Stains on stainless steel frying pan

[CarolPa]

Thanks all for the info. I never saw that Dawn Power Dissolver but I will look for it. This is definitely burned on grease I'm talking about and not just stains. If I heat up the pan and then scrub with a Brillo pad some will come off, but the thicker part needs something stronger. Once I get them clean I will never let it get this bad.

 

[CarolPa]

This really scared me.

DAWN Dish Power Dissolver Liquid Trigger Spray Bottle - Walmart.com

Then I saw that that was for 6 bottles! LOL

 

[puffin3]

Obvious question: How well did you rinse the pan after using dish detergent soap to initially wash it?
If as you say the stain/s are not from overheating something had to be left on the pan to discolor it right?
Any form of abrasive you use will only put fine scratches on the surface. Fine scratches equal little valleys where food can go into causing the SS pan to become even harder to use properly AKA non-stick surface.
If the pan is that important locate a sandblasting business. No they will not use sand. There are all sorts of ultrafine abrasives which will remove whatever is on the pan. Or you could buy a new one.

 

[taxlady]

Thanks all for the info. I never saw that Dawn Power Dissolver but I will look for it. This is definitely burned on grease I'm talking about and not just stains. If I heat up the pan and then scrub with a Brillo pad some will come off, but the thicker part needs something stronger. Once I get them clean I will never let it get this bad.

If steel wool is only taking off a bit of it, I would try the ammonia trick.

 

[CarolPa]

The pans are not stained or discolored on the inside of the pan where the food goes. I clean and rinse them well immediately after use. Obviously, I am not thorough enough on cleaning the outside and bottom of the pans because that's were the burnt on grease is. I guess I don't clean it all off and then the next time I use the pan it burns the grease on the bottom of the pan. I could leave them like that, as it doesn't effect the cooking, but I want them to look a little nicer.

It's very hard to find the Dawn Power Dissolver. There are posts all over the internet of people complaining that they can't find it. I wanted to buy just one bottle to be sure it did what I wanted it to do before I bought 6 bottles, so I did find single bottles on Amazon, and also ordered some BKF with it.

I like these pans. Also, I am too cheap to buy new ones. They cook fine and I will live with the grease burned onto the outside if necessary.

 

[Andy M.]

...Obviously, I am not thorough enough on cleaning the outside and bottom of the pans because that's were the burnt on grease is. I guess I don't clean it all off and then the next time I use the pan it burns the grease on the bottom of the pan. I could leave them like that, as it doesn't effect the cooking, but I want them to look a little nicer...

Carol, I used to worry about the outside of the pan being as clean as new. No more. I still clean the outside but if a little color collects around where the handles attach, I'm OK with that.

I've found Dawn PD at Ace hardware stores and Home Depot.

 

[taxlady]

I'm not a neat person, but I'm a fanatic about keeping the pots and pans clean. I don't use anything harsher than a plastic scrubber and usually don't even use that. I have some polyester, fabric scrubbers from the dollar store. They work for most of the burnt on stuff. Sometimes grease gets on the outside of the pan while cooking and burns on right away. If it doesn't come off with the fabric scrubber and eco-friendly dish washing liquid, I sprinkle it with baking soda and scrub with the damp, not wet, fabric scrubber or a rag or a sponge.

 

[Kayelle]

The pans are not stained or discolored on the inside of the pan where the food goes. I clean and rinse them well immediately after use. Obviously, I am not thorough enough on cleaning the outside and bottom of the pans because that's were the burnt on grease is. I guess I don't clean it all off and then the next time I use the pan it burns the grease on the bottom of the pan. I could leave them like that, as it doesn't effect the cooking, but I want them to look a little nicer.

It's very hard to find the Dawn Power Dissolver. There are posts all over the internet of people complaining that they can't find it. I wanted to buy just one bottle to be sure it did what I wanted it to do before I bought 6 bottles, so I did find single bottles on Amazon, and also ordered some BKF with it.

I like these pans. Also, I am too cheap to buy new ones. They cook fine and I will live with the grease burned onto the outside if necessary.

As I said before, I'm certain the ammonia/plastic bag trick will do the job. If it perfectly cleans barbeque grates, your pans will be sparkling!
A bottle of ammonia is as cheap as it gets.

Read this old post from 2006.......http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f89/how-to-clean-aluminum-24764.html

 

[puffin3]

If steel wool is only taking off a bit of it, I would try the ammonia trick.

