I got a question from a reader about a grease problem. While most of you probably won’t be dealing with what she’s dealing with, I thought I’d share my response, as you’ll probably encounter baked-on grease at least once in your life. Now you’ll know how to get it off!
We moved into a rental house 2 years ago and the oven and stove top was coated with grease and the house smelled like a fast food fryer. I cleaned and cleaned until it wasn’t such a hazard. Well, after 2 years my cookie sheets, muffin tins, and pots and pans have baked on grease on them. I can literally scrape the grease off with a fingernail, yuck! I really don’t want to throw my high quality baking items out when I move later this summer, but I don’t want to use them in my new range at our next house if they are so yucky. Do you have any suggestions or methods to clean them and bring them back to an original state?
Brianna
How you clean your pots and pans depends on what type they are. Here are the cleaning methods for 3 different pan types:
Non-stick
The easiest way to avoid this situation is to never use grease or cooking spray on a non-stick pan. It will always result in a gunky mess! Buuut, since poor Brianna was in a situation where she had no control over the grease level, all she has to do is coat the pan with a sprinkling of baking soda and then pour vinegar over the top. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then scrub away! If you pan does not have a lip, you can do this in the sink with a little vinegar soak and some baking soda sprinkled on.
Aluminum
Make a paste using baking soda and water. Rub it all over the grease spots. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then scrub.
Stainless Steel
Sprinkle your pan with baking soda and drizzle on some vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes, then scrub with a stainless steel scrubbing pad.
Any secret cleaning method you know about that we should be using? Share below!
~Mavis
HanSolo says
Sandpaper that is meant for wet applications works beautifully on any cookware that’s stainless steel or aluminum. It’s fast and easy.
Buster says
But won’t it scratch the finish?
Tracy T says
Fill a rimmed baking sheet with water – add a dryer sheet. Let it soak a bit (1 hour or more). You will not believe how good this works. Pots with burned on gunk – comes right out.
Vanessa says
A cookie sheet like that can be put in the oven when you do your oven cleaning cycle.
Leslie says
I read an article on thekitchn a few months back about never degreasing your baking sheets, because it made them nonstick. Similar to using cast iron. I wonder if that’s a thing, and I just never knew about it.
Mrs. D says
Scrub daddy and hot water works great. Guaranteed not to scratch any surface. I started cleaning my oven glass door this way a few years ago and have never looked back.
Tracy says
Loan any pot of pan that does not have a nonstick coating on it, and that can take temps of 450 to 500 (just about all sheet pans fit this criteria and plop them into your oven and run the oven cleaning cycle. They truly come out shiny and brand new. I’ve done this for literally over 30 years and only lost one pan to warping.
Ruth says
my Non Stick, Teflon pans now last forever.
Cook, allow pan to cool while enjoying meal, soak in water a few minutes while wiping down counters and stove.
Then wash inside pan with Soft sponge & dish soap.
Never ever use any metal utensils.
Amazing how easy it is to keep them smooth
For other messes, I love Stainless Steel scouring ball things, they don’t rust and gets gunk off quickly
Sabrina says
I put water in the pan, put in a couple black tea bags and let sit overnight. Wipe clean in the morning.
Deb says
Barkeepers Friend cleans gunk off better than anything I have ever seen. I use copper bottom pans that were a gift to my mother for her wedding in 1948 and they shine like brand new.
Brianna says
Thanks for all of the responses and advice. I will try them out until I can find one that works. I know what I will be doing this weekend!
Linda Bick says
Hi Mavis
Hydrogen peroxide and soda works great also! I also follow @maidvip on Instagram they post some great cleaning ideas! Check it out!