How strong an acid is isn’t very related to how dangerous it is. Hydrochloric acid, for instance, is one of the strongest acids known, but as far as danger goes, it’s basically “will cause a rash if you don’t wash it off within a minute or two”. Hydrofluoric acid, meanwhile, is a weak acid, but treatment for spills of it often involve amputation.
In general, an acid dissolved in water will break down into hydrogen ions and something else. The strength of the acid will determine how much of it breaks down, which determines how many hydrogen ions and something-elses you get. The hydrogen ions will cause some damage, but even for very strong acids, probably not very much. The something-elses might, potentially, cause much, much more damage, or might be completely harmless.
Oven cleaner has already been suggested upthread - that’s what I’d use (assuming stainless steel) if my other go-to solution (no pun intended) didn’t work - an overnight vinegar soak followed by a good scrub (again, for stainless steel only).
I’ve found that laundry detergent actually works better than dishwasher detergent in this situation. Put a few scoops of detergent in the water, boil it for a bit (taking care it doesn’t overflow), and then rest overnight.
Well, don’t put in in a cocktail but it dissolves readily in water and easily washes away as a harmless dilute solution. I don’t generally bother wearing gloves when cleaning glassware and steel with it but it will strip the natural oils off of your skin. It is basically the only common cleaner that will remove coffee and tea stains on steel and fired ceramics, and a short soak with it should break lose any burnt on residue and any stains that haven’t intruded into the material.
Comet and other scouring powders are basically calcium carbonate. It will neutralize acids and acts as a mechanical friction agent, hence why it is great at leaning lime deposits on faucets but I’d be careful about hard scrubbing on relatively soft stainless steel cookery.
I would never apply any oven cleaner to any direct cooking or eating surface. Different over cleaners use different constituents but many of them are toxic and carcinogenic (sodium hydroxide, ethylene glycol, ethyl ether, methylene chloride) and must be volatilized at 500 °F to be safe. I would never put any oven cleaning product onto any cooking pot or utensil.
You could start by putting a vinegar-water solution in the pot, heating it to boiling, and them dumping a bunch of baking soda in it. Let it cool, and then scrape out anything that’s loose.
When I mentioned Bar-Keepers Friend to my wife, she said, “Oh we have some of that.” Who knew? I have now added some and will let it soak over night. But the label said nothing about oxalic acid. It claimed the “power of citric acid”. Perhaps the formulation is different in Canada. She mentioned we got it to clean the glass-top stove.
Easy Off oven cleaner might work. If it doesn’t, then try to find a straight sodium hydroxide-based drain cleaner. Note: do not use either of these, or any strong alkaline product, if the pot is aluminum.
Well, here is the MSDS for the standard Bar Keeper’s Friend. I saw a suggestion that the Soft Cleanser has citric acid but the MSDS for that formulation doesn’t list it, either. Boiling lemons is an old home treatment for removing encrusted detritus from a pot but I’ve never had great luck with it, and citric acid is strong enough to discolor some stainless steels (although a concentrated solution will passivate stainless and is a good remedy if someone has used steel wool on a stainless blade or pan). Regardless, you shouldn’t need to let it sit overnight; basically, make a thin paste with it, apply it to the affected areas, give it a minute or two, and then use a sponge or non-abrasive scouring pad to remove it, and repeat if anything remains.
OK, thanks - I’ll try this (prob in a week or two) next time I inadvertently “season” a pot. Washing machine is on the second floor, while the dishwasher detergent is handier, right under the sink. I will try it, though; always ready to spend a bit of effort if I can make the task easier.
That’s a good point, but I suspect I am not the only one who has sentimental and/or practicality-based attachment to particular cookware, because it was a gift, is just the right size for a particular recipe, etc. Plus, I like my pots and pans to be strong, with either heat-safe handles or easily grabbed when wearing oven mitts, light enough to pour when fairly full, and with a well-fitting lid. In other words, the new pots and pans I’d want to buy as replacements for what I have now would not be cheap.
Fill pot with water and some detergent and simmer it for a few minutes. Then turn off the heat and let sit for 12–hours or more (leaving the soapy water inside).
If that doesn’t do it then the pan is probably ruined (unless cast iron which you can repair).
Of course, a little gunk perma-bonded to a pan is just a sign of a well used pan. There are degrees of gunk…some is ok. Even desirable.
Repeating what others have said, on the rare occasion I scorch a pan, I fill it with hot, soapy water and let it sit overnight. Most of the scorching comes off with a Dobie pad. Anything that doesn’t comes off, comes off with Barkeeper’s Friend.
I don’t think you realize how badly burnt on it is. I know it is really not worth my time, but I am stubborn. It is one of a set of five pots that I bought in Switzerland when we spent a year there over 50 years ago. After trying most of your suggestions, it is still a matter of lots of elbow grease. My wife and I take turns scrubbing it with Scotch-Brite for five minutes several times a day and it is nearly finished. Barkeeper’s friend didn’t have much effect, nor did vinegar, nor lemon juice.
Thanks for all the suggestions, but this one is a real SOB.
After several days of scrubbing (just for a few minutes at a time), mostly with Scotch-Brite, it is finally clean. I think we essentially ground it off.