10 Best Ways To Clean Non Stick Pans

Do you know what’s the right way to clean nonstick pans? Many people don’t, which results in everyone’s best ceramic cookware being ruined.

Though cleaning non stick pans isn’t that hard, there are some rules and guidelines you should follow. The thing is, most foods don’t stick to these pans as often.

However, if you don’t clean ceramic pan regularly, you’ll quickly notice burnt residue on it. This will get harder to clean with time as all the residue will keep on burning.

People always do things differently, and it’s like that with cleaning nonstick cookware, too. That’s precisely why there are dozens of different ways you can clean different type of stains.

We’ve gathered those most popular and effective ways to clean non-stick pan. These are also the easiest to do, require minimal time and ingredients we mostly have in our homes.

Pick one of the ten ways to clean the nonstick pans depending on how big are the burnt stains on your cookware. How to clean non stick pan for the first time? Choose one of the following ways that suit you the best.

Here’s how to clean non-stick cookware. Following are some general rules and ways to look after your best non stick cookware.

1. How to clean non stick pans from outside?

Non stick spray can only help so much, but it’s not a permanent solution. Not only a pan spray can’t help with cleaning non stick pans, but it might even be bad for them. Instead, use soapy water to clean the outside of your pan. Simply use your dishwashing detergent and warm water. It’s as easy as it sounds.

Most people look for complicated ways to clean, and they forget the pure soap and water solution. Dishwashing soaps are made to clean grease and bacteria.

Now, this works when you’re regularly cleaning your pans. If you allow the burnt residue to build up, it’s going to keep on burning more and more as you use the pan. This also means it’s going to be harder and harder to clean it.

2. How to clean grease of a nonstick pan?

Again, a non stick cooking spray can help a little in this case. However, you should still clean it after each use. Knowing how to remove residue from nonstick pan is crucial.

If you’re trying to clean the grease residue, vinegar is an excellent trick to apply. The entire process is quite easy, and you need nothing more than these few things you probably already have.

In most cases, cleaning non stick pans with a lot of oil residue needs to be done carefully. Follow these steps for best results:

As it boils, you’ll notice oil rising to the top. Simply remove the oil and then throw away the water. After you do this, wash the pan with soap and water using the nylon scrubber we mentioned earlier. Dry it gently using a soft cloth.

3. Clean nonstick pan with baking soda

People have split opinions about cleaning non stick pans using baking soda. Nonetheless, it’s the most popular advice you’ll get on how to restore a non stick pan even from cooking experts.

We all know baking soda can clean just about anything, so why not try using it on pans. For this, it’s best you make a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water. Apply to the bottom of the pan and leave it there for about ten minutes.

After the time has passed, scrub the soda off with a no-scratch sponge.

You’ll notice how this method cleans most of the marks on your pan. However, it can’t brighten the pan as you’d expect baking soda would. Nonetheless, it’s a great way to remove residue from a nonstick pan.

4. How to clean non stick pan with salt

In this case, salt works as a scrub. However, that’s precisely why you should be careful with this method because it can quite easily damage your pan.

Learning how to season a non-stick frying pan is essential for making crepes without making a mess. Here’s how to do it:

This is the most popular advice on how to season a non stick pan. There’s nothing else you should do since this makes your pan seasoned and ready to cook.

5. How to clean non stick pan with burnt on

Though nonstick pans don’t burn as quickly, they still do. In this case, a non-stick cookware repair spray can do very little to help the situation.

The sticky burnt residue happens when you use a significant amount of oil for a long time. The oil burns as do the leftover pieces of food. If you don’t clean your pan and then use it again, the residue will become worse with time and will stain your pan.

How to remove black stains from non stick pans? The solution is simple, and all you have to do is make sure your pan is clean after each use. First and foremost, remove all residues you can with just a paper towel or a cloth.

6. How to clean non stick pan using Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend is a solution to many problems in every household. No wonder why many people choose it when looking to clean nonstick pans.

If you have some in your house, apply it to the surface of your pan or a sponge. Rub in a circular motion until you loosen the oils. However, don’t rub too hard as there’s no need for that. The cleansing solution will do most of the work.

If the stain you’re working on is too difficult to remove, try making a paste. Leave that for a minute or two and then clean your pan with warm soapy water.

7. How to Clean non stick pan with Hydrogen Peroxide

In case you’ve been wondering how to clean non stick pans with burnt on, this is another good solution. All you have to do is add ½ inch of Hydrogen Peroxide to your pan or pot. Heat it up until you notice it’s bubbling up. Simmer that for about ten minutes and scrub with a scrub brush.

Repeat this as many times as you need to get all the stains off. What happens here is a bond of carbon that lifts all the stains of the pan.

Don’t worry if you notice an awkward smell. Hydrogen Peroxide will bubble and most likely stink, so don’t let that surprise you. Turn on your vent and scrub. Though this is a somewhat stinky solution, the smell won’t stick to your pan nor will it do any harm to it.

8. How to clean non stick cookware with ketchup

We’re sure you’ve heard this one before and thought it was crazy talk. Well, though it sounds like it can’t work, it does.

