First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Soak the pan in warm soapy water before you scrub.
- Wipe blue or rainbow tint with white vinegar on a soft cloth.
- Rinse with warm water and dry right away to prevent spotting.
Burnt food, grease shadows and blue or rainbow heat tint are the usual marks on stainless pans, and each one needs its own fix. Most of them loosen with a soak before any scrubbing starts. Some marks never fully leave: salt pitting is permanent but doesn't affect cooking, and a little staining on enameled cast iron is expected and doesn't affect performance.
Skip steel wool when you clean stained stainless steel pans, since it leaves tiny scratches that trap the next stain. If a baked-on mark on your baking sheets won't budge, a scouring cleanser on a damp sponge beats more scrubbing. Stop when the pan looks clean, because hard scraping can wear the coating on a nonstick or ceramic pan.
Before you start
What this material 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
6 items
What you'll need
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- Dish soapMixed into warm water for the soak. (opens Amazon)
- Soft sponge or clothCleans without scratching the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaLoosens burnt food when boiled and makes a gentle paste. (opens Amazon)
- Non-abrasive, non-chlorine cleanserMakes the paste for burnt fat and protein shadows on stainless. (opens Amazon)
- White vinegarWipes away heat tint and makes the cloudy-spot boil. (opens Amazon)
- Wooden spoonLifts burnt food without scratching the pan.
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Let the pan cool first
Wait until the pan is cool enough to handle, then move it to the sink. Everything after this step is easier on a pan that is no longer hot.
Tip. Set it on a trivet or a cool burner while you wait.
Careful. Never put a hot pan under cold water or cold water into a hot pan; it can warp.
Step 2 of 6
Rinse and soak in soapy water
Rinse off the loose food with warm water. Then soak the pan in warm water with a little dish soap until the stuck bits start to lift, and wipe with a sponge or soft cloth.
Tip. Plain dish soap is enough for this soak.
Step 3 of 6
Loosen burnt food with baking soda
Sprinkle baking soda over the burnt food and add water to cover it. Bring it to a boil, then loosen the crust with a wooden spoon as it softens.
Tip. Use a wooden spoon so you don't scratch the pan.
Careful. Never let an empty pan boil dry or sit on a hot burner.
Step 4 of 6
Scrub with a non-abrasive paste
Mix a non-abrasive, non-chlorine cleanser with a little water into a paste. Rub it in circles with a soft cloth, and if the stain stays, repeat and let the paste sit before you scrub again.
Tip. Nonstick needs a softer touch, so use the nonstick approach below for those pans.
Careful. Never use steel wool, steel scouring pads, oven cleaners or harsh detergents on stainless.
Step 5 of 6
Wipe heat tint with white vinegar
For blue or rainbow heat tint, wipe the stainless with white vinegar on a soft cloth. For cloudy white spots, boil a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water in the pan.
Tip. Use white vinegar only, since colored vinegar can leave a stain.
Step 6 of 6
Rinse and dry right away
Rinse the pan with warm water to clear away the cleanser, vinegar and loosened food. Dry it immediately, which keeps water spots from forming.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best stain removers for pots, pans & bakeware
Keep one non-abrasive, non-chlorine cleanser for stainless and one cleaner made for nonstick surfaces for coated pans. Baking soda and white vinegar cover most of the rest without a specialty product.
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.
See what to do for what you're seeing →If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Know the stain? Use its own guide
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How to tell it's working
A clean stainless pan looks even and bright, with no gray film or dull patches. Blue or rainbow tint should wipe off fully, and cloudy white spots should be gone after the vinegar boil. If a mark is still there after the paste has been repeated and left to sit, it is set in, so use the stronger soak below.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your pots, pans & bakeware
Pots, pans, and cookware
The steps above work for most pots and pans, since the surface matters more than the shape. Check what the pan is made of before you pick a paste or cleaner, because stainless and nonstick need different treatment.
If you don't know the material, use only the warm soapy water soak and a soft sponge until you are sure. That is the safe default for any pan whose material you're unsure of.
Dutch oven
If the Dutch oven has an enamel interior, the enamel approach applies: a baking soda boil for burnt food, followed by a pan scraper. For a bare cast iron interior, use the bare cast iron approach instead.
Dry the pot right away after the rinse, as with any cookware, so spotting doesn't form.
Enameled cast iron
For burnt food on enamel, boil 2 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of baking soda, then ease the residue off with a pan scraper. Scrape gently and let the boil do most of the loosening.
Some light staining inside enamel is expected and doesn't affect how the pan performs, so don't scrub hard to chase it. If a stain still stays after the scraping, the stronger soak in the stubborn-stain section is the next option.
Baking sheets and glass dishes
Bare baking sheets and glass baking dishes do well with the simple approach. Soak them in warm soapy water, wipe with a soft sponge, then rinse and dry them right away.
If you are unsure what a sheet is made of, skip the paste and stick to the soak. Use the non-abrasive paste only on a pan you know is stainless.
