A frying pan is one of the most essential items in kitchen utensils. But if you do not clean it regularly, it quickly acquires a layer of burnt fat, and sometimes it rusts. Experienced housewives know why you should not throw away the old rusty pan and how to return the dishes to their original shine and cleanliness. The choice of cleaning method depends on the material from which the product is made. Each coating needs its own approach and certain cleaning products.
How to "bring to life" a cast-iron pan?
Strong and durable cast-iron pans deservedly enjoy the love of housewives. Moreover, it has long been noted that the older the utensil, the more convenient it is to cook on it, especially to bake pancakes or pancakes. The fact is that over time, the smallest pores of a cast-iron surface become clogged with particles of fat, and even an absolutely clean “ancient” vessel is not devoid of this durable grease.
Cast iron utensils are easy to care for. The main thing is to wipe the surface dry after washing in order to avoid the appearance of rust and accumulation of soot. And even to clean the running vessel is quite real.
Here are some ways to rehabilitate cast iron utensils:
- Calcination. To get rid of burning, it is enough to calcine the pan over high heat (it is possible in a fire).
- Vinegar and salt. Table 9% vinegar is mixed with salt to make a slurry, which is coated with the inner and outer surfaces of the vessel. After a few minutes, the mixture, along with soot, is brushed off with an iron brush.
- Lemon, salt. A mixture of lemon juice and salt will perfectly cope with soot and rust spots. The surface of the dishes is sprinkled with table salt, watered with juice squeezed from a lemon, and slightly warmed up by putting on a stove. Three hours later, the pan is cleaned with a stiff brush.
Cast iron tolerates industrial abrasive cleaners that can be purchased at any hardware store.
How to clean a copper frying pan?
Light and elegant pans made of copper are durable and environmentally friendly. Such dishes look stylish and have excellent performance. Due to the characteristics of the metal, soot and fat do not accumulate in a thick layer, however, it is quite difficult to clean them - the shiny surface can be damaged.
Here are a few ways to restore a respectable appearance to copper utensils:
- Soap solution. A piece of laundry soap is dissolved in warm water, the mixture is poured into a bowl. After 2-3 hours, the burnt fat is removed with a soft brush.
- Salt and lemon. Fine table salt is mixed with lemon juice and rubbed on the surface of an old copper pan. After 30 minutes, wash off the mixture with cold water, gently removing dirt particles with a soft sponge.
After use, the washed copper utensils must be wiped dry. Otherwise, the specific shine will completely disappear.
Aluminum pan care
You can rarely find aluminum pans in a modern kitchen, but still some housewives still use them - and with great pleasure.
If you do not want to part with old aluminum utensils, you can clean them using the following recipes:
- Anneal an aluminum pan at the stake. So you can not only remove stubborn dirt, but also mask minor scratches.
- Mix 500 g of salt, 100 g soap and 300 g silicate glue. The mixture is diluted with water so that you can immerse the pan. The bucket is heated over low heat. After 30-40 minutes, soot begins to gradually descend from the surface.
Aluminum is a soft metal. Dishes made from this material must not be scraped or scrubbed with an iron brush. If the surface of the pan is scratched, cooking on it will be impossible.
Teflon-coated pan
A modern Teflon pan has a non-stick layer that reliably protects the frying surface from scale and carbon deposits. However, over time, this type of kitchen utensil requires cleaning. Spend it with non-abrasive means so as not to scratch the Teflon.
- Citric acid, vinegar. At the bottom of the pan, pour 10 g of citric acid or pour half a glass of 9% vinegar. Add water, the amount of which depends on the volume of the vessel. Boiling water should not spill over the edges. After the mixture boils for 3-5 minutes, turn off the stove and rinse the dishes.
- Soda. Instead of acid, you can take ordinary soda, which in the amount of 2-3 tbsp. l diluted in water, poured into a pan and boiled for several minutes.
- Cola A simple and safe method to restore the respectable appearance of an old Teflon pan is to soak it in Coca-Cola. This drink contains such an amount of phosphoric acid that it will easily dissolve the oldest fat.
A Teflon pan cannot be scraped with iron objects or cleaned with abrasives, especially with a chlorine content. Destroyed Teflon coating is much more harmful than any soot.
Cleaning a ceramic pan
It is not advisable to use harsh chemicals or abrasive powders to clean fragile dishes with ceramic non-stick coatings. After cooking, these pans should be wiped with a microfiber cloth, and if pieces of burnt food remain on the surface, you can wipe them with a sponge dipped in vegetable oil.
With severe contamination, you can use ordinary alcohol. A cotton pad dipped in alcohol is used to treat the surface of the pan and thoroughly wipe off the dirt with a dishwashing sponge.
You should not send an old pan to the scrap just because it is covered with a layer of sticky fat and soot or rusted. There are many ways to return the vessel to its original shine and purity.
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