To make a long story short: We were making stuffing on the stovetop and completely forgot about it until the smoke alarm went off. Over the past couple of days, I’ve been soaking and scrubbing this one saucepan, but I’ve still got a residue of charring on the bottom that I just can’t seem to remove. Does anyone have tips on a more efficient way to remove the stuff? So far I’ve scrubbed a hole through one of those Dobie pads, and there’s not much left, but all of it is seemingly microscopic. I just want to be able to use the pan again without everything I cook in it tasting like burned food.
I was recommended a product called Barkeeper’s Friend, but I haven’t had to use it yet. http://barkeepersfriend.com They say they’re recommended by several makers of cookware.
I had this proble, until a friend of mine told me to use washing up powder, (biological). His mum is a home economics teacher and had passed on this piece of wisdom. Cover the base of the pan with the powder, add just enough water to make a frothy paste, and leave over night, (or longer). and it should come of with a gentle scrub. yay!
Stainless steel is pretty durable stuff, not like a non-stick coating. Have you tried carefully chiseling the carbon layer away? Steel wool should work for thinner residues.
I got the thick carbon layer chiseled down, and now I’ve just got a very tiny film of carbon that is noticeable in a “wispy” pattern. It took me about three days of soaking and scrubbing to get this far, and I might go and get some sort of soft scrub stuff while I’m out later today.
When I worked for a store selling cookware, we recommended Stainless Steel Magic for cleaning crudded-up stainless. I’ve never used it, but many of our customers bought a bottle or two a month. I have used Barkeeper’s Friend to clean commercial espresso machines and coffee makers and it does work incredibly well, with a little elbow grease. It usually runs about six bucks, so it’s worth a go.
Too many cooks spoil the pan?
If the pan is solid, not with just a thin veneer, I’d think anything short of a jackhammer would work. However, I’ve had good luck using oven cleaner on really bad pans, the drip trays, etc. The wash powder referenced above, I think they were talking about the kind with enzymes. I can tell a very dramatic difference between using Cascade vs. Cascade Complete which has the enzyme stuff.
Yep, at this point you need a stainless steel cleanser/polish, like Barkeeper’s Friend or Cameo (which I can’t find anymore) or Kleen King. It’s a very smooth yet microscopically abrasive powder (Barkeeper’s Friends has some powdered foaming soap in it as well) that will get the last of that char off. It will also leave you pan looking fabulous and new. It’s also good for routine cleaning - I use it every time I wash my pots and pans, and about every three times I wash the lids. I use soapy water first, then rinse and then use the stainless cleanser and then dry immediately with a towel. It’s an extra step, but it makes my stuff look like Martha Stewart’s, and that gives me warm fuzzies. It’s also good for really cleaning your stainless steel sink.
No, the active (only?) ingedient in Barkeeper’s Friend is oxalic acid.
I have a large stainless steel saucepan I use for pretty much everything, and I was able to get dark brown food stains off the bottom with Barkeeper’s Friend.
Sorry to be the dumb American, but if your “washing up powder” is our “dishwasher detergent,” this is the tip I’ve heard as well: A paste of enzymatic dishwasher soap (powder type) left on over night and then scrubbed off. Never tried it myself though, and I’m no Heloise, so take it FWIW. 
It was a gift, so I have no idea what it’s called, but this doohickey is the best tool I’ve ever seen for getting rid of burnt-on food. It’s just scrapes it right away.
Wish I could be more helpful in actually guiding you to one, but it’s a start.
ETA: Upon closer inspection of the pic, it looks like there’s a name on it. I’ll check it out when I grab lunch in a couple of minutes.
I have no idea if this is a cast iron only trick or not, but I have always had luck filling the pan part way with water, bringing to a boil, and scraping the pan periodically with a metal spatula, adding more water and keeping it to a low boil, scraping and adding water as needed until clean. The boiling water softens the residue, no chemicals needed.
Stainless steel is great at deglazing, so I “deglaze” my burnt on food with water - medium high heat, get the pan nice and hot and then pour in enough water (warm, not cold) to just cover the bottom of the pan. Scrape with a wooden spoon.
This gets off the crusty stuff, though. Still have to polish the pot to get all the color off.
You could try mixing vinegar and baking soda and let the fizz do its thing. I’ve also had success with putting dishsoap and water in the pan, and bringing it to boil over the stove. Just don’t walk away this time. 
Not to hijack this thread, but Hal, what the heck is up with the pictures in your photo album? They have to be some of the most bizarre pics…
To address the original OP…my ex-mother-in-law was an expert at getting burned on food off the pots. (Yep, lots of experience.) She would always put water in the pot, then sit it on the stove to boil for a few minutes. Worked every time.
I’m at the “polishing” stage of cleaning this pot, so I think I’ll dig up some vinegar and baking soda and see if that does the trick. Will red wine vinegar work as well as white vinegar?
I had a similar problem a while back, and I took some baking soda, mixed it with water, and scrubbed it on the stains until it was a kind of paste. Then I added more water, and some dishwashing soap. I then boiled it over a stove for about 10 minutes, and then let it soak in for another 10 or so minutes. This time when I scrubbed it, it all came off perfectly. I was very relieved, as it was my roommate’s pan… if the other stuff doesn’t work, you can always try that!
I’ll throw in another vote for Barkeeper’s Friend and a little elbow grease.
I’ve also heard that salt makes a good abrasive for stuff like this, mostly on cast iron though. It won’t scratch the cookware but it’s abrasive enough to help loosen up the crusty bits. I’ve never tried this though.
Hey, don’t know if anyone has mentioned Barkeeper’s Friend, 
but it works nicely. It’s even recommended for my expensive Calphalon pans.