Cleaning the burnt layer off a pot

Adam what sort of pan is it?

I have a Le Crueset casserole which occasionally got heavily singed
when I had an electric stove (yipee! now have gas again after 20 odd
years!!!!) and I found soaking it with a heavy solution of salt worked
well.
Oft times I would pop it (complete with soapy water) into the oven for
around half an hour which also helped dislodge baked on gunk. Sometimes
though, there was nothing to do but grab a trusty broad bladed knife
and scratch away at the gunk (this usually after one or other of the
kids had made a fleeting foray into the kitchen.... they now know my
saucepans are 'off limits' to them!!)

It would help to know what sort of pan it is, what coating (if any) it
has in order to make a better suggestion.

cheers,

LadyJane
--
"Never trust a skinny cook!"

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

A cleaning method to get heavy crud off plain cast iron cookware, is to
spray and coat well with aerosol oven cleaner and seal in a plastic bag
for several days. Wash and rinse well afterward. The cast iron pan will
then have to be reseasoned. For non-cast iron, the method may work, but
try on an inexpensive pan, first. Non-cast iron types of cookware may
be stained or damaged by this method.

Rusty

"Adam Preble" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying to
get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've tried
oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really loosens it up;
it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there something much stronger
and suited for strong burn spots as this?

I don't think Sheldon will mind, I googled this, this is his method:

Doesn't need to stick... just seal your crudy cast iron in a heavy
plastic bag with a small quantity of household ammonia... you don't
want to submerge anything, it's the fumes that do the cleaning. Do
this outdoors, you don't want to breathe those fumes.

Sheldon

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

For my stainless steel pots, I just bring some water to a boil and add dish
washer detergent and let it boil away for a while. That usually does the
job. Another thing you can try is to let it soak in vinegar, preferable the
strong pickling vinegar.

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

Mr. Muscle by drackett (grill/oven cleaner) spray on wipe off. This
stuff works!

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

I use easy-off oven cleaner and leave it out in the HOT sun (direct
sunlight) for a few hours. That works for me.

I see you said you tried oven cleaner, how long did you leave it soak
with it?

Rusty said:

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

A cleaning method to get heavy crud off plain cast iron cookware, is to
spray and coat well with aerosol oven cleaner and seal in a plastic bag
for several days. Wash and rinse well afterward. The cast iron pan will
then have to be reseasoned. For non-cast iron, the method may work, but
try on an inexpensive pan, first. Non-cast iron types of cookware may
be stained or damaged by this method.

Rusty

You can also clean cast iron cookware using lye. Like I said before,
for non-cast iron, the method may work, but try on an inexpensive pan,
first. Non-cast iron types of cookware may be stained or damaged by
this method. Follow the safety instructions on the lye container and
the linked website.

Here is a link to instructions:

"THE SCOOP ON SEASONING, CLEANING AND RESTORING CAST IRON"
http://www.melindalee.com/Cast-Iron.html

-rusty

On Tue 18 Apr 2006 10:24:40p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Adam Preble?

Quoted message said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

What is the material of your pot, and of its handle(s)? If it's plain cast
iron or plain cast aluminum, you can clean it effectively by running it
through a cycle of a self-cleaning oven (assuming you have one). The charred
material will be reduced to ash. Regardless of cleaning method, any cast
iron item will need to be re-seasoned after cleaning.

--
Wayne Boatwright Õ¿Õ¬
________________________________________

Okay, okay, I take it back! UnScrew you!

Rusty said:

You can also clean cast iron cookware using lye. Like I said before,
for non-cast iron, the method may work, but try on an inexpensive pan,
first. Non-cast iron types of cookware may be stained or damaged by
this method. Follow the safety instructions on the lye container and
the linked website.

Stands to reason since oven cleaner (at least the Easy Off brand, heavy
duty) is lye, just in a diluted, more convenient form (aerosol).

Often the same active ingredient is used for many diverse things. One that I
came across recently was white mineral oil. Some of the forms one can find
it, in more or less pure form, are baby oil, block oil for cutting boards,
shredder oil, and laxative. The pricing for these different forms might be
quite different based on market. Surprisingly, the laxative form, which
should be the purest considering it is taken internally, is about the
cheapest per ounce. I'm considering using it on my cutting boards, among
other things.

