How to Clean a Burnt Saucepan: Top 5 Methods

If you’ve ever wondered how to clean a burnt saucepan effectively, you’re not alone. Cleaning burnt pans can be a challenging task, but with the right methods, it’s possible to restore your cookware to its former glory. In this guide, we’ll explore five popular methods for cleaning a burnt pan and evaluate their effectiveness, helping you to crack one of the most challenging tasks when it comes to kitchen cleaning. From common household items to specialised products, these techniques offer a range of solutions for how to clean a burnt saucepan and tackle stubborn stains.

5 - Baking Soda, Salt and Vinegar

Method

To start, fill your dirty pan with equal parts water and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil and carefully add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Remove the pan from heat and allow it to soak for up to 15 minutes. Once soaked, pour the liquid down the drain. Use a sponge or scouring pad to scrub off any remaining burnt-on residue. If stubborn spots persist, create a paste by mixing baking soda with a small amount of water. Apply this paste to the spots, let it sit for a few minutes, and scrub again.

Top Tip: Be cautious when combining baking soda and vinegar, as it can cause a vigorous reaction. To avoid overflow, slowly add the baking soda to the boiling water.

Result

If you're looking for methods on how to clean a burnt saucepan, this approach might not be the most straightforward. When the water started boiling, the smell became unpleasant, but no food particles surfaced. After adding baking soda, I scraped a small area with a spoon; the top layer came off, but the deeper grime stayed put. Using a scouring pad helped, but the process was tedious and didn’t fully clean the pan. It took more than one attempt to get decent results, so this method isn’t our top recommendation if you’re exploring how to clean a burnt saucepan.

4 - Boiled Lemons

Method

Slice two to three lemons and place them in your dirty pan. Add just enough water to cover the lemons, then heat the pan over medium-high until it simmers for about 10 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready for a final scrub when food particles start floating to the surface. Discard the lemons, drain the water, and rinse the pan with hot water. Use a scouring pad to remove any remaining residue.

Result

This method did work, but it required a lot of scrubbing to finish the job. Although the all-natural approach is appealing, it wasn’t as effective as other methods we tried to clean burnt pans. We had to scrub vigorously in hot water to remove the debris. In hindsight, using regular dish soap might have been just as effective, and we wouldn’t have wasted two good lemons.

3 - The Pink Stuff

Method

To tackle stubborn buildup and tough stains on your pots and pans, apply Pink Stuff Paste with a scrub brush. Scrub the affected areas until the stains are gone. For particularly tough spots, allow the paste to sit on the stain for a few minutes before scrubbing.

Result

The Pink Stuff Paste proved to be highly effective at removing tough stains and grime. With a bit of elbow grease, even the most stubborn buildup was lifted, leaving the pots and pans noticeably cleaner. Letting the paste sit for a few minutes on tougher stains made the scrubbing process even easier. Overall, this method delivered excellent results, making it a reliable option for deep cleaning your cookware. However, please be aware that The Pink Stuff is a mild abrasive, so it may not be suitable for non-stick pans.