First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off the loose makeup before you apply anything.
- Blot instead of rubbing, so the color doesn't spread.
- Wash out the oily part with warm soapy water first.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot before using it on the pan.
Makeup on cookware is a mix of grease and pigment, and the grease is what has to go first. Your pan's surface sets the limits here: stainless takes a paste and a longer soak, while a light tint on enameled cast iron is expected and doesn't affect how the pan performs. If a stain on stainless stays put, repeat the paste and let it soak before you scrub.
Eyeshadow pans with magnetic backs need the paste kept to the metal, then a thorough rinse. Stop scrubbing if you spot chipped enamel and look the pan over first. Baked-on residue needs more soak time, so reach for a cleanser made for stubborn pan residue.
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.
- Warm water and mild dish soapCuts the oily part of the makeup and handles most of the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Soft sponge or clothLifts residue gently from the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Non-abrasive spongeFor the baking soda paste on nonstick. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaMakes the nonstick paste and the boil for burnt food. (opens Amazon)
- Nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanserThe paste for stainless. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarWipes heat tint off stainless and handles cloudy spots. (opens Amazon)
- Wooden spoon and pan scraperLoosen burnt food after the boil. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Let the pan cool and scrape
Wait until the pan is cool enough to handle, then scrape off or lift away the loose makeup with a soft spatula or cloth. Blot what's left rather than rubbing it, so the color doesn't spread onto clean parts of the pan.
Careful. Never put a hot pan under cold water or cold water into a hot pan; it can warp.
Step 2 of 7
Wash out the oily part
Rinse off any loose food with warm water, then wash the pan in warm soapy water. Dish soap cuts the oily part, so use it first and leave the color for the later steps.
Tip. Rinse the sponge often so you aren't spreading the oily film back across the surface.
Step 3 of 7
Soak off the stuck residue
If residue is still on the pan, fill it with water and a squirt of dish soap and leave it to soak. On nonstick, leave it overnight rather than scrubbing harder.
Step 4 of 7
Scrub the color with a paste
On stainless, make a paste of a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water and rub it in circles with a soft cloth. On nonstick, rub a paste of baking soda and water gently with a non-abrasive sponge, then rinse, dry, and repeat or let the paste sit if color remains.
Careful. No steel wool, steel scouring pads, scouring powder or abrasive cleaners on stainless or nonstick.
Step 5 of 7
Lift burnt food with a boil
Sprinkle baking soda into the pan, add water to cover the burnt spots, and bring it to a boil. Once it's bubbling, loosen the food with a wooden spoon and pour off the water.
Step 6 of 7
Wipe off the heat tint
Blue or rainbow heat tint on stainless comes off with a soft cloth dampened with white vinegar. For cloudy white spots, boil a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water in the pan, then pour it out.
Careful. Use white vinegar only; colored vinegar can leave a stain.
Step 7 of 7
Rinse, then dry right away
Rinse the pan with warm water until no soap or vinegar smell remains. Dry it immediately with a towel so water spots can't form.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for makeup on pots, pans & bakeware
Pick a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser for stainless and a non-abrasive sponge for nonstick. A cleaner labeled safe for nonstick surfaces is the other option when the baking soda paste isn't enough.
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 is clean when no oily film shows when you tilt it under a light and the color is gone from the surface. Dry it right away so water spots don't form. If the color is still there after the soaks and pastes, it has likely set into the finish, so move on to the set-in section.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pots, pans & bakeware
Stainless steel
Stainless needs the cleanser paste for makeup color, and the grit has to be soft. Use a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water, and a nylon scouring pad is fine if the paste needs help.
If a greasy shadow is still there after the paste, repeat it and let it sit before you scrub again. Heat tint and cloudy white spots are handled by the vinegar steps, not by anything stronger.
Nonstick
Nonstick can't take abrasive cleaners, so the only scrubbing is a paste of baking soda and water on a non-abrasive sponge, rubbed gently. For residue that won't lift, the overnight soak with dish soap does the work, and you keep the scrubbing light.
Pushing harder when the color lingers will scratch the finish before the makeup comes off. Skip vinegar on nonstick cookware, since the gentle baking soda paste and soap do the job.