If anyone working in any restaurant I ever worked in literally touched a SS or copper pan with steel wool they would have literally been kicked out the back door by the chef.

 

[Addie]

I guess I'm not neat enough, but those stains on the outside don't bother me that much. I've even seen TV cooks with pans and sheet pans like that, so I figured that if it's good enough for them then I'm not going too far out of my way to keep them spotless. I do wash them inside and out, but the stains on the outside just seem to get burned on and become an integral part of the cookware.

I am with you RP. When I first get a new pan, I do my dangdest to keep the outside as clean as the inside. But now I really don't give a dang. I don't cook the food on the outside. I will scrub it with Brillo or some such means, but if I miss some of it. so what. My pans are in the drawer on the stove and nobody sees them except me. I am the only one who uses them.

I don't want my last words to be, "I wish I had done more housework."

 

[RPCookin]

I am with you RP. When I first get a new pan, I do my dangdest to keep the outside as clean as the inside. But now I really don't give a dang. I don't cook the food on the outside. I will scrub it with Brillo or some such means, but if I miss some of it. so what. My pans are in the drawer on the stove and nobody sees them except me. I am the only one who uses them.

I don't want my last words to be, "I wish I had done more housework."

That should be your signature. It's one of those quotes that I see and say "Gee, I wish I'd thought of that!"

 

[Addie]

That should be your signature. It's one of those quotes that I see and say "Gee, I wish I'd thought of that!"

It is kind of a take from "I wish I had spent more hours at the office working. So in honor of RP, I will make it so. But I do have to keep what I have there now also.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I'm not a maniac about the outside of the pan, but I pretty much have kept on them since I got them. I'm not a thermodynamics expert (heck, I'm lucky I can spell it), but I think the efficiency of heat conductivity is higher if the clean surface of the pan is in contact with the heat source. Really dirty outside=more heat needed to cook. Our electric bills are high enough - and I'm not looking forward to what they'll be over the next week or so. They are predicting highs in the upper 80s/90 during the day, mid to low 60s at night. The trusty central air better get ready to go!

 

[Addie]

I have posted this before. But this is a good place to repeat it.

When you start to get buildup outside your cast iron, you can easily remove by placing it directly on the hot coals of your BBQ. The intense heat will soften the gunk buildup and it will be easier to remove with a sharp instrument like a chisel. Then let the pan cool down slowly to avoid damage.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I've always used a stainless steel cleaner/polisher such as Weiman. Spray it on, get a good non-scratch scrubber after ever time. Don't let the boilovers build up. When it builds up, it's a mess. I have an Aga gas stove; it heats up hot and quick.

Hope it helps.

 

[CrazyCatLady]

Speaking of last words, as I was a pilot instructor:

"I told you that was not a runway."

 

[Caslon]

Did the stains come off? What did it? Was it Bar Keepers Friend? Ajax and CLR? 3M scrub cloth?

 

[CarolPa]

I guess I posted my question in the wrong thread, because it's not stains I'm worried about, but burned on grease on the outside of the pans. Doesn't hurt the cooking, but I would like the burned on grease to come off, at least most of it.

My bottle of Dawn Power Dissolver and can of BKF came today from Amazon, so I will be working on the pans in the next several days, and will report back.

One time DH and I were watching some type of cooking show and in the background you could see pots and pans hanging from the ceiling and they had black burned on grease on the outside. Maybe these burned pots and pans make me a "chef." LOL

Andy, I checked online on Ace Hardware and also Home Depot and neither of these sites showed Dawn Power Dissolver available. I didn't actually look in the stores for it. I did see a lot of online comments from people complaining that they could no longer find this product in stores, and that could vary in different parts of the country. Since so many people were looking for it I figured it must be a good product.

 

[Andy M.]

Carol, I find a toothbrush is great for getting into the nooks and crannies around the handle attachment.

I just looked online to find DPD has been discontinued (DPD Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/dawn/posts/10152300592836820

There's always Easy-Off!

 

[CarolPa]

It's still available on Amazon if anyone is interested. I did my favorite and worst burned pan, an 8 inch All-Clad and it is amazing! I wish I had taken a picture of it before I sprayed it for comparison. I let it sit for several hours as the grease was so bad. When I finally tested it, the bottom wiped clean with just a paper towel! Clean and shiny! I used some BKF and was able to get off a little more on the sides, but sprayed it again to finish it off. When I do the next one I will take a picture first.

I don't know if I'm going to order more or not, as I don't plan on letting these pans get like this again!