How to Clean a Burnt Pot Without Losing Your Mind

Cooking is one of the joys of life. The basic premise of the act is to provide you or others with sustenance. But cooking also improves your mood and helps calm your mind. It’s no wonder that many people tried their hand at cooking and baking during the pandemic.

The high of cooking a great meal can become dashed in seconds by a burnt pot or pan though. Washing dishes is one chore that millions of Americans hate. There’s a good chance that number will double when it comes to scouring burnt food off pans.

You might feel tempted to throw the pot away and avoid the hassle. You don’t have to feel this way though. Here’s how to clean a burnt pot without losing your mind.

Boil It

It’s always a good idea to go back to the scene of the crime. The stove started this tragedy, and it will end it. The first thing you should do is fill up your pot with water. You don’t need to fill it all the way. But make sure to submerge the burnt area. Heat the water and bring it to a boil. Let it bubble away for five to seven minutes.

Remove your burnt pot and let it cool. Pour out the water once it reaches room temperature. The burned bits will be softer now. You can scrape it away with a wooden spoon or spatula. Plastic works well too.

Sprinkle one to two tablespoons of baking soda on the pan once you get the black bits out. Scrub away any stains you see. Use a scouring pad or a sponge that’s safe for that cookware. The dark residue will come off without problems.

Try White Vinegar

There are times when water won’t cut it. You need to bring in reinforcements. Independent house cleaners swear by the powers of white vinegar.

Start by mixing equal parts of vinegar and water. Pour it in the pot. You also don’t need a lot of water for this technique. You only need enough to cover the blackened area. Bring it to a boil. Keep it boiling for five minutes. You’ll see the charred bits breaking away. This is due to the acid in the vinegar.

Take it off the heat after a few minutes. Let the vinegar mixture cool before pouring it out. Scrub any remaining gunk off. Make sure you use a sponge or scrub that won’t scratch your cookware.

Scrape It Off with Salt

Salt is also an effective cleaning material. It’s good for removing scorch marks and grease. Sprinkle a handful of salt on the burnt pot. Cut a lemon and use it to massage the salt in. Rinse and repeat the process until the pot is clean.

Give Lemons a Try

Some cleaners for hire use lemons instead of vinegar. The concept is the same. The lemon’s citric acid can break down the hard and dark burned food. It does this without the nose-wrinkling smell that vinegar has. You’ll be dealing with a fresh, citrusy scent instead.

Your first step will be to cut two to three lemons. You can cut them into quarters or slice them whole. Place the lemon slices along the pan’s bottom. Add water. It should be high enough to cover the scorched area.

Bring the pot to a boil. The lemon pieces will start floating around. You’ll also see the burnt food bits among the slices. Leave the mixture to boil for about five minutes. Remove it from the heat source and let it cool.

Dump the water and the lemon slices. You can then start scrubbing away at any leftover pieces. It will slough off fast. Your pot will soon be clean. As a bonus, your kitchen will smell great.

Use the Aluminum Foil Hack

Here’s something that’s cheap but effective – aluminum foil. There’s a caveat though. This hack only works on steel or metal pots. You can’t use it on nonstick pots or pans as it will ruin the coating. You also need a lot of elbow grease here.

You start off by adding warm water to the pot. It should be high enough to soak the blackened area. Many cleaning experts will add a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap as well. They’ll then let it soak for half an hour.

Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil into a small ball. Use this silver ball to scrub the pot’s bottom. Keep going until all the charred grime is gone. You can scrub it down some more with a sponge. Rinse the pot.

Dryer Sheets Will Do the Trick

You can also try dryer sheets if all else fails. You’ll become surprised at how effective its conditioning properties are. Especially when it comes to cleaning pots.

Fill the dirty and charred pit with warm water. Make sure to cover the grilled bits. Place a dryer sheet on the bottom. Leave it to soak. It depends on you how long you’ll leave the dryer sheet there. Some wait only an hour. Others prefer to let it steep overnight.

Take out the dryer sheet and dump the water. Scrub off any remnants with a sponge. Clean the pot well using your normal cleaning method. You want to make sure there’s no conditioning residue on the pot.

Eat Hearty and Clean Well

There’s no reason to hate cleaning up after cooking. Clean My Space CT is here to help you out. We’re one of the top cleaning companies in the Connecticut area. We’ve been doing residential and commercial cleaning since 2008.

Our team of cleaners has the skills and the experience to do a great job. We offer office cleaning services and move in/move out cleaning. Our disinfection services are top-notch too. You can call us at (860) 539-8725. You can also send us an email at info@cleanmyspacect.com.