It’s safe to that most people don’t enjoy cleaning up after cooking.
The process is tedious, and it can be frustrating when you don’t get the results you’re looking for.
Degreasing a cooking pan, in particular, is a tough task. Well, you could save a lot of time and effort if you use the right cleaning substances.
Couple that with the right technique, and you’re in an even better position!
If you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen after eating, here are some ways on how to degrease a cooking pan.
Boil the Pan that you want to Degrease
If you’re looking for a simple solution that doesn’t require any cleaning substances, this is it. Boiling your pan will help remove greasy food residue off of your pan.
This process softens up the greasy residue. Thus, it allows you to scrub it off quicker and with less effort.
Here’s what you need to do to boil the pan.
Step 1. Fill in the Water
Fill the pan with water. The amount of water should be a little over half the pan’s volume.
Place the pan atop the stove and let it boil for about ten minutes.
Step 2. Let the Pan Cool
After you’ve allowed the pan to boil enough, keep it aside.
Allow it cool off for some time. However, don’t let it cool down completely. The greasy gunk may stick back to the pan’s surface if you do.
Step 3. Scrub the Pan
To finish off, use an abrasive scrub or steel wool to scrub the pan.
Make sure that the pan is cool enough before you begin scrubbing it. The pan should be clean within minutes after boiling it for some time.
Use a Solution of Vinegar and Water
The method above may be simple, but this one will most likely yield the best results.
For this method, you’ll need only two ingredients: vinegar and water.
Here’s what you must do.
Step 1. Mix the Ingredients in the Pan
Pour the vinegar in the pan first. Make sure that it takes about one-third of the volume of the pan. Next, pour hot water into the pan.
The water should take up about two-thirds of the volume of the pan.
Step 2. Let the Mixture Rest
In order to allow the vinegar to do its work, you must let the pan soak for about twenty minutes. In this time, the vinegar will cut through the grease.
As a result, you’ll be able to clean the pan a lot quicker than you would otherwise.
Step 3. Clean the Pan
This step will let you test the effectiveness of the vinegar.
Empty the solution into the sink so that you can wipe it clean. Add about two squirts of liquid dish soap into the pan. Next, dip a sponge in a bit of vinegar, and wipe the pan clean.
Vinegar does an excellent job of degreasing a pan.
So, you should be able to clean your pan in no time.
Step 4. Rinse the Pan
While the pan may not have grease on it anymore, you still have to remove the vinegar.
Thus, rinse it thoroughly and let it dry. After that, your pan will be clean and ready to use.
Use a Solution of Vinegar and Baking Soda
If you want to get rid of some burnt-on grease, this method will help with that.
This method is fairly similar to the first one. The only real difference is the addition of baking soda.
Here are the steps you must follow.
Step 1. Mix the Ingredients
Instead of mixing the ingredients in the pan, like in the previous method, you must mix them in your sink.
Plug your sink so that you can fill liquid in it. Place it in the sink, and add the following ingredients.
- Hot water
- Half a cup of baking soda
- Half a cup of vinegar
Start with adding the vinegar and the baking soda in the pan.
Next, add enough water in the sink so that the pan is submerged.
Step 2. Let the Mixture Rest
You may notice the mixture bubbling right after you mix the ingredients. This is normal during this process and will loosen up the greasy residue that’s stuck on your pan.
Initially, the mixture will turn into a thick paste. However, once it mixes with the water, it will become a lot less viscous.
Like in the previous method, you must let the pan soak in the solution for about twenty to thirty minutes.
If your pan is particularly greasy, then you can consider letting it soak for about an hour as well.
Step 3. Clean the Pan
Once the pan has soaked up the vinegar and baking soda, it’s time to clean it. Before you begin, put on a pair of rubber gloves.
This way, you’ll protect your hands from getting scratched or injured during the cleaning process.
Take the pan out of the sink, but don’t drain the sink yet. Add a bit of liquid dish soap in the pan, and soak a sponge in the solution in the sink.
Use that sponge to clean the grease off of the pan. Move the sponge in circular motions, and alternate the direction every now and then.
This way, you’ll clean the pan from every angle. If there’s some burnt-on grease on the pan, use the scrubby side of the sponge.
The additional abrasiveness will help remove whatever’s left on the pan. It will also clean the pan quicker, saving you time and energy.
If your sponge is not cutting it, you could resort to steel wool. Steel wool may scratch your pan, but that’s nothing to worry about. Steel wool will definitely speed up the cleaning process.
Step 4. Rinse the Pan
Before you rinse the pan, unplug the sink and let the solution drain. Doing so will give you enough room to clean the pan. What’s great about this process is that it’ll clear up your drain too.
After scrubbing the pan, you should rinse it thoroughly and let it dry before using it again. If you’re cleaning an aluminum sheet, make sure to dry it with a paper towel. This will prevent the pan from rusting.
You can try and an alternate method for this cleaning process as well. Most of the process is the same. However, you don’t add water to the mixture.
If you decide to try this method without water, make sure to use a sponge to spread the mixture to the pan evenly.
The mixture will have a thick consistency, so you won’t be able to spread the mixture by shaking the pan alone. After you let the mixture rest, follow steps 3 and 4.
Use Hot Water and Bleach Cleansing Powder
Using a mixture of hot water and bleach cleansing powder will help with removing greasy residue from your pan.
If you’re looking to degrease your pan and remove burnt-on residue, try this method out.
Follow these steps for the best results.
Step 1. Add the Ingredients to the Pan
First, you must pour some hot water into the pan. The amount of water should be a little over half of the pan. This way, the sides of the pan will be exposed to the solution as well.
Next, sprinkle some of the bleach cleansing powder onto the pan. Try and be generous with how much powder you add to the pan.
Use a steel spoon or any other similar device to stir the mixture a few times. Doing so will ensure that the powder mixes with the water well.
Step 2. Let the Pan Rest
Once you apply the ingredients to the pan, leave the pan for about half an hour.
This amount of time should be enough for the solution to break down the grease. This method is quite effective, so you won’t need to scrub the pan much.
Step 3. Scrub and Rinse the Pan
The solution of hot water and bleach cleansing powder should do most of the work. So, now, you’ll just have to use a sponge and liquid dish soap to clean the pan.
It should be squeaky clean after a minute of scrubbing.
Next, you must give the pan one last rinse. If the pan still isn’t as clean as you’d like, consider repeating the process. In order to get it right in one attempt, add enough bleach cleansing powder the first time.
Also, make sure to wear gloves during this process. The bleach powder can damage your skin. After rinsing, make sure to use a paper towel to dry the pan.
Last Few Words
As you can see, there’s more than one way to clean a pan. Some methods may work and some may not. So, you must test them out for yourself to select the best one.
You must also remember that you may not be able to achieve the desired results in one attempt. If that is the case, repeat some of the steps, and you should be good.
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