Prep first
Before you start
- Let the mud dry, then brush, scrape or vacuum off as much as possible.
- Once the pan has cooled, rinse what is left with cold water.
- Wash in warm soapy water with a sponge or soft cloth, and dry it right away once the stain is gone.
Mud on cookware is soil that works into the surface, and the order you clean in decides whether it lifts or sets. Let it dry and brush off what you can before any water touches it, since wet mud smears across the pan. Nonstick, stainless steel, enameled cast iron and aluminum each respond differently to heat and scrubbing, so the pan type matters as much as the mud.
Know whether your pan is nonstick or stainless steel before you scrub, since that decides how hard you can push. Burnt-on residue on stainless steel pans is a different job than dried mud, so don't treat them the same. If the basics don't lift it, an oxygen bleach powder is worth a try, but only after rinsing the pan first.
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
10 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Soft brush or scraperLifts the dried mud before any water touches the pan. (opens Amazon)
- Sponge or soft clothWashes the pan without scratching the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Dish soapMakes the warm soapy water wash and the nonstick overnight soak. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaLoosens burnt-on residue in the boil. (opens Amazon)
- Wooden spoonLoosens burnt food without scratching the pan.
- White vinegarWipes off blue or rainbow heat tint on stainless. (opens Amazon)
- Nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanserMakes a paste for stubborn spots on stainless. (opens Amazon)
- Nylon scouring padSafe for stainless only. (opens Amazon)
- Pan scraperScrapes burnt food from enameled cast iron. (opens Amazon)
- Stainless wipes (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Let the mud dry first
Blot any wet mud with a paper towel and let it dry on the pan. Once it's dry, brush, scrape or vacuum off as much as you can. Don't add water until most of the dry mud is gone.
Careful. Don't rub wet mud in; blot and let it dry first.
Step 2 of 6
Cool the pan, then rinse
Let the pan cool completely before you run any water over it. Then rinse what is left with cold water to clear the loose grit.
Careful. Never put a hot pan under cold water, or cold water into a hot pan; it can warp.
Step 3 of 6
Wash in warm soapy water
Rinse off any loose food with warm water. Soak the pan in warm water with a squirt of dish soap, then wash it with a sponge or soft cloth until the mud is gone.
Tip. A nylon scouring pad is fine on stainless only.
Step 4 of 6
Boil away burnt-on residue
Sprinkle baking soda into the pan, add water, and bring it to a boil. Loosen the burnt food with a wooden spoon as it softens, then pour out the water.
Careful. Do not leave empty pans on a hot burner or let pans boil dry; never let nonstick overheat.
Step 5 of 6
Wipe away heat tint
A blue or rainbow heat tint on stainless wipes off with white vinegar on a soft cloth. Work over the whole tinted area before you move on to the rinse.
Tip. Use white vinegar only; colored vinegar can leave a stain. Skip this step if the pan has no tint.
Step 6 of 6
Rinse, dry and check
Rinse with warm water once the stain is gone. Dry the pan right away to prevent spotting, then check it in good light before you put it away.
Careful. Don't machine-dry until the stain is gone; drying sets it.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for mud on pots, pans & bakeware
Pick a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser for stainless, and a cleaner labeled 'safe for non-stick surfaces' for nonstick. A soft sponge or cloth covers everything else.
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.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain is gone when the pan looks even, with no dull patches, and nothing gritty comes off on a clean cloth. On stainless, the blue or rainbow tint should be gone and the surface should look even once it's dry.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pots, pans & bakeware
Nonstick pans
Nonstick needs the gentlest handling of any pan here, so keep to the sponge and skip anything abrasive. For leftover residue, fill the pan with water and dish soap and leave it overnight. For a stubborn spot, 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'.
Test the cleaner on a small spot first if you're unsure about the coating. Once the residue is gone, rinse the pan and dry it by hand.
Stainless steel pans
For cloudy white spots, boil 1:1 white vinegar and water in the pan. Stubborn burnt fat or protein shadows need the cleanser paste covered in the set-in section below.
A nylon scouring pad is fine on stainless, and so is a nonabrasive cleanser paste. Stainless sinks, range tops and appliances are a different surface, so check the Stainless Steel & Appliances guide for those.
