You're probably cleaning your stainless steel pans wrong. Here's how the pros do it.
If you cook with high heat, like to take your pan from the stovetop to the oven and want to avoid nonstick coatings, stainless steel cookware makes a lot of sense. The best stainless steel pots and pans are practically indestructible and can last for decades. But if you're going to invest in this all-natural, non-toxic cookware, you've got to commit to cleaning it properly. Spoiler! It's not that hard.
As a busy mom of two and a graduate of the French Culinary Institute with years of experience working in restaurants and writing about food and cooking, I understand why some people may have a tough time cleaning stainless steel pans. While many brands claim their pots and pans are dishwasher-safe, I recommend you hand-wash and -dry them to keep them in tip-top shape. What's the best way to wash a stainless steel pan? Here's a step-by-step guide.
Don't forget: You should always hand-wash your stainless steel pots and pans to prolong their life! (That said, we acknowledge that the rare run through the dishwasher on a hectic evening probably won't cause irreparable damage.)
1. Cool, then wipe or scrape
Once the pan is cool enough to handle (never submerge a hot pan in cool water as this can cause warping), wipe out excess grease or food bits with a paper towel. If you need a little extra scraping power, use a spatula.
2. Hand wash
Wearing latex gloves to protect your hands, use hot water, mild dish soap and a scratch-resistant sponge or Dobie pad to clean any remaining food, oil and stains. Use a little muscle and the pan should rinse clean.
3. Towel dry
Dry pans thoroughly with a cotton dish towel before placing them back in the cabinet. Use a paper towel between pans when stacking.
1. Scrape
This is for those times you forgot a pan on the stove or seared a protein in a sauce. First, run the pan under very hot water and use the hard plastic end of the scrub brush to loosen larger stuck-on bits.
2. Soak
Soak the pan in a teaspoon of soap and hot water for 20 minutes.
3. Scrub
Scrub off the residue with the scrub brush or Dobie pad.
4. Towel dry
Dry pans thoroughly with a cotton dishtowel before placing them back in the cabinet and use a paper towel between pans when stacking.
1. Baking soda
Mix some baking soda and water and spread it over the stained cooking surface. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then put some muscle into scrubbing it off with a Dobie sponge or scrub brush.
2. Bar Keepers Friend
To use this cleaning powder, sprinkle it on a cool, wet pan. Let sit for 1 minute and then scrub out stains, going with the grain, using a scratch-resistant sponge or Dobie pad. Rinse and towel dry.
If you're in the market for a new stainless steel skillet, I tested many of the most popular options. Which ones outperformed the rest? The Made In Stainless Steel Frying Pan, which I deemed the best stainless steel pan overall, is a sound investment, and the budget-friendly Tramontina Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Clad Fry Pan is a good choice for those who want less of a commitment.
If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Tom's Guide
19-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I've kept my induction cooktop scratch-free for 5 years — 3 tips you need to know
I love my induction cooktop and I'm on a mission to make sure anyone else considering the switch or already committed loves it too. While I've explained the 5 things to consider before buying an induction cooktop, there's always some specific rules you should think about following to keep your cooktop pristine. Because, one major downside of induction cooktops is how easily they can be scratched. Made from a glass-ceramic surface, they may be incredibly durable and easy-to-clean, but they're also easily scraped by aggressive cleaning, abrasive materials and uneven cookware. This certainly didn't put me off buying one and it shouldn't put you off either. As long as you keep it clean, you'll be able to keep it scratch-free, too. In my 5 years of using my induction cooktop every single day, I've managed to do just this with 3 simple household rules. The worst thing you can do with an induction cooktop is allow a spillage to harden and/or burn on. If you leave any mess too long, you'll have a harder time getting it off and if you have to use something more abrasive to remove the spillage or scrub it heavily, you risk scratching the surface. Another huge culprit of induction cooktop scratches are the underside of your pots and pans. If you allow a spillage to burn on and ruin the bottom of your cookware, you risk scratching it when you move it around your cooktop every time you use it. Fortunately, there's a simple cleaning solution for this and that's by wiping away any spillage immediately with a sponge and dish soap. After all, your induction cooktop cools down rapidly once you turn off the heat and remove the pan, so you don't have to delay and I never do. There's no need to use abrasive cleaning materials or cleaners on your induction cooktop. They're easy-to-clean for a reason and so, with the smooth shiny surface, you'll only need a bit of elbow grease and soft materials like a microfibre cloth or sponge. Most of the time, I don't have to use anything more than mild dish soap and water. Or, a simple baking soda solution. You should avoid anything that has the power to scratch the surface like heavy-duty scrubbers, steel wool, or cleaners including bleach. You also may think that using a glass cleaner will help on a glass-ceramic surface, but its ingredients are too harsh to use. If you're looking to tackle harder to scrub stains, consider an induction cooktop-specific scraper. These are made specifically to not scratch, but make sure to triple check they're definitely for induction cooktops. