How to quickly clean an enamel pan from burnt food?

Dishes with enamel are still in demand among housewives due to their low prices and bright designs that evoke thoughts of home comfort. However, cleaning a burnt enamel pan can be difficult. The thin bottom heats up quickly, attracting solid particles. It is enough for the housewife to be distracted for 2-3 minutes for the food to stick tightly to the dishes and turn into black soot.

General rules for cleaning enamel pans

Enamel is a fragile coating that requires careful handling. It is easily damaged as a result of impacts and exposure to sharp objects, and does not tolerate sudden temperature changes or aggressive chemicals.

What should you not do if an enamel pan burns in your kitchen?

Pour cold water into hot dishes.
Try to wash the pan with household chemicals and abrasives such as Pemolux.
Use brushes with stiff bristles and steel wool.

So, milk or other food has burnt to the bottom. What is the right thing to do to remove burnt marks and not spoil the enamel coating?

Wait 10-15 minutes for the pan to cool slightly.
Fill with warm water to the brim. Leave the dishes to soak for 2 hours.
Drain the water. Apply a little dishwashing gel to a soft sponge and rub the burnt bottom and sides. Rinse thoroughly.

Please note that the following products are not suitable for cleaning the internal surfaces of enamel cookware:

washing powders;
bleaches;
liquids and concentrates with chlorine;
household chemicals designed to remove carbon deposits from ovens, grills, and barbecues;
means for treating plumbing fixtures: bathtubs, toilets, sinks, pipes;
shower gels, shampoos.

What should you do if you can’t clean a burnt enamel pan using the standard method? Below you will get acquainted with effective means that allow you to wash off heavy carbon deposits at home.

Gentle means

You can remove even large-scale, but fresh burns (for example, from milk, jam) using one of the gentle methods. The products listed below are found in almost every apartment, are easily washed off from the surface of dishes, and are safe for health.

Soap solution

A classic method for saving burnt dishes. Pour hot water into a container and place half a bar of grated laundry soap on the bottom (add 100 milliliters of liquid product). Place the pan on the fire and give it a soap “bath” for 15 minutes. Then scrub the walls with a sponge. Rinse the soap suds thoroughly until no odor remains inside the cookware.

Sour apple peel

Contains acids that corrode particles of fat and burning. Soak the pan in warm water for an hour. Drain the liquid and rub the burnt bottom with an apple peel, leave for 20 minutes. Wipe off any remaining burnt residue with a kitchen sponge.

If you can’t completely get rid of the burning marks, try a more radical method. Fill a third of the container with apple peelings, pour in cold water and place on the stove. Boil the liquid for 20-30 minutes and then turn off the burner. When the fruit “soup” has cooled, drain it and try to remove the burntness with a sponge.

Milk serum

The principle of this product is similar to apple peel: burnt food moves away from the bottom and sides due to acid. The advantage is that the whey does not need to be boiled. Just pour it in overnight and wash off any remaining burnt residue in the morning.

Lemon acid

Used to prevent soot, lightens yellow and dark spots. Pour the contents of two bags into the bottom of the container and fill with water to 5 centimeters. Boil the product for 30–40 minutes. Burnt food will come off the sides of the pan and begin to float. In the future, all you have to do is wash the enamel pan with a regular liquid cleaner.

Carbonated drinks

Popular types of soda are harmful to humans, but useful in the household. Coca-Cola is especially tough on burning. Pour the drink into the pan and leave for 2-3 hours. If the carbon doesn't budge, boil the soda on the stove for 40 minutes. Drain the liquid and wipe the enamel pan with a sponge and soapy water.

Coffee grounds

One of the few household products whose abrasive particles are so delicate that they do not scratch the enamel. Coffee grounds do an excellent job of removing traces of burnt milk. Rub it thoroughly into the bottom of the pan and leave for 1.5 hours. Then rinse off the coffee residue under running water.

How to clean off heavy carbon deposits?

