Did I damage my pots?

[srm]

so i got some new pots. Yesterday i made some barley soup for me and the wife. She likes hers differently than i do, so i used two pots. in each pot i had it on a medium high heat, and first put in some olive oil and browned the chicken chunks. once they were golden brown, i poured in my broth and started the soup. an hour later, when i was cleaning the pots, i noticed that each of them look almost cloudy at the bottom, not the nice pristine shiny that they were. is this normal? or did i damage them? i'm wondering if it was just too hot when i poured in the broth? there's no black whatsoever, just cloudy...

 

[SurvivorGirl]

I'v had this same problem with a bunch of my pots (several times) I find that I can just wash it off.

 

[srm]

they look alright when it's wet, but when it dries, it looks cloudy. maybe i can post a picture in here and show you... standby..

 

[Andy M.]

Use some Barkeeper's Friend, a mild abrasive cleanser, to get that new pot shine back. It's available at most markets and kitchen stores.

 

[srm]

Thanks gang

Attached is a picture of the pot

 

[Caine]

Mine look like that somethimes when they come out of the dishwasher. No damage is done. Just ignore it and it will go away, probably the next time you heat a liquid in that pan.

 

[Katie H]

You are suffering from "new car ding" syndrome. You are proud of your nice new, shiny pots and pans and the first scratch or imperfection has made you sad. I know how that feels, but don't worry. Your pan looks like normal use and the others will, in time, look the same way.

Enjoy your new cookware.

 

[srm]

Katie, i think you've hit the nail on the head! we were given these pots a few weeks ago, and i finally put away everything (the old stuff) , then this was the first time i used em!. I almost wanted to puke when i seen that. I'm glad it's normal, and feel re-assured. Thanks everyone

 

[DaniaBchGirl]

Like someone said earlier... try using the Bar Keepers Friend cleanser. I myself just got a new set of All Clad stainless and noticed that if I dont use the BKF cleanser that they start to look cloudy or blue also. Its real easy to use... requires no muscle effort... just a few circular wipes with the grain of the stainless and they stay shiney and new looking. It removes all evidence of unseen food and soap residue which is what causes that yucky look. You can find it in your grocery store near the other liquid or powdered cleansers.

 

[bowlingshirt]

Bar keepers friend is an ideal cleaner for ss cookware, but to remove that white, cloudy build-up, just drizzle a little lemon juice in your pot and wipe with a paper towel. It will also work if you see a bit of a rainbow patina appear.

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

I've had the same problems with the cloudiness. If it really bothers you, and if you're willing to do this, get some steel wool and scrub. Alternatively, use a product called Trump. Do not breath the steam in. I use it where I work. Put it in the pot or pan when burned badly and it steams. Don't inhale, pour water and let it be. It's pretty much concentrated sodium hydroxide. For those who are unfamiliar with conc. NaOH, don't let it touch any skin. After a while, it eats away the pot. So if the cloudiness bothers you, use that, scrub it, or ignore it. The cloudiness, I think is from the oil (same clouds are seen in parking lots where gasoline is spilled onto a puddle of water).

 

[buckytom]

ll-kook, why use something so caustic?

a mild abrasive combined with a mild acid (oxalic) works best, such as "barkeepers friend", and so will a much milder mineral remover like "clr".

i'veheard that bkf is even good for colon cleansing...

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

ll-kook, why use something so caustic?

a mild abrasive combined with a mild acid (oxalic) works best, such as "barkeepers friend", and so will a much milder mineral remover like "clr".

i'veheard that bkf is even good for colon cleansing...

Trump is meant to be used on pots or pans that are burnt so badly that steel wool, soap and clr don't do much. Aside from that, it's not meant to be used.

 

[buckytom]

thanks for the clarification.

 

[llvllagical_llkook]

No problem.

 

[keltin]

Bar keepers friend is an ideal cleaner for ss cookware, but to remove that white, cloudy build-up, just drizzle a little lemon juice in your pot and wipe with a paper towel. It will also work if you see a bit of a rainbow patina appear.

WOW! This works! I can’t believe it. I tried it the other night. A little lemon juice in the pan, wiped it a few times around with a damp dish cloth, and presto, it was sparkling clean with no trace of the residue! And I only wiped it.....no scrubbing at all.

Thanks a million for this tip!

 

[bowlingshirt]

No problem...glad it worked for you

 

[elaine l]

Mine look like that somethimes when they come out of the dishwasher. No damage is done. Just ignore it and it will go away, probably the next time you heat a liquid in that pan.

I agree. Mine looked like that sometimes coming out of the dishwasher. Gonna try that lemon trick.