# Cleaning question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689 "2008-09-15T12:58:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/1 "2008-09-15T12:58:36Z")
The other day I put on a big pot of water for pasta, but didn’t notice for about five minutes that I’d turned on the wrong burner. I have a gas stove, so you’d think I’d’ve noticed, but there was a pot lid sitting on the burner I _did_ turn on, plus I was busy chopping stuff for the sauce. Okay, plus I’m an idiot. Anyway, the pot lid atop the burner that was on cooked away for several minutes, so it becaume quite discolored. I’ve tried Soft Scrub cleanser, which isn’t doing anything – is the discoloration cooked on, to remind me of my stupidity every time I ever use that lid again, or is there some way to clean it? ---
**Author:** ![Labelless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@Labelless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labelless)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/2 "2008-09-15T16:10:27Z")
I assume it’s a metal lid? If so, and really either way, but at a restaurant supply there will be a nice chemical mix, we called it fry-o-lator, but it would do the job. Home wise I’ve used oven cleaner with success. Yeah, I’m not real bright when it comes to burners either. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/3 "2008-09-15T16:35:16Z")
Yeah, try oven cleaner. If that doesn’t do it, nothing will. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/4 "2008-09-15T17:01:41Z")
Oven cleaner, of course! :smack: (When in doubt, go toxic. 😉 ) And who knows? Once I’ve got oven cleaner in the house, I might actually clean my oven. Or not. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/5 "2008-09-15T23:23:11Z")
What kind of lid is it, and what kind of mark has been left on it? If it’s an aluminum lid, (Magnalite, Calphalon, etc.) take care with oven cleaner - oven cleaner tends to pit aluminum, and is a warranty-ender on many brands of aluminum cookware. Restaurant supply shops sell carbon removers, but check the label - most say not to use on “hard anodized” cookware such as the classic dark gray Calphalon or Circulon. If you can’t get it out or off of Calphalon with Barkeeper’s Friend cleanser or their own “Dormond” cleanser, it’s probably not coming off without harming the pan. Stainless steel may be permanently discolored, especially if the staining is amber/orange or bluish. The metal is physically changed by overheating and the color is forever. If it’s a glass lid, you’re lucky it didn’t explode or shatter. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/6 "2008-09-16T00:51:35Z")
It’s fairly good quality stainless steel – it’s either Farberware or something like it. The discoloration is kind of brownish, and if it’s permanent, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/7 "2008-09-16T01:06:32Z")
Steel can turn brown when it’s heated–I’ll leave it to someone more skilled in metals to explain why, but I believe it’s to do with oxidation; I’m not really up on the differences between blued steel and browned steel. If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about it and would just leave it alone; personally I think the browning is kind of pretty. ---
**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-question/463689/8 "2008-09-16T04:59:13Z")
you could try [barkeepers friend](http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/products.htm) powder or [Bon Ami](http://www.bonami.com/enviroment/search_for_nontoxic.html), however it is gentler than the barkeepers (better for cleaning glass, though).