Ceramic pans
Ceramic coatings need a gentle hand, so don't guess at a scrub. Start with a soak in warm soapy water and a soft sponge, which is safe on any unknown surface.
Skip abrasive cleaners and scouring pads on it. If the stain stays, check the maker's care instructions before trying anything stronger.
Nonstick pans
Rub a baking soda and water paste on with a non-abrasive sponge, or use a cleaner made for nonstick surfaces. For built-up residue, fill the pan with water and dish soap and leave it overnight.
Once the residue lifts, rinse it and dry it right away. A soft sponge does the job here, and never let nonstick overheat.
Bare cast iron
The enamel steps here cover enameled cast iron, not bare cast iron, so keep bare iron simple. Use warm soapy water and a soft sponge, then rinse and dry it right away.
Skip any soak meant for enamel only. If the pot is enameled, follow the enamel approach above.
Aluminum pans and pots
Baking soda is unsafe on aluminum, so skip the baking soda steps above for these pans. Use the warm soapy water soak and a soft sponge instead.
Don't use bleach on aluminum; disinfect it by scalding instead. A stained but otherwise clean pan can take a longer soak in warm soapy water before you wipe.
Old, dried or set-in stains
A baked-on stain that has been there a while needs patience more than force. On stainless, repeat the cleanser paste and let it sit before you scrub again, rather than pushing harder.
On enameled cast iron, a stubborn stain inside the pan can soak for 2 to 3 hours in warm soapy water with a little baking soda. Use the soak only on an unchipped interior, and rinse it out and dry the pan right away afterward.
Some marks won't come out, and that is normal. Salt pitting is permanent but doesn't affect cooking, long exposure above 500°F can change stainless color without hurting performance, and a small amount of staining on enameled cast iron is expected.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on pots, pans & bakeware?
Most household remedies are built for fabric or hard surfaces, so only a few fit cookware. The ones that fit are the soak, the cleanser paste and white vinegar for heat tint, and the rest can damage stainless steel.
Works3Skip1Avoid3
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't scrub nonstick with abrasives
Abrasive cleaners, scouring pads, steel wool and scouring powder all damage the coating. Stick with the soft sponge and gentle wipe, even when the stain looks stubborn.
Don't use metal on enamel
Metal utensils don't belong on enameled cast iron, and citrus-based cleaners should stay off its exterior. Stick to a wooden spoon or the pan scraper on the inside.
Don't add salt before the liquid boils
Salt added to a cold pan can leave white pits in stainless, so wait until the liquid boils or the food starts cooking. This is a cooking habit, not a cleaning step.
Troubleshooting
If the stain is still there
Pick what you're seeing:
Burnt food is still stuck after one boil.
Repeat the baking soda boil and scrape gently with a wooden spoon or pan scraper. Don't switch to steel wool.
A stainless pan has a stain the cleanser paste won't move.
Apply the paste again and let it soak before scrubbing. If it is a brown tint from high heat, it is cosmetic and won't affect cooking.
Small white pits appeared in a stainless pot.
This looks like salt pitting, which can't be undone but doesn't affect cooking. Keep salt out of the pan itself, and add it to the food only once it is cooking, to prevent more.
Water spots keep reappearing after washing.
Dry the pan with a towel straight after rinsing. For cloudy white spots already there, boil equal parts white vinegar and water in the pan.
When to call a professional
If a stain survives the steps and the stronger soak, ask the manufacturer what they recommend before you try anything harsher, or have a professional refinisher look at the pan.
Questions
What causes rainbow stains on pots and stainless steel?
Blue or rainbow marks are heat tint, caused by heating the pan too hot. Wipe the tint with white vinegar on a soft cloth, and use the vinegar boil from the stainless steps for cloudy white spots.
Why do stainless steel pans stain, and how do I prevent it?
Stainless stains from burnt fat and protein shadows, and from overheating that leaves brown or blue color. To prevent them, keep the heat moderate and clean the pan soon after cooking.
Do I need a special stain remover for pans?
Usually not. Baking soda and white vinegar handle most of the stains on this surface, and both are easy to keep on hand.
On stainless, a non-abrasive, non-chlorine cleanser is the one product worth having for burnt fat and protein shadows. Nonstick pans can use a cleaner made for nonstick surfaces, or the baking soda paste.
Can I use baking soda to remove stains from pans?
Yes. It loosens burnt food when boiled with water, and it makes a gentle paste for nonstick pans. Those two uses are gentle, so try them before any stronger treatment.
Will a stubborn stain come out of a nonstick pan?
Often, if you start with the gentlest steps. A baking soda paste on a non-abrasive sponge comes first, and an overnight soak with dish soap handles built-up residue.
If the stain is still there after that soak, the stronger treatment in the stubborn-stain section is the next step. Most stains on nonstick come off before you reach it.
Can stained pans go in the dishwasher?
Not every pan. Hard-anodized pans shouldn't go in the dishwasher, and cookware should stay out of the oven during a self-clean cycle. Hand wash stainless and nonstick in warm soapy water with the steps above.
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.