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Question: What is the best product you recommend for removing baked on cooking grease and food from pots...?

(Posted by: Theodore on 2010-02-08 14:07:01)

...and pans? I would prefer something that you could place in water to soak the cookware and something that is kind to the environment. I have tried several but nothing works including the highly advertised products most of them are a scam.

Posted by: Octavia on 2010-02-09, 15:22:29

Just put it on and let it sit for about 20 minutes, I think. I was amazed at how well it worked on burnt on gunk on my enamel cookware.

Posted by: Jane on 2010-02-08, 14:14:31

Brillo pads. keep at it.

Posted by: outhval on 2010-02-08, 14:19:42

Spray with Elbow Grease spray and leave to soak. It works wonders and is non-toxic.

Posted by: cbruscas on 2010-02-08, 14:31:26

When you say baked on cooking grease and food, I am assuming you mean the carbon that is left behind from the burnt grease and food residue. This may or may not be what you are looking for but when I was in the Marine Corps and we needed to prep our weapons for inspection we used a high purity Vodka to clean out the carbon residue. The Vodka would cut through the carbon better than the cleaner that we had. Some guys used to use Coca-Cola also but I found the Vodka to work better and the alcohol evaporates quickly making clean up easier as well. Naturally, you will need to be sure to carefully clean and rinse the items to clear off any remaining alcohol once you are done removing the carbon and do not expose to open flame, etc. A certain amount of elbow grease is always going to be required as well. The upside is that once you are done, if you have any left over Vodka, you can toast your hard work with a drink.

Posted by: WU-TANG FAN on 2010-02-08, 15:16:00

I am guessing your pots and pans are stainless steel or similar?. I put it back on the stove and add some water to the pan and when it comes to a boil, I get a wooden or plastic spatula and start scraping the inside of the pan to release all the stuck food particles on the bottom of the pan. Once I get most of it scraped up, I wash the pan in hot soapy water. This should make life easier. You may need to do this more than once but it should work. I usually do this immediately after I'm done using the pan while it's still hot so that it comes up easier than if you let it cool then do it.

Posted by: daffyd on 2010-02-08, 18:18:45

I'm guessing that you are referring to the glossy brown coating found on many pots after much use and indifferent cleaning. Technical term here is "varnish ": on steel, aluminum, or enamelware, it is unattractive, but harmless, but on plain cast iron, it is desirable to have a layer of it on the bottom of the pan, as it forms a relatively non-stick surface. Elbow grease and time - even the nastiest cleaning solvents will take some scrubbing. Don't try to take it all off at one time; that much scraping and abrading will dull the finish on steel, and will chip and wear through enamel coating.

Posted by: mrslititia on 2010-02-08, 18:41:31

Put the items in the sink and fill to cover with the hottest water you can. If your water isn't very hot, boil a bit and add to get the water really hot. Add a scoop of Oxiclean and a couple squirts of Dawn dish detergent. Let soak a couple hours. The grunge will loosen and can be removed with only minimal scrubbing. I am not certain how environmentally great this is, but it has to be better than harsh chemicals.

Posted by: iffley on 2010-02-09, 00:38:22

This product was recommended to me by the sales clerk in Williams~Sonoma, and I use it for both my Calphalon and my stainless steel! :) You can find it in your grocery store for under $2, and it works like a gem!