Cooking can be stressful, especially if you have a lot of other tasks to juggle at the same time. It is inevitable that sometimes you might turn a burner up too high, or leave a pot on the stove a few minutes longer than intended, and end up with baked-on, burnt patches on your favourite cookware. Cleaning a burnt saucepan can often seem impossible, especially without leaving any scratches or stains behind.
Use this guide to learn how to clean burnt cookware in your dishwasher, and how the amazing range of Finish products can provide cleanliness and shine to your pots and pans.
Can My Burnt Cookware Go In The Dishwasher?
Even if your cookware says it is dishwasher safe, you should always pre-treat your burnt cookware by removing any food debris before putting it into your next cycle. Burnt debris from your pots and pans can clog up your dishwasher’s drains and pipes over time, so it’s best to try and clean off as much as possible before loading your dishwasher. Pre-treating also often requires a bit of elbow grease to cut through the grime, which gives your dishwasher the best chance to remove the burnt debris.
To clean a burnt saucepan in the dishwasher, start by removing as much burnt-on food as you can by using a wooden utensil. You should avoid using a metal or sharp utensil to scrape the surface of your cookware, as that can leave scratches. Use a wooden utensil, like a spoon or a spatula, to scrape and lift off as much debris as you can.
Next, load your cookware into the dishwasher on the bottom rack, facing down. This will allow the spray arms at the bottom of your dishwasher to spray your burnt cookware with the hottest water possible during the wash cycle. You should always use a high quality detergent when washing your dishes, but this is even more important when your dishwasher needs to cut through extra tough grime like burnt-on food.
Choose the best dishwasher cycle for your needs. Double check that any cookware you put in your dishwasher is 100% dishwasher safe.
How to Pre-Clean Burnt Pots & Pans
Pre-cleaning your cookware gives your dishwasher the best chance possible of getting rid of those unsightly burnt stains.
There are a few methods you can use when it comes to pre-cleaning your burnt cookware. Firstly, you can hand wash your pots and pans with dishwashing liquid, to help lift burnt-on food stains. Try not to use any brushes or scourers that could damage the surfaces of your pots and pans.
If hand washing doesn’t work, try pouring in enough water to cover the burnt areas of your pot or pan, and bring it to a boil. Once the water has boiled, allow the pan to cool completely before scraping off any loosen burnt debris. This method works best on newly burnt pots and pans.
How Finish Can Help
Burnt-on food stains can be tough to clean up, but you can trust Finish’s Ultimate range to help tackle those stubborn stains during your regular cycle.
You can even skip the pre-rinse when using these products. Finish Ultimate Plus works to tackle tough 24 hour burnt-on stains, and also gives your dishes an intensive clean and diamond shine.
