How to easily remove stubborn buildup from your frying pan’s non-stick coating
Everyone knows: good tools are half the battle. So I was absolutely delighted with my new GreenPan frying pan. Not only because of the pan’s appearance, but also because of its fantastic ceramic non-stick coating, made from sand and free from PFAS, a group of chemicals found in many non-stick pans. But then my husband made French toast and ruined my pan (and nearly my marriage, but that’s beside the point). Stubborn buildup: a nightmare! Until I discovered how to remove it easily.
No spon, I’m not going to advertise GreenPan any further here, but these really are fantastic pans — they do cost a bit — and I was pretty proud of myself for scoring a mega deal. It was a shame that my husband ruined my pan within a few weeks. You understand: total fury.
After scrubbing for I don’t know how long and cursing my husband for everything, I gave up. The pan was ruined; that’s just how life goes sometimes.
The problem: carbonization
In the middle of the pan was a large brown-and-black spot. In other words: charring, also known as carbonization. Very annoying, because this causes food to keep sticking to the pan while cooking. Carbonization usually occurs due to a combination of overheating and using too little or the wrong type of fat while cooking. And just try getting that off.
The solution: a magic sponge
Hard scrubbing with dish soap? Forget it. What does work:
Fill your pan halfway with water and a little dish soap and bring it to a boil. The boiling process should remove the carbonization, allowing you to clean the pan. If the buildup is particularly stubborn, as it was in my case, use a magic sponge (you can find this sponge at places such as Kruidvat or Action, and it costs next to nothing).
Repeat step 1 (fill your pan with water and a little dish soap and bring it to a boil) and use the magic sponge to wipe everything off. Ta-da! The carbonization disappears and your pan’s non-stick coating is as good as new.
And things will get a lot better with your marriage too, I promise.
Also read:
- Fast-food packaging contains life-threatening PFAS
- No longer for sale: Nicolette van Dam’s misleading vegetable sweets
- 8 ways food packaging seriously tricks you