Accidentally left an enamel pan unattended (for example, forgot to turn off the heat before going to the store), and it was completely covered inside with a black coating? Don't rush to throw away kitchen utensils. If the bottom hasn't melted, the pan can still be saved. We offer you the most effective methods for cleaning enamel at home.

Salt

Every person has this product in their home, and its benefits in the household are difficult to overestimate.How to clean a burnt enamel pan using regular salt?

Wait until the burnt dishes cool down. Then pour 6-8 tablespoons of grains, preferably large ones, onto the bottom, fill with a liter of cold water. Leave for 3-4 hours. During this time, the salt will eat away traces of burnt food.

Place the container on the fire and bring the water to a boil. Leave the brine solution to boil for 30-40 minutes. Drain the water, cool the dishes and wash with a sponge using liquid soap.

Soda

Removes burnt marks with the same efficiency as salt, leaving the enamel coating intact and undamaged. Pour 0.5 cups of powder into a saucepan, add water and place on the stove. Boil the soda solution for one hour over low heat. Finally, wash the dishes with soapy water.

Soda-salt mixture

Salt and baking soda go well together. To enhance the cleaning effect, pour 100 grams of each product onto the bottom of an enamel pan, add a little warm water to form a thick paste. Leave the mixture on for 2 hours, then rinse off.

Add salt and baking soda to the bottom again, add water and boil for 30 minutes. This method helps to get rid of even old carbon deposits.

Vinegar

The product is suitable for those who want to wash a heavily burnt enamel pan without prolonged boiling. Just pour vinegar inside (to a level of 2-3 centimeters from the bottom), close the container with a lid and leave for 2-3 hours. Then wash the pan with soapy water and hot water, carefully removing any remaining product.

Charcoal tablets

The most emergency cleaning method. Take 2-3 tablets, grind to a powder, sprinkle thickly on the bottom of the dish. Leave the dry charcoal for an hour.Then pour cold water over the black powder and wait another 30 minutes. You will be surprised how easily burnt residue will be removed after this procedure.

Whatever cleaning product you choose, you need to rinse it off thoroughly so that particles do not enter the body during food intake. If you used soapy water, vinegar or citric acid, boil water in a saucepan for 3-5 minutes.

How to clean the outside of a burnt enamel pan?

If the dishes stood on the fire for a long time, the food flowed directly onto the stove and contaminated the outer walls of the pan. How to clean external traces of heavy carbon deposits? Soda will come to your aid. The procedure is as follows.

Prepare a large container with a capacity of 8–10 liters. Pour 5-6 liters of water into it and dissolve a pack of soda.
Place a burnt enamel pan inside. Water should cover it by at least 2 centimeters.
Place the container on the stove, turn on the burner and wait for the soda solution to boil.
Reduce heat to low. Boil the dishes for 2 hours.
Remove and cool the enamel pan. Wash it with warm water and a mild soap solution.

Soda has an aggressive effect on plastic elements. Therefore, before immersing the pan in the solution, unscrew the handles.

7 rules for handling enamel

If you have an enamel pan in your kitchen, follow these rules and precautions.

Try not to drop the pan on the floor or suddenly place it on the kitchen shelf or burner. The enamel may crack or chip due to impact.
Once a month, boil the contents of a sachet of citric acid for 10–15 minutes to prevent yellow and gray plaque from appearing on the bottom.
Never place an empty container on a burner that is turned on.
Do not cook milk or liquid cereals in enamel dishes. In 90% of cases, such products burn quickly.
Do not use an enamel pan for deep frying or frying.
Do not place hot dishes in cold places, such as on a sink or balcony window sill (in winter).
Do not store the pot of food in the refrigerator.

An enamel pan with a smooth and clean bottom is the pride of the housewife. Do not put off washing for too long, otherwise the burning particles will penetrate deeply into the coating and form a coating that cannot be removed. Handle your cookware with care and it will serve you for many years.