Enameled cast iron
On enameled cast iron, boil 2 cups water with 4 tablespoons baking soda instead, then loosen the food with a pan scraper. Keep the exterior to the warm soapy water wash.
Small amounts of staining are expected on enameled cast iron and don't affect how it cooks. Stains that remain after the boil are handled by the set-in options below.
Aluminum and non-stainless steel pans
These pans get the same warm soapy water wash, but skip the baking soda boil on aluminum. Soak burnt food in warm soapy water instead, and loosen it gently with a wooden spoon.
If you're unsure what the pan is made of, treat it as aluminum and leave out the baking soda. Wash it gently with a sponge or soft cloth, the same as the other pans.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Old mud that has sat on a pan for days is harder to lift than fresh mud, so expect to work at it. Start by brushing or scraping off whatever is crusted on, then soak the pan in warm soapy water before you scrub.
If the mud has dried into the surface, make a paste of a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water, rub it in circles with a soft cloth, then rinse and dry. Repeat the paste, and let it sit on the spot before you rub again if the first round didn't lift it.
Dried and old stains can take several rounds, so don't expect one pass to finish the job. Long exposure above 500°F can change stainless color without hurting performance, so a faint heat shadow is a cosmetic issue rather than a cooking one.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mud on pots, pans & bakeware?
Most of what works on mud and burnt residue on cookware is already in the steps above. Many common remedies don't suit cookware or can damage its surface, so skip those and wash in warm soapy water.
Works3Skip1Avoid2
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't scrub with steel wool or abrasive pads
Steel wool, steel scouring pads, abrasive cleaners and scouring powder have no place on nonstick or stainless cookware. Oven cleaners, harsh detergents and detergents containing bleach or peroxide are off limits on stainless too.
Don't put hard-anodized nonstick in the dishwasher
The dishwasher isn't safe for hard-anodized nonstick, so wash it by hand in warm soapy water. Keep it out of the dishwasher even when it looks clean.
Don't add salt before the liquid boils
Salt added too early pits stainless, and those pits are permanent, though they don't affect cooking. Wait until the liquid boils or the food starts cooking before you add it.
Don't put cookware in a self-clean oven
Take every pan out of the oven before a self-clean cycle starts. The cycle is not meant for cookware.
Don't mix bleach with vinegar or other cleaners
Bleach mixed with vinegar, ammonia or any other cleaner is dangerous. Rinse fully between products and never combine them.
Don't use bleach on aluminum or chipped enamel
Bleach isn't safe on aluminum, non-stainless steel or chipped enamel. Scald these pans to disinfect them instead.
Don't use metal utensils on enameled cast iron
Metal utensils and citrus-based cleaners can damage enameled cast iron. Use wooden tools, and keep citrus cleaners off the exterior.
When to call a professional
This is a home job for most mud on cookware. If a pan is warped, its enamel is chipped or its nonstick coating is flaking, stop scrubbing and don't use it for cooking until you've checked it.
Questions
Can I put a muddy pan in the dishwasher?
Not until the stain is gone. Let the mud dry, brush it off, and wash the pan by hand in warm soapy water first, because heat drying sets the mud.
Can mud leave a mark on stainless steel?
It can leave a dull patch or shadow if it dries and sits. After brushing it off and washing with warm soapy water, the cleanser paste is the next step for stubborn spots.
Is hot water safe for cleaning cookware?
Warm soapy water is the standard choice. Let the pan cool first, because a hot pan under cold water can warp, and cold water in a hot pan does the same.
Can I use bleach to get mud out of a pan?
No, not on cookware here. Bleach is ruled out for stainless and aluminum, and it isn't safe on chipped enamel, so stick to soap, water and the cleaners in the steps.
Do I need to soak a nonstick pan overnight?
Only if residue is left after the usual wash. The overnight soak in the nonstick section lifts leftover residue without any scrubbing.
What if the stain is still there after one wash?
Go back over the spot and repeat the wash. Dried or old mud may take more than one pass, and the set-in section covers the stubborn cases.
Can I use dish soap on every pan?
Yes, warm soapy water with a sponge or soft cloth is the everyday wash for all of these pans. Only the cleaners ruled out in the mistakes section are off limits.
Mud 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.