The best way to clean burnt food off the outside of your pots and pans

We get it. Preparing food is no easy task. You’ve worked hard to finely chop, sautee and keep the food from burning, but what about those pots and pans? You’ve scrubbed the insides and they’re clean, but how are the outsides holding up?

Over time, pots and pans can definitely begin to show their age. That’s where these tips and tricks can come in handy. Because no matter what type of cookware you’re using, there’s a way to get it shining just as brightly as the day you bought it.

Here are the best ways to get your different types of pots and pans looking good as new:

1.  Cleaning The Outside Of Stainless Steel

I know from personal experience that cooking with stainless steel can be tricky. Using low heat works wonders, and is an adjustment in and of itself. But, once the outside and the bottom of the pan begins to discolor, how can you get it clean? Many stainless steel users recommend trying out a product called Bar Keepers Friend. It’s a special stainless steel cleaner that claims to remove rust and hard water tarnish on stainless steel and copper cookware. It can even be used in the bathroom!

2. Cleaning The Outside Of Cast Iron

Cast iron may be tricky to prep for cooking, but cleaning the outside of them is actually simple. You’ll see in this video that both baking soda mixed with a little water and Bar Keepers Friend, also mixed with a little water, do a great job of removing those tough-to-get-out scorch marks.

3. Cleaning The Outside Of Non-Stick

Cleaning non-stick pots and pans typically require tender love and care, as anything too harsh can damage the non-stick surface. But, when it comes to cleaning the bottoms, a little more elbow grease may be required. Again, it’s recommended to use Bar Keepers Friend to remove tough stains, and if a little extra scrubbing is required, you can try doing so with a scrunched up piece of aluminum foil. Pretty genius, huh?

4. Cleaning The Outside Of Ceramic

Baking soda and dish soap are all you need to get burnt grease and more off of enamel-coated ceramic pots and pans. Two simple ingredients, and your cookware will be spotless!

The overall consensus seems to include using baking soda or Bar Keepers Friend to remove just about anything (scorch marks and more) from your pots and pans. So before trying any other method, I’d give either of these a fair shot!