Prep first
Before you start
- Work out what the color is before you pick a cleaner.
- Figure out the surface first, since nonstick, enamel and stainless each need a different method.
- Test any remover on a hidden spot first.
- Let the pan cool before you wash it.
Orange stains on cookware are most often iron from water or rusting metal, while blue or rainbow shades on stainless have a different cause, heat. Long exposure above 500°F can change the color of stainless without hurting how the pan performs. Nonstick, enameled cast iron and stainless each need their own care, so match the method to the pan in front of you.
For blue stains on stainless steel pots, a scouring cleanser is the product to reach for first. Nonstick pans need a softer touch, so skip scouring pads that can strip the coating. If a rust-colored mark on stainless won't budge, a rust remover made for hard surfaces is the next product to test.
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
8 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- White vinegarLifts blue or rainbow heat tint on stainless and handles cloudy white spots. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaLoosens burnt food when boiled, and makes the gentle paste for nonstick. (opens Amazon)
- Nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanserMakes the paste that works on stainless burnt fat and protein shadows. (opens Amazon)
- Soft sponge or clothCleans without scratching nonstick or stainless. (opens Amazon)
- Wooden spoonLifts softened food without marking the pan.
- Pan scraperLifts softened food from enameled cast iron. (opens Amazon)
- Household bleachOnly for the enameled interior set-in soak, on intact enamel. (opens Amazon)
- Dish soap (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Let the pan cool first
Take the pan off the heat and let it cool before you wash it. Once it's cool enough to handle, you can move on to rinsing it with warm water.
Careful. Never put a hot pan under cold water, or cold water into a hot pan. It can warp.
Step 2 of 7
Rinse off the loose food
Rinse any loose food away with warm water. Then wash the pan in warm soapy water with a sponge or soft cloth, so most of the mess is gone before any stronger step.
Step 3 of 7
Soak built-up nonstick residue
If the nonstick has built-up residue, fill the pan with water and dish soap. Leave it overnight, then wash it again with warm water and a soft cloth. If there is no residue, skip this step.
Step 4 of 7
Boil off burnt food
For burnt food, sprinkle baking soda into the pan, add water, and bring it to a boil. Loosen the food with a wooden spoon as it softens.
Step 5 of 7
Wipe away blue heat tint
On stainless with blue or rainbow tint, wipe the marks with white vinegar on a soft cloth. For cloudy white spots, boil 1:1 white vinegar and water in the pan.
Step 6 of 7
Scrub nonstick or burnt fat gently
On nonstick, rub gently with a paste of baking soda and water on a non-abrasive sponge, or use a cleaner made for nonstick surfaces. On stainless with burnt fat or protein shadows, rub a paste of nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser and a little water in circles with a soft cloth. If a shadow is left, let the paste sit before scrubbing again.
Step 7 of 7
Rinse and dry right away
Rinse the pan with warm water to clear every trace of cleaner. Dry it straight away so water spots don't form.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for orange on pots, pans & bakeware
Look for a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser for stainless, and a cleaner made for nonstick surfaces if you don't want to use the baking soda paste. Both are the right product types for the steps above.
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 →How to tell it's working
A clean pan has an even metal color with no dull patches, and nonstick feels smooth under a dry finger. Blue or rainbow tint should be gone from stainless, and no slick residue should be left on nonstick. If a shadow is still there after a full pass, it's a stubborn one, so repeat the paste rather than scrubbing harder.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pots, pans & bakeware
Nonstick pans
Nonstick needs the gentlest approach, because the coating is what you're protecting. Start with the overnight soak for any built-up residue, then rub the baking soda paste on a non-abrasive sponge or use a cleaner made for nonstick.
Lift any leftover residue with a soft sponge and warm water rather than a hard pad. If the marks don't shift, repeat the soak instead of scrubbing harder.
Enameled cast iron
Enameled cast iron gets a different boil for burnt food: 2 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of baking soda. Once it's loosened, lift the food out with a pan scraper.
Stop when the pot is clean enough to cook in rather than chasing every mark. Only move to the longer soak in the set-in section if a stain stays after this.
Stainless steel pots
Blue or rainbow marks on stainless come from the pan running too hot. Wipe them with white vinegar on a soft cloth, and skip anything abrasive.
Cloudy white spots are a different problem, and boiling equal parts white vinegar and water handles them. If the mark is a brown or dark shadow rather than blue, the cleanser paste is the right step.
Stainless steel with burnt fat
Burnt fat or protein on stainless leaves a shadow rather than a tint, so it needs a paste rather than vinegar. Use a nonabrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water, and rub in circles with a soft cloth.
Rinse and dry, then repeat if a shadow is left. Let the paste sit before you scrub again, and expect it to take a second pass.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Old stains inside an enameled cast iron pot take a longer soak. Fill the pot with water mixed with 3 tablespoons of household bleach per quart, and let it soak for 2 to 3 hours. Only do this on intact enamel and only if the stain is not rust.
Stubborn stains on stainless usually need more than one pass. Repeat the cleanser paste and let it soak before scrubbing again.
Some discoloration is cosmetic, and long exposure above 500°F can change stainless color without hurting how it cooks. Stop when the pan is clean enough to use, because the last few marks may never fully come out.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on orange on pots, pans & bakeware?
Plenty of home fixes come up for orange and blue marks on pots, but only some are safe on cookware. Most pantry fixes suit only some cookware finishes, so check the finish before you reach for one.
Works3Skip1Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use steel wool or scouring pads
Steel wool, steel pads and scouring powder leave scratches on stainless and nonstick. A soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge with the right paste does the job without that damage.
Don't use chlorine bleach on orange stains
Orange and reddish-brown marks are usually iron, and chlorine bleach sets them and makes them worse. Keep bleach away from these stains until you are sure they are not iron.
Don't leave an empty pan on a hot burner
A pan left empty on a hot burner, or allowed to boil dry, can overheat. Nonstick is especially easy to damage this way, so turn the burner down whenever the pan isn't holding liquid or food.
Don't add salt before the water boils
Salt added to cold water can leave white pits on stainless, and those pits are permanent. Wait until the liquid boils or the food starts cooking before you add any salt.
Don't run pans through a self-clean oven
Pans left in an oven during a self-clean cycle can be damaged. Take them out first, and clean them by hand with the steps above.
Questions
Why did my stainless pot turn blue?
Blue or rainbow color on stainless is heat tint, which shows up when the pan runs too hot. Wipe it with white vinegar on a soft cloth first, and keep the burner lower next time.
Is the orange stain on my pan rust?
Often, yes, since orange to reddish-brown is usually iron from water or rusting metal. Start with the gentler steps and move on only if the color stays.
Is a little staining inside enameled cast iron a problem?
No. A light staining inside enameled cast iron is expected and doesn't affect cooking. Only try the longer dish soap soak if it still bothers you after the steps.
Are the white pits from salt permanent?
Yes, salt pitting on stainless is permanent. It doesn't affect cooking, though, so the pan works fine even when it looks marked.
Can I use baking soda on a nonstick pan?
Yes, as a paste on a non-abrasive sponge, and rub gently rather than hard. If the pan still isn't clean, a cleaner made for nonstick is the next choice.
Does burnt food on stainless always come off?
Usually, with a boil and a paste, but a dark shadow from fat or protein can take a second pass. Let the cleanser paste sit before you scrub again instead of pushing harder.
Orange 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.