I guess it stands to reason that shredder oil is basically the same thing as
mineral oil laxative... it really functions as a laxative for the shredder
if you think about it... relieves the shredder of constipation! ;-)

--
( #wff_ng_7# at #verizon# period #net# )

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

If it's carbon steel, stainless steel, or cast iron, you can use lye,
ammonia, or washing soda (not baking soda, it's not strong enough.)
Dissolve in a little cool water and let it soak overnight. You'll want
to cover it if you use ammonia.

Do not try this with aluminum.

Bob

Adam Preble said:

I burnt stuff onto one of my large pots a week ago, and I've been trying
to get the crud off since. It's a pretty smooth layer of char. I've
tried oven cleaner, and a baking soda/water paste. Nothing really
loosens it up; it just discolors a towel when wiped off. Is there
something much stronger and suited for strong burn spots as this?

Put it in a plastic garbage bag with a tub of ammonia and Sheldon.

Sheldon will drink the ammonia and lick the crud (and a few mm of
metal) off the pan.

--Blair

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort. I have
tried the oven cleaner for 36 hours, but not insulated in a bag.

It can't fit in the dishwasher, and my oven doesn't have a cleaning
cycle.. Maybe I'll hook it up the turkey fryer; perhaps 150,000 BTU can
get the bottom hot enough to ash the gunk.

On Wed 19 Apr 2006 08:20:36p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Adam Preble?

Quoted message said:

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort. I have
tried the oven cleaner for 36 hours, but not insulated in a bag.

It can't fit in the dishwasher, and my oven doesn't have a cleaning
cycle.. Maybe I'll hook it up the turkey fryer; perhaps 150,000 BTU can
get the bottom hot enough to ash the gunk.

Then to further respond to your answer... High prolonged heat on stainless
steel may permanently discolor the metal (mottled? bluish?), as well as
possibly warp the bottom of the pot, since the heat will be coming directly
to the bottom. Cast metals like iron and aluminum are far less susceptible
to these changes.

--
Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬
_____________________

Adam Preble said:

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort. I have
tried the oven cleaner for 36 hours, but not insulated in a bag.

It can't fit in the dishwasher, and my oven doesn't have a cleaning
cycle.. Maybe I'll hook it up the turkey fryer; perhaps 150,000 BTU can
get the bottom hot enough to ash the gunk.

Cheap thin stainless steel. Use lye or ammonia. The turkey fryer will
ruin it unless it's full of wort or oil or something.

Bob

Adam Preble said:

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort.

I hafta ask....what's wort?

At first I rhought it was a typo for water, but even mysister (the
world's worst cook) can't burn water.

"Jude" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:1145585000.300638.321180
@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Quoted message said:

Adam Preble said:

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort.

I hafta ask....what's wort?

What beer is before it's beer 🙂

K

Adam Preble said:

I'll answer all at once.

I feel stupid since I didn't mention the material, since this matters.
It's a 30 quart, stainless steel pot. It is rather tall and came with
my turkey fryer; I just found it convenient for boiling wort. I have
tried the oven cleaner for 36 hours, but not insulated in a bag.

A friend sprinkles dishwasher powder on the bottom of burnt pots. Adds
a little water, and leaves it to sit overnight. She reckons it cleans
up easily the next day. I have not tried this myself, though I've also
seen the hint elsewhere.

Kathy in NZ

"Kathy in NZ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006 03:20:36 GMT, Adam Preble
<[email hidden]> wrote:

A friend sprinkles dishwasher powder on the bottom of burnt pots. Adds
a little water, and leaves it to sit overnight.

I can vouch that powdered dishwasher soap works. I need to do this from
time to time on my pressure cooker. Just pour a layer of powder over the
bottom of the pan, add a few inches of water, and let it sit overnight.
Most of the burnt stuff will float off or chip away easily the next day,
although a second application may be necessary for really thick layers of
burnt stuff.

Sharon