# How to Removed Burned On Crud from a Nonstick Pan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021 "2013-04-06T16:08:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Salamanda\_Palaganda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Salamanda\_Palaganda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salamanda_Palaganda)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/21 "2013-04-08T14:44:53Z")
Try simmering milk in the pan to remove the crud. I`ve done this many times and saved many a pot or pan. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/22 "2013-04-08T20:02:42Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s interesting that so many people are using teflon as a generic. I haven’t owned an actual Teflon brand pan for years and I don’t think I’ve seen one in a store in that long. I think of them as nonstick pans. I always asked students to write PTFE if it wasn’t from Dupont. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/23 "2013-04-08T23:27:42Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > > [@CalMeacham](#): > > > > I love that the title of this thread and the next right now are: > > > > \*\* How to Removed Burned On Crud from a Nonstick Pan? > > > > Is this a misuse of the word ironic? > > > > \*\* > > 😃 > > You’ve just invented a Dope game. See you on mundane pointless things… More like discovered a Dope game that has been going on, like, forever. There is almost always at least one “Sequential threads” thread running in MPSIMS. I am rather shocked that **Cal** does not already know this. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/24 "2013-04-09T13:20:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It’s interesting that so many people are using teflon as a generic. I haven’t owned an actual Teflon brand pan for years and I don’t think I’ve seen one in a store in that long. I think of them as nonstick pans. > > As a word usage, the amount of teflon in this thread surprised me and this [ngrams chart](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=teflon%2Cnonstick&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=) backs it up. This misuse of trademarked names makes me cry. I’ll have to wipe my tears with a kleenex. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/25 "2013-04-09T13:51:43Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This misuse of trademarked names makes me cry. I’ll have to wipe my tears with a kleenex. You misunderstand. It’s not that I care about the generic, it’s that I never normally hear it. Almost always the word in use is “nonstick.” The usage has swung over, with teflon being outmoded. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/26 "2013-04-09T14:04:56Z")
The problem with ‘nonstick’ is that the word is results oriented, not technology oriented. A pan could theoretically be made ‘nonstick’ via a variety of technologies, not necessarily PTFE. PTFE is a crappy name for the product, what it really needs is a somewhat descriptive name that identifies PTFE but not the DuPont Brand. So, like Kleenex Brand tissues, you would have Teflon Brand \_\_\_\_\_\_\_. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/27 "2013-04-09T15:09:50Z")
For the end user, it probably doesn’t matter what it’s made of - ‘nonstick’ is quite adequate as a generic term, even if it happens to encompass a range of technologies. That is, if we really are not to genericise.'Teflon ’ ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/28 "2013-04-09T15:15:36Z")
I thought the proper generic name was “fluoropolymer”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/29 "2013-04-09T21:22:32Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You misunderstand. It’s not that I care about the generic, it’s that I never normally hear it. Almost always the word in use is “nonstick.” The usage has swung over, with teflon being outmoded. I’ve heard it a lot. Not just metaphorically, but even in the plastics industry it’s sometimes referred to generically as ‘Teflon’ even though everyone knows it’s PTFE. But the names of plastics are a smorgasbord of acrobreviations and trade names, so it’s just easier to use a highly recognizable name sometimes. For home appliances though, it may just be an age thing where so many items used to be labelled as Teflon. I’m not sure how I would typically say it, I suppose it’s probably about the same as amount of usage for non-stick and Teflon. But seeing your OP I did assume Teflon. ---
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2013, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/30 "2013-04-10T07:41:43Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > You misunderstand. It’s not that I care about the generic, it’s that I never normally hear it. Almost always the word in use is “nonstick.” The usage has swung over, with teflon being outmoded. This line of conversation is a bit of a hijack of the original topic, but you’re the OP so I assume that’s okay. Here’s the thing. For some people, Teflon has become something of a dirty word. As a consequence, many marketers decided to use “nonstick” instead, implying it’s something different. A related subterfuge is touting PFOA-free (a different issue) as implying Teflon (i.e., [PTFE](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene)) free. For example, I’ve had several sales associates at Sur la Table make exactly this claim with respect to Scanpan cookware, even though it is in fact a PTFE-treated surface. I grok that you’re not making this mistake, but it’s common. To make matters more confusing, there are a few ceramic surfaces without PTFE also being marketed as nonstick. (Although mostly-nonstick or stick-resistant would be more accurate.) All of which is to say, if we’re going to be careful speakers (and writers), saying (or writing) nonstick without specifying PTFE or non-PTFE is a usage we should avoid. