How to Clean a Nonstick Pan Without Ruining the Coating

Step by step

1. 1

   Let the pan cool all the way

   Take the pan off the heat and leave it on a cold burner until it is cool. Do not run it under the faucet while it is hot, because that sudden chill is what warps a pan.

2. 2

   Scrape out the loose bits

   Use a silicone, nylon or wooden spatula to push out anything that lifts easily. All-Clad recommends those tools, because metal utensils can scratch the coating.

3. 3

   Add water and a little dish soap

   Pour in enough water to cover every burnt spot, then add a little dish soap. That is the method GreenPan gives for a burnt nonstick pan.

4. 4

   Simmer it for 10 to 15 minutes

   Set the burner to medium and bring the water to a simmer, then keep it there for 10 to 15 minutes. Stay with the pan and never let it boil dry. All-Clad warns against overheating empty cookware.

   What it looks like: small, gentle bubbles rather than a hard, rolling boil.

1. 5

   Cool slightly, then wipe soft

   Turn off the heat and let the water cool until it is safe to touch. Pour it out, then use a soft sponge to wipe away the loosened bits, as GreenPan directs.

2. 6

   For what is left, use a baking soda paste (only if your maker allows it)

   Mix baking soda with a few drops of water until you have a thick paste. Spread it on the stubborn spots and leave it 15 to 30 minutes, as GreenPan directs. Then wipe gently with a non-abrasive sponge or cloth, rinse and dry completely.

   What it looks like: a thick paste that stays where you put it. If it runs, add a little more baking soda.

3. 7

   Wash, rinse and dry

   Wash the pan by hand in warm, soapy water, rinse it and dry it. All-Clad and Calphalon both recommend hand washing, even for pans that are labeled dishwasher safe.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

Sometimes a nonstick pan still gives you trouble after a good cleaning. Here is what is usually going on.

• There is a tacky film you cannot see. That is often cooking spray. Calphalon says aerosol sprays build up on its nonstick and become hard to remove, and All-Clad does not recommend them either.
• The film will not come off. If your maker allows baking soda, Arm & Hammer’s method is to bring half a cup of water and 4 tablespoons of baking soda just to a boil in the pan. Let it cool, then scrub gently with a nonstick-safe sponge.
• Burnt residue stays after both methods. Made In, a cookware maker, says it may be time to replace the pan.
• The coating is flaking off. No cleaning will bring it back. Made In says that once a nonstick coating starts to break down, it will only keep going, so it is time to replace the pan.
• You were tempted to try vinegar and baking soda together. It makes sense to think two cleaners beat one, and the fizz looks busy. But they react with each other, and what is left is an even weaker base than baking soda. Use one at a time.

Why it works

Here is what is happening in that pan. The coating is slick so food cannot grab hold, but the makers warn that metal utensils and steel wool can scratch it. Anything rough enough to scour burnt food off bare steel is too rough for nonstick.

So instead of force, this method uses water, heat and time to loosen the burnt layer. Dish soap helps because one end of each soap molecule loves water and the other loves oil and grease, as the American Cleaning Institute explains. The grease gets carried off in the water instead of staying stuck to the pan.

Baking soda is a mild alkali (the opposite of an acid, like vinegar). That is why some makers allow it as a gentle paste and others would rather you skip it.

Most of us learned to clean a pan by scrubbing harder. With nonstick, that instinct is the very thing that wears the pan out. It is a little like washing a good silk blouse: the gentle way is the one that keeps it.