First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Epoxy on skin: remove the resin with a waterless skin cleanser, never with solvents.
- Hardener on skin: wash it off with soap and warm water.
- Epoxy on clothes: change them immediately.
Wet epoxy or resin that lands on cookware can be wiped up cleanly if you catch it early, but it grows harder to lift once it cures onto the surface. A pan's finish changes the details, so nonstick, stainless and enameled cast iron each need their own care. A small wet spill often rinses off with warm soapy water, while cured residue may need a longer soak.
If you've mixed resin in a pan and want to remove bubbles without a pressure pot, get the wet material out first. Don't reach for a metal scouring pad on nonstick, since it can scratch the coating you're trying to protect. If the spot won't lift after a soak, stop and check the finish before you try anything harsher.
Before you start
What pots, pans & bakeware can take
Safe to use2
- Water
- Soaking
Use with care4
- Hot water
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid2
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
7 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Paper towelsFor wiping up wet epoxy before it cures. (opens Amazon)
- Warm water and dish soapFor soaking and washing off food and residue.
- Soft sponge or clothCleans the pan without rough scrubbing. (opens Amazon)
- Wooden spoonLoosens burnt food as it heats.
- Baking sodaLoosens burnt food when boiled with water, and makes the gentle paste for nonstick. (opens Amazon)
- Nylon scouring padThe only pad stainless cookware can take. (opens Amazon)
- Household bleachOnly for the enameled cast iron soak, never on aluminum or chipped enamel. (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Wipe up any wet epoxy
Use paper towels to clean up spills and excess epoxy while it's still wet. Wet epoxy comes off far more easily than cured epoxy, so don't let it sit. If wet epoxy gets in your eyes, flush them with water for 15 minutes and seek medical attention if discomfort persists.
Step 2 of 6
Let the pan cool
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool before you clean it. Warm water is the safe choice once the pan is no longer hot.
Careful. Cold water in a hot pan, or a hot pan under cold water, can warp it.
Step 3 of 6
Soak the pan in soapy water
Rinse loose food off with warm water first. Then soak the pan in warm soapy water so the stuck-on bits start to loosen.
Step 4 of 6
Wash with a sponge or soft cloth
Wash the inside and outside with a sponge or soft cloth. Any burnt-on food that stays put goes to the baking soda step.
Step 5 of 6
Loosen burnt food with baking soda
Sprinkle baking soda over the burnt food, add water and bring it to a boil. Loosen the food with a wooden spoon as it heats. Skip this step on aluminum, and on nonstick use the gentle baking soda paste instead.
Careful. Don't leave an empty pan on a hot burner or let it boil dry.
Step 6 of 6
Rinse and dry immediately
On stainless with cloudy white spots, boil 1:1 white vinegar and water in the pan first. Then rinse the pan with warm water to clear away the baking soda and loosened food, and dry it right away so it doesn't spot.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for epoxy on pots, pans & bakeware
Look for a non-abrasive, non-chlorine cleanser for stainless, and a cleaner labeled 'safe for non-stick surfaces' for nonstick pans.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on pots, pans & bakeware, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The pan should feel smooth, with no greasy film or stuck food left, and the soapy water should stop looking cloudy. If burnt food still clings after the baking soda step, check the matching pan type below before you scrub harder.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pots, pans & bakeware
Nonstick pans
Nonstick needs the gentlest handling of any pan. Rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water on a non-abrasive sponge, or use a cleaner labeled 'safe for non-stick surfaces'.
For built-up residue, fill the pan with water and dish soap and leave it overnight. Keep the heat moderate, since nonstick should never overheat.
Stainless with a blue or rainbow tint
A blue or rainbow heat tint wipes off with white vinegar on a soft cloth. Use only white vinegar, since colored vinegar can leave a stain.
The cloudy white spots are handled by the vinegar boil in the last step. Add salt to cooking water only after it boils, since salt can pit stainless.
Stainless with burnt fat or protein shadows
Shadows from burnt fat or protein need a paste instead of vinegar. Mix a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water, then rub it in circles with a soft cloth.