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Bar Keepers Friend Cooktop Cleaner and Scraper: $21.99 @ AmazonI absolutely love Bar Keepers Friend for cleaning. It's the only thing I use on my quartz worktops and now, one of the only things I use on my induction cooktop. With this set, you also get a specialized cooktop scraper that is less abrasive than some of the other scrapers on the market. One of the genius features of an induction cooktop is that it can be easily lifted out of your kitchen worktop. Once you do this, you can clean the edges of the induction cooktop, as well as the counter, a lot easier. This is especially great for spillages that go over the edge and under. It's worth making sure you know how your cooktop has been fitted as some models aren't suitable for this and therefore, this wouldn't be safe. You also need to be extra careful as the induction cooktop is fragile. In our household, this is a quick two-person job where my husband holds it and I wipe round. But, if you let the stains harden around the edges for too long, you'll have a much tougher time getting them off and that could lead to scratches.


USA Today
18-05-2025
- USA Today
The one-ingredient solution to clean the crusty calcium buildup off of your faucets: Video
The one-ingredient solution to clean the crusty calcium buildup off of your faucets: Video Show Caption Hide Caption How to clean faucet heads easily Remove mineral buildup on faucets with this cleaning tip. Problem Solved We use faucets a lot. You may have noticed a crusty buildup develop the more you use your kitchen sink or shower head. This is typical in areas that have hard water and is caused by the minerals in the water that flows through your pipes, according to Mr. Rooter Plumbing. The ugly buildup is fairly easy to remove. The process can be time-consuming, so you may want to do it in the evening before bed, but the good news is: you barely have to do anything. Watch this video to see how you can easily clean crusty faucets. How to clean a faucet If you can, remove the faucet head from the sink or your showerhead. This will make cleaning it a lot easier, but you can still use this method to clean even if you are not able to remove it. Gently scrub as much of the loose hard scale buildup off of the faucet head with water and a sponge or old toothbrush. Then, place the faucet or faucets into a large resealable plastic bag standing upright, with the crusty side down. Pour in enough distilled white vinegar to cover the bottom of the faucet head. Seal the bag and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. Place the bag in a bowl or other container, just in case it springs a leak. If your faucet head is not removable, use something like a rubber band to secure the bag with vinegar around your faucet so it's still able to soak. The white distilled vinegar will do most of the hard work for you and will also work to descale the inside of the faucet. A lot of the buildup will be left behind, floating in the vinegar once it's done soaking. Brush off any scale still on the faucet with a toothbrush or sponge. Reattach it and flush it with clean water, and it's good as new! Regular maintenance will prevent the need for a deep clean or soak. You can make a solution of even parts white distilled vinegar and water. Spray it on your faucets and shower heads once a week. Let it sit on the faucets for a few minutes before wiping it off. Shop top-rated related products: Cleaning the house Cleaning your faucets is just one cleaning chore. To tackle others, keep a well-stocked cleaning closet with a few essentials that can handle many of the messes you'll encounter. There is no one-stop solution for all stains, but there are some items you should have: Distilled white vinegar. Baking soda. Isopropyl alcohol. Hydrogen peroxide. Blue Dawn dish soap. Bar Keepers Friend. Lemons. Steam cleaner. Distilled water. Don't forget to also stock up on cleaning tools, like microfiber cloths, sponges, spray bottles and gloves.


Washington Post
09-05-2025
- Washington Post
How to remove streaks from stainless steel appliances
Q: Pet sitters decided to use Bar Keepers Friend on my stainless steel refrigerator doors. (They said the internet told them this was how to clean them.) Both doors are now slightly discolored and have streaky spots. I have tried applying a light film of olive oil (more internet advice) as well as Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish, neither of which has removed the streaky shadows. Is there anything I can do to return the doors to their original streak-free state?