greenhorn in the kitchen or at a Food Network-chef level of cooking, at times, you will end up having burned food stuck to your pan.
When this happens, don’t panic, and don’t even think about throwing that pan in the dishwasher. Burned non-stick pans require heavy cleaning, but non-stick pans generally aren’t dishwasher-friendly anyway.
Instead, follow these options for cleaning burned food off non-stick pans. Your pan will feel and look like new again shortly.
With white vinegar:
If you burned dinner and are waiting for your pizza to arrive, then try the white vinegar method.
Fill your non-stick pan with water and ½-cup white vinegar, bringing the mixture to a boil. The burned-on residue should start to come off and float to the top.
Turn off the heat, and, after it cools, use a paper towel to remove the pieces. Pour out the water and wash the pan like normal in warm, soapy water.
With baking soda:
Soda contains an ingredient that helps tackle those truly difficult cleaning jobs by working as a mild abrasive. Start by covering the bottom of the pan with water.
Add baking soda liberally to the water to create a thin paste. Let the mixture sit in the pan for a few hours; rinse and wash like normal.
Bonus Method:
Another method involves baking soda to get out those ultra-tough stains.
Boil 4 tablespoons of baking soda with ½-water in the pan. After the pan has cooled (a hot pan will warp in cold water), rinse.
Scrub out the stains with baking soda and a non-stick safe brush or sponge (ideally nylon).
Ideally, you can learn how to take care of your non-stick pans to avoid scorching them in the first place. All in all, you may require to replace your cookware eventually to which end you can read our article on how long cookware lasts and when you should replace your pans.
