Does your frying pan have a greasy deposit at the bottom? If yes, it simply requires a good cleaning. Cleaning the pan’s bottom and removing the greasy deposits often require more time and effort.
The task becomes more challenging when burnt and dried food remains are on the surface.
Have you tried various methods to clean a frying pan but failed to remove the stubborn stains? You do not have to worry now!
You will be happy to know that you have a few inexpensive and easy-to-use ingredients at home that will help your pan shine.
What are they and how do you use them? Here is the article that talks about the steps to effectively clean a frying pan.
Table of Contents
Why Is Regular Cleaning Not Enough To Keep A Frying Pan Spick and Span?
We cook greasy items like bacon, eggs, and pine nuts mainly in a frying pan. Regular cleaning of the frying pan bottom is not enough to avoid the risk of a grease fire.
It is especially critical if you have a stove with a conventional coil top and a glass top having an open flame.
Regular cleaning a frying pan from the bottom avoids the greasy filth only to an extent. Accumulation of filth slowly will add to the bacteria build-up. It is harmful to your health and well-being. Food particles are trapped within and on the grease.
You are exposing yourself and your family to illnesses like food positioning on making greasy filth in contact with other kitchen surfaces. So, regular cleaning is not enough to keep the frying pan shiny for the long term.
What Are The Different Materials A Frying Pan Is Made Up Of?
A frying pan bottom is made of different materials. Let me tell you that the cleaning approach is dependent on the material a frying pan is made of.
Stainless steel
A pan made of stainless steel is easy to clean and maintain. It is enough to scrub it with baking soda gently and clean it.
Cast iron
Your cast iron frying pan requires regular maintenance. The problem with a frying pan of cast iron is rust development. So, avoid washing it with water. Instead, use potatoes and salt for cleaning.
Aluminum
Clean your aluminum frying pan with lemon and salt. Avoid using bleach and ammonia to prevent the cookware’s discoloration. Please wash the pan with your hands to avoid scratching.
Copper
Clean your copper frying pan with salt, vinegar, and lemon juice to let it shine for the long term. Please rinse and dry the pan properly.
What Do You Need To Clean A Frying Pan?
A few of the following items from your kitchen will help you get a greasy-free frying pan.
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Oven cleaner
- Scrubbing pad
- Toothbrush
- Scouring pad
- Cream of tartar
Steps To Clean A Frying Pan
The most common way of cleaning a frying pan is by using vinegar and baking soda. Here are the steps.
1. Degreasing
The first step that you need to do is remove excess grease from the frying pan’s bottom. You can degrease the surface with vinegar. Pour a small layer of white vinegar and water into equal parts on the bottom.
2. Heating
Heat the diluted vinegar. Allow it to boil. Let it boil for a minute. Then, please remove it from the heat. Drain the vinegar in the sink.
3. Removing filth
After removing the greasy layer, it is time to clean leftovers of burnt food particles. Baking soda will help you get rid of heavy stains. Then, put a tablespoon of baking soda on the pan’s bottom. It will lift the staining as it is abrasive.
4. Scrubbing
Now use a scouring pad to massage baking soda and scrub all the food scraps from the frying pan outside the bottom. It will also remove the remaining burn marks from the pan.
5. Cleaning and drying
Finally, rinse the pan properly with warm water. Dry it thoroughly for your subsequent use.
Other ways to clean frying pans
Salt and lime
Combining salt and lime creates an effective cleaning solution to remove burnt food from cookware. Lime’s acidic properties remove rigid particles burnt in the pan. The salt’s coarse property allows for scrubbing away the loose food quickly.
Follow the steps to clean the frying pan with salt and lime.
1. Squeeze lime juice on the pan and add salt.
2. Let the mixture rest for several minutes.
3. Sprinkle more salt on the outside of the pan.
4. Scrub the surface with a non-abrasive scrubber.
5. After removing excess food, rinse and dry the pan.
Dishwashing liquid
Make a cleaner of baking soda, white vinegar, and dishwashing liquid. It is a powerful solution that will remove the most burnt stains from the frying pan. Cover the entire outer surface of the pan with the baking soda, then add vinegar over it.
Add three drops of dishwashing liquid as soon as the fizzing stops. Take a sponge and dip it in warm water. Next, start washing the covered part. If the pan contains tough stains, you can let the mixture sit for 15-20 minutes.
You can repeat the sprinkling of baking soda until you get an adequately cleaned pan.
Cream of Tartar
An abrasive substitute for baking soda is the Cream of Tartar.
1. Mix a tablespoon of the solution in a cup of water and boil it in a scorched pan.
2. Let the water cool.
3. Scrub the pan with it till it shines.
Lemon, baking soda, and white vinegar
Sprinkle baking soda on the outside of your pan and cover it. Add vinegar to it to form a paste. Use half a lemon to scrub the pan bottom to remove the stains. Rinse and dry the cookware.
Ketchup
Acid from ketchup is an effective cleaning agent. Apply it over the pan’s outer bottom and allow it to settle for around 10 minutes.
Then, scrub the pan surface with a non-scratch sponge.
Bar Keeper’s friend
Bar Keeper’s Friend is a fabulous fragrant solution to clean the pan’s bottom, irrespective of the material it is made up of. Apply the agent on the surface, then add a few drops of water.
Let the solution settle for around 10-15 minutes. Then, scrub the leftovers with a soft brush. You can also use a non-abrasive sponge. Finally, rinse and dry the pan properly.
What are the general care tips for maintaining frying pans?
A few general tips to help you keep your frying pan in working condition for a long time are listed below.
- Please do not add salt to the water until it is boiled. It can cause corrosion, leaving minor dents in the pan’s bottom.
- Do not use steel or other harsh scrubbers to clean the pan. Such cleaners can cause scratches.
- Do not put away your pan while it is wet. Dry it immediately from both inside and outside with a hand towel. Keeping it moist can cause rust.
- Let the pan cool naturally after it is hot. Please do not run the frying pan under cold water immediately while hot. Sudden temperature changes can bend the pan.
FAQs
1. Which is more convenient to maintain? Frying pan or nonstick pan?
A high-quality stainless steel frying pan is expensive but easy to take care of and maintain. Remember, you should take a few precautions like cooling the pan only when it is not hot.
However, a nonstick pan lasts only for about five years. Once it has scratches, it is no longer useful.
2. Should I use an oven cleaner to clean the outside bottom of my frying pan?
No. You should always avoid using the oven cleaner for cleaning the cookware.
Remember, manufacturers, void the warranty on using such harsh chemicals on the pan.
3. Can I use Bon Ami to clean my frying pan?
Yes. Bon Ami is a biodegradable solution that effectively cleans the pan outside the bottom.
Wet the stained or burnt area and spread Bon Ami over it.
4. Are greasy stains from the pan removed from Coca-Cola?
Yes. Coca-Cola is extensively used for removing grease stains from the pans. So, it effectively cleans the outside bottom of the pan.
Conclusion
Cleaning the frying pan outside the bottom is a tedious task. But try to make it easy by cleaning and maintaining it regularly.
You should be careful while using cleaning agents or their combination on the cookware. You can follow the above steps to clean a frying pan with the different agents effectively.
