How do I clean the bottom of a burned stainless pot?
I let all the water boil out of some barley I was simmering on the top of stove. After scraping out the gluEy, burnt barley, I am left w. burned residue and discolouration on bottom of medium-heavy Farberware 1 Qt. Can this pan be saved/
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scrub with baking soda and salt. let sit. add vinegar (middle school volcano style). let sit. rinse. repeat.
Steel wool is your best bet. Given a solid scrubbing with steel wool, I think any stainless steel pot can be saved.
not true. Many good stainless pots are ruined by steel wool. Kosher salt is great, don't even use water at first. Or you can try putting it back on the stove with water in it and simmering, then try to scrub it out.
So elbow grease and abraisive to loosen scorched particles, then baking soda and vinegar to help things along; what about the discolouration at bottom? Is that permanent?
couldn't tell you.
the discoloration is chemical and is almost definitely permanent. however, it shouldn't make much of a difference in the usefulness of the pan.
Gail, did you burn the inside of the pot or the outside surface?
Bottom of inside. Altho there are black streaks on bottom from direct contact w. gas flame. After trying the vinegar, baking soad and salt tricks (which flaked off a few carbonized barley bits) I went back to an SOS pad and elbow grease (lots of it.) Pot is looking not so hot but is now useable. Gas heats things so quickly, I have to pay more attention.
And the scouring took a loooong time - rather like a good mini-weight-bearing exercise for the fingers.
I have had success with boiling water with cream of tartar in the pot. Sometimes I use baking soda and water, but it doesn't work as well. Lilakess is right about steel wool on stainless steel. The little particles will rust the stainless steel.
I once had the same problem and asked a chemist friend for advice and was told that after you do a reasonable cleaning to remove burnt food particles, the changes in color created by the heat are now permanent part of the pot and will not have any affect on the flavor or health of food you cook.
Good. And thanks. Little (1 qt) is an old friend and very useful. I just priced the new high-end (Cuisinart) version. Erg!
This is where Fluther is terrific. Imagine having this dialog anywhere else.
BAR KEEPER'S FRIEND. It's the only kitchen cleaning product I've ever needed. Its pretty much glorified baking soda, but its magic for cleaning pots and pans and sinks and stoves and whatever. You can buy it at hardware stores.
I thought Barkeeper’s Friend is Oxalic acid. Is that similar to baking soda? I know that I have used Barkeeper’s Friend for cleaning my SS pots & pans, but I also used it to clean very bad iron stains from showers, sinks, and tubs and NOTHING else I tried works. That stuff rocks!
Please read the directions carefully as it is toxic.
soak in soap and water then scrub with steel wool.
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