How to wash the pan from soot at home?
Any housewife has faced situations when dishes, pots or pans get such pollution that is very difficult to deal with. The most problematic in this case is soot, which arises from constant contact with fire and forms a very thick layer on the surface of the pan, which takes a lot of work to remove, especially if you don’t know exactly how to do it.
Different types of pans have their own methods that allow you to effectively deal with the problem.
Reasons for the appearance
In a frying pan, food is cooked using oil, which, when heated, has an exclusively liquid consistency, and when it cools, it partially or completely freezes. When this process occurs, the oil particles not only bind to each other, but also capture the burnt metal, which is formed in small quantities after each cooking. If you wash the pan after each cooking and keep it absolutely clean, then there will be no problems with soot, but if this is not done, then plaque will begin to form on the pan, which will grow with each cooking.
The soot itself is ugly in appearance, because it looks like dirty dishes on which black dirt has stuck, but in addition to the aesthetic negative effect, there is a much more serious one. In the burnt substances on the surface of the pan, harmful substances are formed that adversely affect human health - these are benzopyrene and peroxide. These carcinogens are very dangerous in large quantities. There are very few of them in soot, but even such an amount from constant intake into the body will cause certain harm to health.
In order to clean the pan, it is important first of all to know what material it is made of, it is this nuance that will play the most important role in the selection of means and methods for cleaning the surface of the dishes.
Modern frying pans can be made from:
- cast iron;
- aluminum;
- teflon;
- ceramics.
Based on the type of pan, you can start fighting soot with the safest but most effective methods.
Each coating has its own care
With the advent of a large number of material options for pans, it is important to be able to properly care for them so that there are no problems with cooking. Teflon cookware is considered the most convenient to clean, which is protected from the appearance of soot on both sides, although sometimes it can also form on it in small quantities. In this case, it is important to know how to wash the surface without violating its integrity.
- For teflon pans very thin and delicate spraying, therefore it is impossible to clean it with aggressive agents and a hard washcloth. For cleaning, you can use ordinary water by boiling it in a pan, and you can also add detergent to it, which will help to more easily clean the surface from traces of soot.
- If Teflon is the most easy to clean material, then the most problematic will be steel pans. Food very often sticks to this material, and soot quickly sticks to the walls, rubbing it with abrasive materials, you can see traces of work on the surface itself. After several such cleanings, the pan will be unpleasant to use, because its appearance will resemble old dishes.
- Another option for the material from which pans are made is cast iron. Such dishes will serve for a very long time, they are unpretentious in care, absolutely safe for food and humans, and therefore, having the opportunity to choose, it is better to give preference to the old, but proven version. All care for such products consists in the fact that from time to time you need to remove carbon deposits from the surface. There are several ways to effectively process, the first of which is the use of products intended for steel pans.
Soda, salt, vinegar and citric acid will help to cope with soot and wipe it off much faster. A distinctive feature of this type of coating is resistance to metal and abrasive elements, therefore they can be cleaned by any means, while the integrity of the coating will be stable.
When using salt, you should slightly change the way you clean the surface with it. It must be poured into the bottom of the dish and poured with vinegar, leaving such contents for fifteen minutes. When the time has elapsed, the pan is put on fire and brought to a boil, after which another glass of soda is poured. All ingredients should boil for seven minutes, after which you can remove the pan from the stove and clean it under cold water.
If it was possible to completely wash the coating from soot and fat that was on the cooking surface, then before cooking food, it is important to thoroughly warm the product so that the food does not burn.
When washing such pans, it is better not to wipe off a small layer of fat, because it is it that provides optimal conditions for cooking and prevents food from burning. The very process of caring for the product consists only in the periodic cleaning of carbon deposits from the surface.
For ceramic coatings, special means for cleaning carbon deposits are provided., because this material is very whimsical and it is very easy to break its integrity, and the consequence of this will be the burning of all the food that is cooked in the pan. Despite the popularity of such products, they are extremely inconvenient to use, and care is meticulous work that is not justified in any way.
Thus, when choosing a frying pan, you need to pay attention not to its external characteristics, but to the convenience in work and ease of care for it.
