The Easy Vinegar Hack To Clean Burnt Pots And Pans

We've all been there: You get sidetracked while cooking and suddenly your favorite pot or pan is a scorched, blackened mess. While there are plenty of well-reviewed dish detergents on the market that can handle the job, many of them have harsh chemicals that you might not want to use on your cookware. This is where a simple, practical, and non-toxic method comes to the rescue that only uses a single pantry staple: white vinegar. This hack is not only environmentally friendly, but also gentle on your pots and pans, making it your new go-to for kitchen disasters.

The magic behind this hack lies in vinegar's acidity. Its primary component is acetic acid, a powerful natural cleaner and degreaser that easily breaks down the tough residue left behind from burning your dinner. Unlike abrasive scrubs that could scratch the surface of your cookware, the acid in vinegar works to gently yet effectively loosen burnt bits without damaging the pan's finish. The acidity of vinegar works best on stainless steel, nonstick, and copper cookware. It's a terrific alternative to chemical-heavy products, and it only takes a few steps to use vinegar as a versatile cleaning tool for your scorched pots and pans.

One of the easiest ways to clean burnt pots and pans with vinegar is through a basic deglazing technique. After you have scraped out as much gunk as possible, heat up the affected pan until a few drops of water sizzle on it. Then, add ½ cup of water and ½ cup of vinegar and let it come to a boil. While the liquid bubbles, use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently scrape away the burnt-on spots on the bottom of your pan. The heat combined with the acid will help to lift the residue from the pan's surface without much effort on your part. Once all the residue is gone, dump the liquid out into your sink, rinse it, and then wash and dry the cookware like normal.

For super tough grime, you can also try adding baking soda to the pan after you've boiled the vinegar and let it cool slightly. Use anywhere from 2 tablespoons up to a full cup for large areas or heavy residue. After you add the baking soda, let the mixture fizz — once it stops, scrub the pan. There are plenty of ways to use DIY vinegar cleaning solutions to tackle every mess in your home, and pots and pans are no exception. Regardless of your chosen method, rinse your cookware well after you're done. That's all that's left to get your pots shiny and clean again.