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/31 "2013-04-11T03:14:32Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > [The solution to everything.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSReSGe200A) Yes, bacon can be used for so many things. But crispness can be painful. ---
**Author:** ![sidhechaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sidhechaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidhechaos)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/32 "2013-04-11T22:33:22Z")
take your pan that things- aren’t- supposed-to- stick- in- for- whatever- bloody- reason (christ people tonato, tomato who cares?) pour oil in it and simmer for a long time, occasionally turning down the heat and carefully poking the crud with a hamburger flipper to try to loosen. after a while turn off and set aside oil and in something else and scrub really hard with spatula/flipper or non scratch scrubbie thing at edges. you’ll probably get part off and have to repeat oil process. I had manwich sauce get stuck in a pan and this worked, in fact second clean up it actually came off with the paper towel I was using to get some of the oil. I thick it has something to with ingredients with lots of sugar and acid. pan was fine after that. good luck ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/33 "2013-04-11T23:12:05Z")
> [@sidhechaos](#): > > …carefully poking the crud with a **hamburger flipper** … [spatula](http://www.onelook.com/?w=spatula&last=spautla&loc=spell1) ---
**Author:** ![Italian77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Italian77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Italian77)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/34 "2015-09-29T17:41:08Z")
The bacon person was absolutely correct. I put two tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan heated it up and it is now beautiful again. Thank you!!!:o ---
**Author:** ![Wings42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Wings42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wings42)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/35 "2016-05-31T16:26:56Z")
The problem was burnt on sugar/oil crud from my forgetting about chopped onions and minced garlic caramelizing in olive oil. The result was a thick, hard as rock black coating on the Teflon bottom of a Circulon Dutch oven. What didn’t work: baking soda solution overnight, simmered baking soda, soaking in Dawn dish washing detergent (which usually cleans almost anything), and simmering with Dawn. The crud wasn’t removable. Then I found this site. The postings about just using hot oil combined with the bacon postings had one thing in common: hot oil on the surface. So here’s what worked: - Three tablespoons of olive oil in the pot. - Heat on medium-high while using a plastic spatula to circulate the oil and work on the crud. As soon as the oil was hot, the crud started easily coming off. - The Circulon bottom is grooved so I used a tough plastic brush to remove the remnants of the crud from within the grooves. - Wiped up the oil with paper towels - Washed with hot water and Dawn to finish. The 10 year old pot is as good as it was before. Thanks to this site and your suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2016, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/36 "2016-05-31T18:37:38Z")
I’ve simply soaked pans overnight with good results. However in most if not all cases it was an indication that the nonstick was failing and I needed a new pan. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2016, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021/37 "2016-06-01T01:15:05Z")
What the bacon fat was , was just a temperature guage. If it starts smoking, its hot enough. Having this just let you feel safe in raising the temperature of the pan up … you weren’t worried the smoke was the PTFE burning off. So when the bacon fat was just about decomposing, the stuff from lower temperature oils and fats was definitely decomposing. Perhaps there was some help from soaking the black stuff in detergent and water, as the water may create some pressure as it boils… You will notice top brand cookware has really smooth PTFE … this is applied at high pressure to ensure its dense and smooth and solid , and less likely to accept black stuff and easier to get the black stuff off. Cheap stuff is all bumpy, like it applied with no pressure (as you do for painting a wall using a paint roller or sprayer.), its low density, perhaps with air bubbles in it, and its going to have the black stuff stick and its hard to clean… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-removed-burned-on-crud-from-a-nonstick-pan/655021.md?page=1)