Enameled cast iron
The interior gets the same warm soapy wash, but burnt food needs a boil of 2 cups water with 4 tablespoons baking soda, followed by a pan scraper. Loosen the softened food gently so the enamel stays smooth.
Some staining inside is expected and doesn't affect performance, so you don't have to chase every mark. Stop once the pan is clean to the touch and the color has stopped lifting.
Aluminum and non-stainless steel
Baking soda is listed as unsafe on aluminum, so skip the baking soda boil and use warm soapy water with a soft cloth. Bleach is also off the table here, so disinfect these pans by scalding them instead.
Stick to the soap wash and the soak, then rinse and dry right away. Don't reach for the stainless cleanser paste on these pans.
Chipped enamel
A chipped enamel spot can't be bleached, so keep bleach and strong cleaners away from it. Clean around the chip with warm soapy water and a soft cloth, and don't scrub into the exposed area.
Scald the area to disinfect it, and dry it fully before the next use. If color stays in the chip itself, leave it alone rather than pushing harder.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Makeup that has sat on the pan a while is harder than fresh residue, because it has had time to bond to the surface. Start with the paste on stainless, or the baking soda paste on nonstick, and let it sit before you scrub again.
If the spot has dried or baked on, repeat the soak and paste rather than reaching for anything harsher. On intact enameled cast iron, stick with the soak and paste, since a harsher step is not worth the risk to the enamel.
Rinse the pan thoroughly and dry it before doing anything else. Some color may still be there, especially inside enameled cast iron where a small amount of staining is expected; on stainless, long exposure above 500°F can change the color without hurting how the pan cooks.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on makeup on pots, pans & bakeware?
Most remedies you'll see online are written for fabric or other stains. Only a few fit cookware, so stick to the ones that suit this stain and keep the rest away from the pan.
Works3Skip1Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use oven cleaner or bleach-based detergent on stainless.
Oven cleaners, harsh detergents and detergents containing bleach or peroxide are off limits on stainless. Check the label of any product for those ingredients before it goes near the pan.
Don't bleach aluminum, plain steel or chipped enamel.
Bleach isn't safe on aluminum, non-stainless steel or chipped enamel. Scald these pans with boiling water to disinfect them instead.
Don't put hard-anodized pans in the dishwasher.
Hard-anodized cookware doesn't go in the dishwasher, even when it looks clean. Wash it by hand with the warm soapy steps above.
Don't use metal utensils or citrus cleaners on enamel.
Metal utensils are off limits on enameled cast iron, and so are citrus-based cleaners on its exterior. Use wood or silicone for lifting food.
Don't leave an empty pan on a hot burner.
An empty pan on a hot burner, or a pan boiled dry, can overheat, and nonstick should never be allowed to get that hot. Turn the burner off as soon as the pan is empty.
Don't put cookware in the oven during a self-clean cycle.
Pans shouldn't go in the oven while it's running a self-clean cycle. Wait until the cycle is over and the oven has cooled before putting anything back in.
Don't mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners.
Mixing bleach with vinegar, ammonia or any other cleaner can give off hazardous fumes. Rinse the pan thoroughly between products, and let it dry before you try anything new.
When to call a professional
If a pan is chipped, peeling or warped, stop cleaning and get it checked by the maker before using it again. Don't use harsher products to force out a stain that won't lift.
Questions
How do I get magnetic eyeshadow pans out of a palette?
Ease one edge up gently and follow the palette maker's instructions rather than pulling. The cookware steps don't cover palettes, so use them only for the pan itself.
Does makeup stain cookware permanently?
It can, if it's left to dry on the surface. Scrape it off and wash it out while it's still soft.
Can I use bleach on makeup on my pan?
Not on most of these pans. Stainless can't take chlorine bleach, and bleach is off limits on aluminum, non-stainless steel and chipped enamel.
Is vinegar safe for cleaning my pan?
Yes, on stainless, for blue or rainbow heat tint and cloudy white spots. Skip vinegar on nonstick or enameled pans; save it for stainless.
Why is my stainless pan still cloudy after cleaning?
Cloudy white spots usually need the boil of white vinegar and water on stainless. Rinse the pan and dry it right away so the spots don't come back.
What if the stain is still there after cleaning?
Repeat the paste on stainless and let it sit before scrubbing again. If color remains after a few rounds, it may be set in, and that's not a sign the pan is ruined.
Makeup 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.