How Do I Clean the Bottoms of My Pots? Good Questions

Q: I finally have a hanging pot rack and love it, but not the bottoms of the pots. They're a collection of copper, stainless, aluminum and Teflon. Any help in cleaning and care of each of the different metals? I know they'll never look like the ones in the catalogs and lifestyle mags, but anything would be an improvement!

Sent by Nancy

Editor: Nancy, what a beautiful set of cookware! We love the look of all those different materials.

As far as cleaning goes, we like to clean the bottoms of our pans with stainless steel scrubbing pads, Bon Ami or Barkeeper's Friend, and a lot of hot water and elbow grease. Here are a few posts on specific types of material and keeping it clean:

• How To Clean Tough Burnt Stains Off Stainless Cookware
• Kitchen Nightmares: Cleaning Scorched and Burnt Food Off Pots and Pans
• Help! Did I Ruin My Copper Pots?

Readers, do you have specific suggestions for getting (and keeping!) pot bottoms clean?

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(Images: Nancy via email)

Comments (18)

For stainless steel - Barkeeper's Friend, a damp rag, and a bench scraper. I had some really nasty burnt spots on the bottoms of my pans, and I made a paste out of BKF and water, let it sit for a few minutes, then worked at it with the bench scraper and the rag. My pans always look shiny and new.

For nonstick - baking soda. Mix with water to make a paste and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then buff with a damp rag or sponge. For many nonstick pans, BKF can be used but only on the bottom.

I actually like the look that pan bottoms get after being used over and over on a gas range, so I don't clean them at all, unless they reallyreally need it for usability sake

I clean everything with tomato paste. Copper, stainless, silver... let it sit a bit and then scrub off.

I second the recommendation for Barkeepers friend for stainless, really magic. They also have a "soft scrub" version you can buy so you dont even have to make the paste and it works great on my ceramic cooktop.

OMG awesome! i asked this same question about a week ago!

well actually i asked how to get the burn spots off the bottom of my hard anodized cookware....will the BKF work for that as well?

For the copper, you can get the clean with Bon Ami and Elbow grease. I did this for my mom's birthday one year. The bottoms of hers were just.... black. But you will have to do this like, EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU COOK to keep them clean (if you have gas).

I love making a thick paste of Barkeepers friend and baking soda, both work great on lots of metals!!

http://rachelsrecipebox.wordpress.com

Is the tomato paste a joke? That would be a good use of the tomato paste that doesn't get used when you open a can.

I once told a friend I used Oil of Oley instead of mayonnaise in my chicken salad, and she passed that 'helpful hint' on.

For stainless steel pan bottoms I use oven cleaner. Periodically I spray the bottoms and let them sit in the sink for half an hour or so. They look like new when I am done.

I agree with the oven cleaner - one caveat - never use this stuff on aluminum [for example Caphalon]! Some of the stronger formulations will eat the anodized finish right off.

Also agree with the poster that said they liked the look of the bottoms when they get discolored. Keeping the bottom of the pots squeaky clean... my pots work for me not me for them.

For those who really want clean pot bottoms - the "record groove" finish on some of the stainless pots can be troublesome. There are some stainless brushes in the welding section of the "home depot-type" stores. They look like toothbrushes with stainless steel, instead of nylon fibers. They are useful for really tough cleaning of nooks and crannies. Be careful with these also - they are aggressive.

No, the tomato paste for copper is not a joke. Ketchup works too.

I third the tomato paste comment (or ketchup!) I use it on my stainless bottoms too, not just copper. The acidity eats up all the crud, and you just scrub lightly and it washes away! Cheap and easy! Just let it sit on there for a while (walk away, go do something else for a while, come back, and done!) and you'll be all good!

@vertigoxcured - calphalon actually recommends using barkeeper's friend on anodized aluminum. i use it inside and out on all the non-nonstick stuff. if your cookware is nonstick on the interior, definitely don't use it on that. a paste of baking soda and water used with a kitchen scrubbie will work great for that and not tear up the coating.

one thing though - if the outsides are really REALLY laminated, give the cookware a nice long soak in a sink filled with hot water (i've been known to boil a kettle and add that to the water even) with about a cup of white vinegar first, and be prepared to break out the elbow grease!

Oven cleaner worked really well on my stainless pans. I took them outside in my carport and sprayed them down. 95% of the goo slid right off and the rest scrubbed off pretty easily with a plastic scrubbie.

There was a time when I would use all kinds of crazy solvents on my cookware but the idea freaks me out now.

I use a tatami made out of acrylic yarn. I make my own. They act like a magic eraser sponge and remove all kinds of grime. They are especially good for shining up pots and removing burner marks.

You can knit or crochet your own tatami or braid up a bunch of acrylic yarn (the cheap stuff is perfect for this) and knot the brain into a thick ball and use that as a scrubber.

Cheap and effective.

I have to say I was excited to try out the ketchup idea, but after I let it set for about 30 mins and scrubbed vigorously, it did not help remove any of the patina from the bottom of my stainless steel fry pan.