All you should do is pour some ketchup over the burnt area of your pan. Make sure the layer is thick and even, covering all of the burnt mess. Let that sit overnight.

The next day, you’ll be able to rinse it away. Depending on how burnt the residue is, you might need to scrub a bit. However, it will all come off quickly.

The majority of the work here is done by the acid that’s in the tomato ketchup. It’s what eats the burned food allowing you to rinse it off.

9. How to clean nonstick pan with vinegar

White vinegar is another inexpensive option. If you don’t like the idea of making a vinegar paste that we’ve told you about earlier, try this. You’ll just need a little quantity of vinegar along with a classic scrub brush. Pour some vinegar to cover up the bottom of your pan and let it simmer.

After a while, scrub all the burnt spots. Most should come off with ease, but if not, you can repeat the process.

You can freely replace vinegar with fresh or bottled lemon juice if it’s what you have at hand.

10. How to clean non stick pan with coke

If you have a Coca-Cola on hand, you can use it to clean your pan with it. Fill the pan with the soda and let it sit for several hours. The food might loosen even sooner, depending on how burnt it is.

Use your favorite scrub to remove the residue. However, make sure it’s a plastic or silicone scrubber, and not a metal one. Scrub all the way, until all is gone.

Then wash the pan as you do.

Why is pan spray bad?

It might not be as bad for your cookware, but a non stick spray is bad for you. It contains additives and GMO’s while it’s also harming our environment.

A non stick cooking spray you use probably contains soy, corn, and rapeseed that are all grown in GMO way. However, how should you protect your pan if you’re not using a pan spray?

Think about more natural, healthier options such as olive or coconut oil. There are also palm oil and sunflower oil as good options to reconsider.

On another note, some ceramic and nonstick cookware will allow you to cook with no oil at all. Merely clean ceramic pan after each use with a cloth or warm water, and that’s it.

Can you clean a non stick pan in a dishwasher?

Well, most manufacturers will tell you that you can. Even if you want to clean ceramic pan, a dishwasher should be avoided.

Dishwashers use hot water and strong detergents to clean the dishes. Of course, those high temperatures shorten the lifespan of your pan. Plus, strong detergents can damage the ceramic and nonstick surface.

Instead, wash it using mild soap, warm water, and a soft cloth. However, don’t just wipe it clean, because the residue will still stick on. Hand washing is the best possible solution in the case of all best non stick cookware.

Don’t scrub too hard

Often in this article, we’ll tell you to rub, but be aware of how you do it. First and foremost, be careful of what you’re using to scrub with. It’s recommended you always use a gentle sponge or scrub.

Of course, always treat the stains before you get to scrubbing. If the burnt area is dry, it will be much harder to take it off, and you can easily damage your cookware.

Remember to be gentle and take your time when looking for ways to clean nonstick pans.

Don’t scrub with metal utensils

This is a rule, but we still want to put it out there. Most manufacturers will tell you not to use metal utensils, though a few do approve of them.

Whether you choose to use these utensils when cooking or not is up to you. However, when you’re trying to clean your cookware, these are a no, no.

Using metal utensils to scrub burnt stains and areas is a bad idea, primarily if you don’t treat these stains prior. Dry burnt areas and sharp metal utensils are a recipe for disaster.

Be aware of temperature changes

Temperature changes are a quiet killer of all your cookware. Whenever something burns inside your pan, don’t just go and put it under a blast of cold water. That damages the nonstick coating and should be avoided.

Instead, remove the pan from the heat source and wait until it cools a little bit. Once the pan has cooled, you can proceed to clean it.

Keep an eye on the cooking process

If you watch over the cooking process, it’s less likely that it will result in burning. Though no one does this on purpose, try your best to stay in the kitchen. Dedicate some time to cooking, and there will be much less need for scrubbing later.

Also, don’t use high heat on your nonstick cookware. That’s one of the main reasons why food burns causing damages beyond repair.

DIY over commercial products

There are some great cleaning solutions on the market. Though not all of them are pricey, why wouldn’t you try an even cheaper DIY option?

The thing is, DIY cleaning is quickly done in all homes since the supplies you need are probably already in your kitchen.

Some of these might not work depending on the burnt stains you’re treating. However, they aren’t as harmful and are worth trying.

Final Thoughts

It happened to all of us: you step outside the kitchen for a second and the next thing you know, the lunch is burnt.

It’s because nonstick cookware requires very little oil, and your food burns easily once that oil is gone. That’s why you should always be close to all the food that’s cooking.

Still, people came up with different solutions to treat the burnt residue. That’s why we’ve top 10 of them, so you can find the one that’s easiest for you to do.

What’s best about these ten ways to clean the nonstick pans is that you can always do at least one. Conveniently, these are ingredients we all have inside our homes.

Pay particular attention to the rules and guidelines we’ve discussed above to make sure you’re doing everything right. When you’re careful about how you use your cookware, it’s less likely any stains will be hard to clean.

If you know how to clean microwave toaster oven, you’ll do just fine with cleaning cookware. As you see, none of the ways take more than a few minutes of your time except those for more persistent stains. Pick one of these and try it the next time you’re cleaning your nonstick pans.