You’d think with as much olive oil or parchment as I use that all my cleanups would be super easy. Not so! More often than not, there’s something baked and dried on my casserole dishes, pots, baking dishes, or Instant Pot insert. But there’s hope for cleaning baked-on messes when you remember the 3 S’s.
I’ve done this for years without really thinking about it. But I asked myself…if I were trying to teach this to my 20-something self (a real beginner who even had to throw away some pans), what would I say? That’s when I came up with the 3 S’s!
Soak
This doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Just set the pan or dish in the sink, squirt a couple of drops of dish soap in there and fill it with hot water. If it takes your tap water a while to warm up, fill a 2-cup measure and microwave it on high for 2 minutes. That hot water will really power through sticky and stuck on stuff! Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
Scrape
Everyone needs a nylon scraper (mine happens to be from Pampered Chef, but there are other ones available on Amazon here).
This will allow you to safely scrape messes off glass for sure. You’ll wanna be a little more careful with nonstick pots or skillets (hahahaha…they just don’t always live up to their name) or coated baking pans. Scrape as much of the mess off as you can. I have been known to finish the job with a fingernail in a pinch.
Scrub
Now it’s down to good, old-fashioned elbow grease. Grab a nubby cloth or sponge to be gentle on your surfaces. You want all the power to come from you…not some really stiff scrubbing pad!
Stainless steel pans sometimes require extra care with scrubbing. My Instant Pot always needs a scrub with stainless steel cleaner (like Bar Keeper’s Friend or Bon Ami). The grit is very fine and so much gentler on the surface while really doing the job.
And one more S for good measure – Steam
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but it certainly bears repeating. If you’ve cooked something stovetop and you know it’s “baked on” somewhat down under the potatoes or rice or whatever, move it from the burner to a cooling rack or trivet, put a top on and leave it for 5 minutes or so.
Usually, at the end of that time, because it had the top on and the heat got trapped, it steams through everything, loosening the stuck part on the bottom. I’ve used this method with great success to fix several problems before I got as far as washing anything.
Remember the 3 (or 4) S’s of cleaning baked-on messes!
Just these simple steps can save you lots of time, frustration, and even the surfaces of your favorite pans. Memorize for maximum effectiveness!
Need other ideas for cleaning the kitchen OR keeping it clean? Try these…
- 10 “Shortcuts” so you don’t trash the kitchen!
- Keep your kitchen and groceries CLEAN
- Make Your Cooking and Clean-up Easier Every Time
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