Cleaning a neglected All-Clad pan

[larry_stewart]

My mom is cleaning her house and came across an older All - Clad pan at the bottom of a drawer. Who knows how long its been used, and there is some caked on whatever that has been there equally as long.

Whats the best way to remove the crap that is caked on ?

IS there a preferred product , method ....?

 

[Andy M.]

You might try putting the pan in a plastic trash bag or big plastic tub with a bowl or pan with a ½ cup of ammonia and let it sit overnight.

After that, BKF and a blue Scotchbrite sponge/scrubber. I use a hard toothbrush for cleaning around the rivets.

 

[Kayelle]

I think I'd use oven cleaner on it, or if you have a self cleaning oven, I'd put it inside the oven for the cleaning cycle. It might warp the pan, but maybe not since it's All Clad. In any case, it would get it clean.

 

[Paid In Grapes]

I would try oven cleaner or a product called Dawn Power Disolver, if it's still available.

I would also advise patience and repeated applications avoiding highly abrasive products and urge caution exposing the pan to high temps. That pan will warp easier than you may think. I know from personal experience--just using it on a stove top.

I have an All Clad saute pan I found in a thrift store for $7 that was in much worse condition than yours. Not only were there all sorts of burned on food residue, but it was a non stick variety that was worn through. Repeated uses of oven cleaner did eventually clean the pan down to the metal. Since it had been a coated pan though, the metal surface wasn't as smooth as a stainless finish so I used progressively finer grits of carborundum powder to smooth out the surface. I didn't have the need to go to a full polish, but I'm sure if you find it necessary, the surface could be buffed to a very smooth finish.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

I wouldn't put it in the self-cleaning oven for the same reason they tell you to remove the racks before running the self-clean cycle.

 

[dcSaute]

Cabon-Off

 

[Kayelle]

Well, after everything else fails, I still think a self cleaning oven would be worth a try. If it warps, so be it and trash it.

I wouldn't enjoy using it unless it was spotless, but that's just me.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

A brillo pad and elbow grease!

 

[taxlady]

Well, after everything else fails, I still think a self cleaning oven would be worth a try. If it warps, so be it and trash it.

I wouldn't enjoy using it unless it was spotless, but that's just me.

Not just you. I have stainless steel Lagostina pans that were bought in 1989 and they look like I bought them this year. I may have a slovenly house, but I'm picky about stuff like that.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

You're a woman after my own heart, taxy. My house is messy (mostly the 2nd floor) and the dust is measurable, but my pans are spotless and my kitchen could probably pass a health inspection.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The plastic bag and half cup of amonia trick works better than oven cleaner. Bakers freind put into the pan with just enough water to make a thin paste, then scrob with scotchbrite will work, bit it'll take some elbow grease. If you have a freind at a machine shop, bead blasting will clean it up.

These will all clean your pan. They will all require work. The easiest of these is the plastic bag with amonia. I have used this method to clean bbq grates, neglected oven grates and ss pans. In each case the dirt wiped out easily with a paper towel. I always did it outside. Goodluck in your restoration project.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North