Cleaning - Really Cleaning - Stainless Steel Pans

[lotus eater]

Wasn't sure where else to put this horribly practical question. I have a set of decent stainless steel pot/pans. They tend to get stains on the surface or around awkward joins/bolts - from burnt oils for example. Before I came to thailand I used various powder products which would remove this and bring the pans back to pristine condition. Can't find anything like that in the cleaning sections of big c, tops, etc so far.

Any pointers of product names would be appreciated.

[hotgeekus]

I think you are referring to 'elbow grease' which is not sold in Thailand....

Actually, jokes aside, professional chefs don't clean those areas of the pan. After a long, long time, the grease builds up and gets inbetween the joint and slowly pushes the joint with the pressure, which then makes the rivet fail....

another big one, is when you have a very expensive (read professional) pan with a thick metal bottom. After washing the water gets between this metal bottom. Then the cook puts it on the stove, the water expands to steam and slowly the metal bottom falls off...

these are both things only due to heavy, industrial use, for the home cook, just washing them is fine...

[JohnBKKK]

boil 30% Vinegar and water in the pot or pan - will clean anything...... stainless steel are different to cast iron which you never wash but rub with a cloth and some salt and once in a while burn in with salt

John

[lotus eater]

I think you are referring to 'elbow grease' which is not sold in Thailand....

...

for the home cook, just washing them is fine...

'elbow grease' already used in copious quantities and no good on its own - but you are right in that it isn't available in Thailand.

"just washing" and leaving the stains there - not fine for me. Maybe I'm obsessive.

The rest of your suggestions - well.....sort of humorous.

boil 30% Vinegar and water in the pot or pan - will clean anything...... stainless steel are different to cast iron which you never wash but rub with a cloth and some salt and once in a while burn in with salt

John

Thanks for the tip. I'll certainly try it. My pans are heavy stainless stell (american brand 'All Clad').

However since the stains are on the bottom (outside), around the rim/lip of the frying pans and around the rivet joining the handle I'll have to resort to boiling the entire pot/pan ina much bigger pot.

I used to use a powder/product called something like barman's friend' which did work. Had expected some equivalent to be available here.

[cathyy]

Ah, Barkeeper's Friend is some awesome stuff. Nonabrasive, but cleans and removes rust just like the things that are abrasive.

My suggestions would be to try a metal scrubbing pad, like SOS or Brillo, or the ones without any soap inside, if you can find them. If not, Amway here does sell metal scrubbies like that, and I use them for the crannies of my stainless steel pans. You could also try using a metal polish. Once again, Amway makes one here if you can't find one in the supermarket, but I know I've seen metal polish in the supermarket here. It was near the shoe polish...

[lotus eater]

Ah, Barkeeper's Friend is some awesome stuff. Nonabrasive, but cleans and removes rust just like the things that are abrasive.

My suggestions would be to try a metal scrubbing pad, like SOS or Brillo, or the ones without any soap inside, if you can find them. If not, Amway here does sell metal scrubbies like that, and I use them for the crannies of my stainless steel pans. You could also try using a metal polish. Once again, Amway makes one here if you can't find one in the supermarket, but I know I've seen metal polish in the supermarket here. It was near the shoe polish...

Didn't think polish would be remotely strong/abrasive enough - but will give it a try anyway.

The metal scrubbing pads will I suppose work in the end - given abundant amount of 'elbow grease, which I hoped to cut down.

Not sure what/where 'Amway' is.

(I have still to try the boiling in vinegar/water solution - and will be doing that too.)

[dee123]

......if there's one thing in life that I'm good at its washing pans...!!!....(sad but true).......Now let me explain ignore all of the above ,......you just need metal scourers,.........you know the stainless steel ones ...........like afro hair.....you know what I mean ,........a bit of hot soapy water to help with the friction,.............and then I'm afraid LOTS and LOTS of ..................you guessed it ELBOW GREASE,.......good luck

[Maestro]

Dee123, won’t this scratch the exterior surfaces of the pot and its cover too much and make them unsightly?

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Maestro

[dee123]

well you are right but I was thinking there pretty old if their caked and sooner or later there gonna get scratched........of course if there new ones and you want them pristine a non abrasive scourer used after each use,......but eventually they will scratch .....

Edited February 22, 2008 by dee123

[Maestro]

I was thinking more of spots caused by drops of water that were not wiped off before the pan was stored away. It doesn’t make the pot dirty but does not look nice. Very difficult to remove; even vinegar does not do the trick (I tried it earlier today after reading this topic)

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Maestro

[dee123]

........you know what I use is anti bac spray you know like detol non tainting stuff ,.....those dripping water marks seen to come off with that and a non abrasive scourer....not completely fist time but it fades for some reason...

Edited February 22, 2008 by dee123

[JohnBKKK]

if the stains and baked in grease are on the outside get some caustic soda or acid from a drugstore - use good rubber gloves - paint the liquid over the stains and let soak for a few minutes than wash off under running water

You may also try HP sauce - rub it over the stains and let soak for an hour than wash off - you'l be surprised off the results (HP sauce contains a lot of vinegar and has a low ph level)

Keeping kitchen equipment is a pet subject of mine since the cost of professional gear is very high and I have a rigid cleaning schedule in my kitchen for which my staff surely hates me, but when you pay $ 700.00 for a 200 Liter stainles steel pot you want it to last.... wealso use a hot jet washer whch makes life a lot easier but when equipment like the salamander need cleaning with lots of nooks and crannies its done by hand and takes hours ... we use a caustic soda dillution for this which gets rid of any grease..

[ignis]

In the UK one always boiled rhubarb, the pot would be like new after..

I remember my Mother and Grandmother always using a different pan to cook the rhubarb for a rhubarb pie or crumble…

Sadly never seem rhubarb sold here yet… but you never know… yesterday found Leeks in Big C and only 70baht per kg !! [YES per kg not the silly price Villa charges for 1 leek]

[donna]

ok what about a stainless sink? my house in bali has a horrid double sink and i bought some cream cleanser but it doesnt look any better. do you advise the caustic for that too? its currently 'matt' where it should be shiny and sparkly!

[ignis]

ok what about a stainless sink? my house in bali has a horrid double sink and i bought some cream cleanser but it doesnt look any better. do you advise the caustic for that too? its currently 'matt' where it should be shiny and sparkly!

Also have a stainless steel double sink......... found the best is 'Duck Pro' pour some in the sink and wipe it all over everything > leave for 10 mins then lightly rub with a scouring pad > looks like new > but is over 4 yrs old.