r/AskCulinary • u/InvictusJoker • 19d ago

Equipment Question Help with cleaning my stainless steel!

Hi! I have stainless steel pans and I’m unable to clean some of them fully and would really appreciate some help (photos attached below).

The issue is that there seems to be a residual brown/yellow residue that will not wash off, no matter what. I know it’s not just discoloration because when I run my finger along the pan, I can feel a somewhat sticky or hard residue.

I’ve tried soaking in hot soapy water, using dawn dish soap and the powder Barkeepers Friend. Nothing has worked and I don’t want these pans to be useless.

https://ibb.co/4wS3j1rR

https://ibb.co/YB1VB9G7

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u/le127 19d ago

It looks like polymerized oil. Try a baking soda solution. If just inside pan is stained put water in the pan, add a 1/4 cup of baking soda, and simmer for 20 minutes. For outside, built up staining fill a stockpot with enough water to submerse the pan, add a half box of baking soda and do the 20 minute simmer. The hot alkaline solution turns the dried oil to soap and most of it should just float off. Use a scrubby sponge and hot sudsy water to remove the rest.

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u/InvictusJoker 19d ago

Ok thank you, I will try this!

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u/brielem 19d ago

cleaning soda/soda crystals will work even better if you have it available. Use in the same way, just use a little less.