Cleaning Stainless Steel Pans

Stainless steel pan with spaghetti beside it.Cleaning stainless steel pans.

Over time, stainless steel pots and pans tend to build up a film that often resists any amount of scrubbing. These tips for cleaning stainless steel pans can help clear things up.

This material is aptly named, thankfully. True to its name, it resists stains, but it can retain fingerprints.

The quickest way to remove burnt-on stains or scorches is to use a metal polish or cleaner, the type you'll find at your local grocery or hardware store.

But there are other options for cleaning stainless steel pans you can try at home first. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the metal polish and to prevent fingerprints on stainless steel pans when cleaning them.

Cleaning Stainless Steel Pans

Rinse stainless steel pots and pans under warm running water and use a mild dish soap such as dishwashing liquid to remove surface dirt.


  • Avoid abrasives - they'll destroy the surface sheen of stainless steel pots.
  • Clean cooked-on food or grease by gently scrubbing it with a paste of baking soda and water, using a soft rag or nylon scrubber.


You Might Like These:

  • Here is how to clean copper cookware. While it takes more time to clean copper, it's hard to argue the cookware's benefits aren't worth the extra effort to keep clean and polished to perfection.

    How to Clean Copper Cookware

    Here is how to clean copper cookware. While it takes more time to clean copper, it's hard to argue the cookware's benefits aren't worth the extra effort to keep clean and polished to perfection.

  • Tips for cleaning earbuds and headphones of lingering earwax and surface disinfecting aren't only good practices for hygienic reasons. They may improve the sound quality.

    Tips For Cleaning Earbuds

    Tips for cleaning earbuds and headphones of lingering earwax and surface disinfecting aren't only good practices for hygienic reasons. They may improve the sound quality.

  • Cleaning lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures need cleaning about once a month. These cleaning tips can help you clean them properly - and get all that wattage you're paying for.

    Cleaning Lighting Fixtures

    Cleaning lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures need cleaning about once a month. These cleaning tips can help you clean them properly - and get all that wattage you're paying for.

  • How to clean hair brushes. Clean hair brushes keep your hair clean longer, and ensure you're not adding lint or fluff to your hair after washing it.

    How to Clean Hair Brushes

    How to clean hair brushes. Clean hair brushes keep your hair clean longer, and ensure you're not adding lint or fluff to your hair after washing it.

  • How to clean fitness trackers and smartwatches. Fitness trackers and smartwatches are designed to be worn for more extended periods. So, no surprise here, they get sweaty.

    How To Clean Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches

    How to clean fitness trackers and smartwatches. Fitness trackers and smartwatches are designed to be worn for more extended periods. So, no surprise here, they get sweaty.

  • Tips for cleaning laminate floors. Keep laminate floors luxurious by regularly vacuuming, dust-mopping, or wiping the floors with a damp (not wet) cloth.A vacuum, a little vinegar, and spot clean-ups are all that's required.

    Tips for Cleaning Laminate Floors

    Tips for cleaning laminate floors. Keep laminate floors luxurious by regularly vacuuming, dust-mopping, or wiping the floors with a damp (not wet) cloth.A vacuum, a little vinegar, and spot clean-ups are all that's required.

  • Summer house cleaning hacks. So, you didn't quite get around to that spring cleaning, did you? Relax. Summer is a season for second changes, and these house cleaning hacks can help.

    Summer House Cleaning Hacks

    Summer house cleaning hacks. So, you didn't quite get around to that spring cleaning, did you? Relax. Summer is a season for second changes, and these house cleaning hacks can help.

  • The best approach to getting kids to clean is to train them while they're toddlers, so they never imagine until later years that it's even possible to go to bed with toys on the floor.

    Getting Kids to Clean

    The best approach to getting kids to clean is to train them while they're toddlers, so they never imagine until later years that it's even possible to go to bed with toys on the floor.

  • Science can't explain it, but soft drinks, crumbs, and coffee are attracted to computer keyboards like magnets. Here's how to clean a computer.

    How to Clean A Computer

    Science can't explain it, but soft drinks, crumbs, and coffee are attracted to computer keyboards like magnets. Here's how to clean a computer.

  • These stone floor cleaning tips can help remove the dirt and stains of daily family life.

    Stone Floor Cleaning Tips

    These stone floor cleaning tips can help remove the dirt and stains of daily family life.

  • Surface disinfecting after illness. The importance of surface disinfecting increases when someone in your home has the telltale signs of a cold or other viruses or complains of an upset tummy.

    Surface Disinfecting After Illness

    Surface disinfecting after illness. The importance of surface disinfecting increases when someone in your home has the telltale signs of a cold or other viruses or complains of an upset tummy.

  • Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. These bright ideas for cleaning brass can bring back the sassy shine you love.

    Bright Ideas for Cleaning Brass

    Cleaning brass is easy to do at home, thanks to the built-in germicidal and antimicrobial components. These bright ideas for cleaning brass can bring back the sassy shine you love.

  • Tips for cleaning purses. This s a task we often overlook. Yet we put our purses down in some rather unsavory places from time to time. It's time come clean.

    Tips For Cleaning Purses

    Tips for cleaning purses. This s a task we often overlook. Yet we put our purses down in some rather unsavory places from time to time. It's time come clean.

  • Brick is one of the most lovely design accents a home can have. Whether indoor or out, however, it gets dirty. Really dirty. Here's how to clean brick.

    How to Clean Brick

    Brick is one of the most lovely design accents a home can have. Whether indoor or out, however, it gets dirty. Really dirty. Here's how to clean brick.

  • Tips for choosing a vacuum. How times change. These tips can help you make a smart choice for your home's flooring.

    Tips For Choosing a Vacuum

    Tips for choosing a vacuum. How times change. These tips can help you make a smart choice for your home's flooring.

  • Is cleaning walls really necessary? After all, dust and soot fall to the floor, right? Most of it does, but the remnants warrant a yearly bath. Tips for cleaning walls.

    Tips for Cleaning Walls

    Is cleaning walls really necessary? After all, dust and soot fall to the floor, right? Most of it does, but the remnants warrant a yearly bath. Tips for cleaning walls.