Aluminum
Having an aluminum frying pan at your disposal, you need to know exactly how to care for it and remove carbon deposits. It is important to mention that the coating of the product refers to quite demanding materials, so you need to know exactly what can be used and what can not. Alkaline and high acid products are clearly contraindicated for such coatings, because they cause significant damage.
It is possible to wash the pan at home using water and a couple of tablespoons of citric acid. Such contents must be boiled and allowed to cool, after which a small deposit can be easily removed without the use of force or aggressive detergents.
Another method involves the use of ammonia and borax, which are added to the water. Alcohol will take quite a bit, and borax will need 10 grams. With this solution, you need to wipe the pan well. When the plaque comes off, it is important to rinse the dishes well so that nothing gets into the food.
If such a pan burns, then cleaning it is quite problematic, but possible. To do this, you need tooth powder, which is poured onto the burnt bottom and left there for up to half a day. When the time is up, just clean the surface with a rag and wash the pan well. If uncleaned places remain, then the same process is repeated a second time.
A more complex option, but proven by generations, is the use of water, silicate glue and soda ash. The procedure will require 10 liters of water, 80 grams of glue and 100 grams of soda. A frying pan is placed in the prepared solution and brought to a boil. Leave it on fire for fifteen minutes, then wash it very well with laundry soap.
The use of chemicals for aluminum coatings is prohibited., because they act very aggressively on this surface and violate its integrity, and their vapors can lead to poisoning.
Teflon
Teflon pans are very popular with housewives due to their non-stick coating, lightness and ease of use. However, over time, traces of soot begin to appear on such products, which is not easy to deal with, because Teflon is a rather delicate material, and it is not recommended to work on it with metal scrapers or aggressive chemicals.
In order to clean the inner surface, you can use ordinary laundry soap. It must be grated and poured into the water that is already poured into the pan. All contents are heated, but not brought to a boil, after which, with the help of a washcloth, all contaminants are easily and simply removed from the inner surface.
If you need to clean the bottom of a Teflon pan, then baking soda will do the job well. Five tablespoons of salt are added to a liter of water and poured into a bowl. Being on fire, the components are actively involved in cleaning the walls and the day of the product. It is advisable to keep the solution on fire for twenty minutes, and then let it cool.
This method is well suited for cleaning the surface of strong fat.
A popular option among the people is using toothpaste, which is suitable for cleaning the bottom of the pan. You just need to apply it on the surface and wash it off after a short period of time. From old scale or plaque, the best cleaning option would be Coca-Cola, which must be poured into a frying pan and boiled.
To clean the outside of a Teflon pan, you can use citric acid. To do this, boil three liters of water and pour a spoonful of acid into them, the resulting solution is poured into a large bowl where you can easily place a frying pan. After a couple of hours, it can be removed from the solution and washed with plain water.
For cleaning from burning on the outside, you can use a lot more options:
- sprays, which are sold in stores. The spray must be sprayed on the required area from the outside and wait a certain time, then rinse thoroughly with water.
- Gels and creams, which are highly concentrated.The contaminated surface is treated with a cream or gel and left for half an hour, after which it is well washed out with water.
- Foam is one of the fastest acting substances that eliminate pollution in no more than 15 minutes.
When working with Teflon surfaces, it is important to remember that the use of household chemicals is permissible only for external use, sparing harmless compounds are used inside. After any cleaning, the dishes should be thoroughly washed.
ceramic
Using ceramic frying pans is a very difficult task, because caring for them is very laborious. If you thoroughly wash them with gentle means after each preparation, then great difficulties may not arise, but otherwise you will have to resort to additional cleaning products.
To remove slight contamination from the surface, you can use vodka or ethyl alcohol, with which the problem area is rubbed off. You need to work with a rag, soft washcloth or sponge. If the material becomes contaminated, it must be replaced and cleaning continued. When everything is cleaned, the pan should be washed well with dish detergent and wiped dry.
Another option is to use an enamel pot large enough to fit the frying pan. After pouring more than half the water, you need to put the pan on the stove until it boils. In the process, it is necessary to grate laundry soap and add to the water, and after it, one hundred grams of baking soda. When the solution acquires a homogeneous mass, you need to lower the pan into it and put it on a small fire. In this mode, the product is aged for an hour and a half, after which it is simply rinsed with water.