Rinse and dry the pan, then repeat if the shadow is still there. Let the paste sit on the spot before you rub again, and use a nylon scouring pad if you need one.
Enameled cast iron
Enameled cast iron takes the same steps with a few changes. For burnt food, boil 2 cups water with 4 tablespoons baking soda, then loosen it with a pan scraper. Keep metal utensils off the enamel and citrus-based cleaners off the exterior.
Keep the stronger bleach soak for an interior stain that stays after your usual cleaning. Rinse the pan well and dry it before you put it away.
Aluminum and non-stainless steel
Aluminum, non-stainless steel and chipped enamel can't take bleach. To disinfect these, scald the pan instead.
Use warm soapy water and a soft sponge or cloth, rather than anything abrasive, to keep the surface in good shape. Rinse well and dry the pan right away.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old, baked-on residue on stainless usually takes more than one pass. Repeat the cleanser paste and let it sit on the spot before you rub again.
A dried-on stain won't lift in the first soak, so expect to repeat the steps. On enameled cast iron, a stubborn interior stain calls for a soak in 3 tablespoons household bleach per quart of water for 2 to 3 hours. Do this only after everything else is rinsed out.
Some marks won't come out, and that's fine. Enameled cast iron can keep a small amount of staining without losing performance. Long exposure above 500°F can change stainless color without hurting how it cooks.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on epoxy on pots, pans & bakeware?
Most home remedies don't belong on cookware, because the finish is the part you need to protect. Here's where each common remedy stands for these pans.
Works2Skip2Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use harsh cleaners on stainless.
Oven cleaners, steel wool, steel scouring pads and harsh detergents all damage stainless cookware. Detergents containing bleach or peroxide are off-limits too, so choose a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser instead.
Don't scrub nonstick with abrasives.
Abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, steel wool and scouring powder wear down the coating. Use a non-abrasive sponge instead, along with the gentle paste.
Don't put hard-anodized cookware in the dishwasher.
The dishwasher can damage hard-anodized pans, so hand wash them in warm soapy water. A soft sponge is the right tool for that.
Don't put cookware in a self-clean oven.
Pans don't belong in the oven during a self-clean cycle, so take them out first. Check the oven's manual if you're unsure what's inside.
When to call a professional
If a nonstick coating is flaking or a pan has warped, stop using it and cleaning it with these methods. Check the care instructions that came with the pan before you decide what to do next.
Questions
Can I scrub a nonstick pan with steel wool?
No. Steel wool, steel scouring pads, scouring powder and abrasive cleaners all damage nonstick, so keep them away from the pan.
Use a non-abrasive sponge for scrubbing, and the gentle baking soda paste for stuck-on residue. Keep the heat moderate too, since nonstick shouldn't overheat.
Is bleach safe on my cookware?
Only in one case: a stubborn stain inside enameled cast iron, using the longer baking soda soak from the stubborn stains section. Never use it on aluminum, non-stainless steel or chipped enamel, and rinse everything else out first.
What do I do if epoxy gets on my skin while I clean?
Remove the resin with a waterless skin cleanser, never with solvents. Then wash off the hardener with soap and warm water.
What is the blue or rainbow tint on my stainless pan?
That's a heat tint, and white vinegar on a soft cloth wipes it off. Dry the pan right away afterward.
Can I put my pans in the dishwasher?
Hard-anodized cookware shouldn't go in the dishwasher, so hand wash it in warm soapy water instead. For other pans, check the care instructions that came with them.
When should I add salt to a pot?
Add salt only after the liquid boils or the food starts cooking. That timing helps prevent white pits on stainless.
Can I clean a pan with club soda or rubbing alcohol?
No, neither is needed, and warm soapy water is the safer choice for cookware. Stick to the soak, wash and rinse steps instead.
What if the epoxy has already cured on the pan?
Epoxy hardens by chemical reaction, so the wet-stage steps above are the part that applies. For cured epoxy, stop before trying anything that could scratch the finish, and wipe up fresh spills with paper towels right away next time.
Epoxy on other materials
Other stains on pots, pans & bakeware
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.