It has happened to all of us and it will continue to happen to us: the food burns and we have no way to remove the sticky remains at the bottom of the pot. Neither hot water nor the dishwasher nor the brush nor the sponge are enough to remove that layer of food and charred grease that seems to have stuck forever. But the solution can be very simple and you only need baking soda and common vinegar.
bicarbonate
It is a type of alkaline salt that can help us dissolve organic compounds, such as fats. In addition, it is a soft abrasive material made up of very small grains that help to better "scratch" the remains of dirt and thus eliminate the remains of fat that do not dissolve, without scratching the pot too much.
The vinegar
Vinegar, for its part, is a mixture of water and acetic acid. Unlike bicarbonate, which is alkaline, this is an acid substance, so it helps to dissolve other types of substances, such as salts that accumulate in pots.
The “magic” formula
If both substances are combined: baking soda (which is alkaline) and vinegar (which is acid), they will act on the different types of compounds that have adhered to the metal of the pot. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2) will be produced, a gas that causes bubbles to appear in our mixture and is also very useful for stirring and detaching burnt food.
After leaving about 3 hours (or overnight), it should be removed using hot water and the help of a sponge. And voila, pot like new. And if any trace remains, the procedure should only be repeated.
a twist of lemon
You can add the juice of a lemon to the mixture to make your pots shine even more, since it also contains acid substances that allow the oxides that form on the surface of the pot to be removed.
Keep in mind that these tips work mostly on stainless steel, iron, aluminum, or copper pots and pans; but not for those made of enameled iron or Teflon because we could damage their surface.
7 ноя 2022