When cleaning the pan inside, you must use vinegar diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1.5. The solution is poured into the dishes and boiled for two hours. After cooling the water with a washcloth and liquid soap, you can clean the surface of carbon deposits.
If you need to get rid of a thick layer of soot, you will need activated charcoal. It must be crushed, and the pan moistened with water and applied to the walls with dishwashing detergent, on which coal is poured. After an hour, the contaminated areas are wiped with a washcloth.
non-stick
Non-stick pans have a number of different methods for dealing with stains of varying degrees of difficulty. The simplest, but no less effective, is the use of laundry soap, which is rubbed and added to water. By boiling such a solution and leaving it for several hours, you can clean the burnt pan quickly and without hassle.
You can use baking soda to clean the bottom of a non-stick pan. It is added in the amount of five tablespoons to a liter of water and put on fire for 20 minutes. When the contents have cooled, the pan is washed with a washcloth until it is completely free of dirt.
From the outside, the pan can be cleaned with household chemicals, which are applied only to the outer walls, without contact with the inner surface. After application, the product should be on the surface for no more than fifteen minutes, after which it is easily washed off with a washcloth.
If there is a need to thoroughly clean the entire pan, then you can take old cauldrons, choose the best option in size so that the pan enters it.Five liters of water are poured into the cauldron, two pieces of soap are rubbed (it is better if it is household) and two packs of baking soda are added. A frying pan is placed in the prepared solution and boiled over a fire for two hours. After the procedure, we wash it with liquid soap or dish detergent.
Cast iron
With a cast iron skillet, you can clean it in a variety of ways, and oil, dirt, or scrambled eggs won't be a problem. The quickest option would be to use a nylon-faced brush and Coca-Cola diluted with hot water. For effective cleansing of food debris, you need to wash the pan with hot water and pour kosher salt into it. With the help of napkins, it is rubbed into the walls and bottom, removing all food debris.
For this coating, options are also suitable using soda, salt and vinegar, activated carbon, ammonia and borax, vinegar and dishwashing detergent, soap with soda and glue. Fire can be used to remove scale and any dirt, it is especially good to use this method in open space, making a fire and placing a frying pan in it for a while. After the product is completely heated, any contamination can be easily removed with a knife.
If household chemicals are used to clean the inner surface, it is best to place a lid on the pan to minimize the amount of harmful fumes that will appear.
Folk remedies
It is convenient, quick and inexpensive to use folk remedies for cleaning pans, because they do not lose their relevance. So, cast-iron pans are cleaned with vinegar, pouring it into a pan with water and heating it over a fire.After this treatment, it is better to boil the pan so that there is no smell of vinegar.
As for laundry soap, it is suitable for all types of products, easily and delicately removing dirt from the surface. Citric acid is best for cleaning cast iron pans. In a liter of water, you need to dilute a teaspoon of acid and soak the product in the solution. Well removes dirt and hydrogen peroxide, which must be applied to a rag and wipe the pan.
Soda, salt and clerical glue clean old dirt that is difficult to remove by other methods without damaging the surface. Each of these methods has proven its effectiveness, the main thing is to use them correctly, and then the result will please any housewife.
Helpful Hints
If there is no desire to deal with the pollution of the pans, then after each cooking it must be washed well. At the first sign of soot, you can lower the pan into boiling water for 15 minutes, then remove the dirt. Do not clean products with metal sponges and abrasive products, because they leave a lot of scratches that provoke food sticking. Before using a cast-iron pan, you need to ignite it well, and then cook it.
When working with aluminum pans, do not use abrasive cleaning products, they will ruin the surface. It is best to use laundry soap to clean any pans, and not household chemicals, even the strongest. After washing such dishes, it must be wiped well. If Teflon products are used, then every six months they need to be updated.
Ways to wash stubborn fat and soot for each type of frying pan are different and the choice of option must be approached responsibly, because the duration of the operation of the product and the safety of food cooked on it depend on this.
For information on how and how to clean the frying pan from carbon deposits at home, see the following video.