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Cleaning Cookware

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-419 -- More Projects »
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To remove tough stains from ceramic cookware, first soak it with a solution of baking soda and water. This will make the stain easier to scrub off.
TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham explains how to clean cookware.
  • Let cookware cool before washing. Some cookware may warp if washed while still hot.

  • All that's needed to clean aluminum pots and pans is an ammonia-free detergent and water.

  • To brighten up an aluminum pot, boil a quart of water in it with four tablespoons of white vinegar or cream of tarter.

  • Remove burned-on materials from an aluminum pan with a metal scouring pad or a powdered cleanser. Rub with the grain of the metal.

  • Wash cast-iron pans in warm water with a white nylon scouring pad. To season them, coat with cooking oil and heat in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour.

  • The enamel on an enamel cast-iron pan is very delicate and should be cleaned with plastic scouring pads. A low-abrasive cleanser may remove stubborn stains, but take care not to scrub the enamel off the pan.

  • Another way to remove stains from enamel cookware is to soak them in hot, sudsy water, baking soda and detergent. Let the pan soak for an hour or two, then wash with hot sudsy water and rinse.

  • Citric acid, bleach and vinegar should not be left on stainless steel for an extended period of time because they may leave permanent marks.

  • Remove hard-water stains from stainless steel by boiling a quart of water with four tablespoons of vinegar in the cookware. Use a nylon scrubber, as steel wool will scratch the cookware.

  • Use regular dishwashing soap to clean ceramic or glass cookware. To remove dried-on food, scrub with a white, nylon-backed sponge. Use only a mild cleanser, such as baking soda, as a harsher abrasive will scratch the surface of the cookware.

  • Use warm, sudsy water to clean Corningware. Do not use abrasives.

Also in this Episode
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-419
•Delicious Crepes
•Outdoor Cleanup
•Cleaning Cookware
•Tip of the Day
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