Scrubbing pots and pans can be dirty, dingy work. Plan ahead with tips like these to minimize the amount of time this chore will need.
When planning your dishes' final wash of the day, consider these time-saving tips that may help to trim this chore down to size:
1. Gather your cookware after a meal. Place all the regular dishes and silverware into the dishpan or the dishwasher. Set the pans to the side on the kitchen counter for individualized attention depending on varied needs.
2. Scrape leftover food from the pans into storage containers. Refrigerate perishable food immediately. Then turn your attention to the cookware and cooking implements like a turning fork or serving spatula.
3. Fill the crock pot with hot water, along with a few drops of dish detergent. Let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes while you take care of other things. Then use a sponge to rub away the borderline where food cooked around the edge of the pot. Gently scrub the remaining caked-on food until the pot washes clean, which shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Rinse with clear water and dry for storage, following with its lid.
4. Scrape cast iron frying skillets clean of crumbs or residual debris. If food has stuck to the bottom or sides, pour hot water and a few drops of detergent in the skillet. Put it on a medium stove burner and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the skillet water cool. Pour it out and the remaining debris should come off easily with a steel wool pad or nylon scraper. Electric or indoor gas grills usually can be wiped clean with a tough sponge or soft scrubber; check the instruction book for advice on which cleaning tools and soaps to use, especially if the pan has a special coating.
5. Regular pots or pans that are used to cook or heat foods like vegetables, pasta, or soups should be rinsed immediately after removing the last of those foods. If there is sticky residue, fill the pan with hot water and let it sit for a few minutes while tending to the other cookware. Place any cooking implements in the pot of water as well. After five or ten minutes, empty the water and use a dish wand or nylon scrubber to clean the pot. For stubborn debris, fill the pot with water and bring to a boil; then let it sit until cool, empty the water, and use the dish wand to finish the cleaning job.
6. Skillets or other pans with non-stick coatings should be cleaned according to the manufacturer's guidelines. Always keep the directions that come with cookware in the same location so you can find helpful cleaning information when you need it. Mistreating a non-stick coating can release toxic fumes.
Water, detergent, and elbow grease are the main ingredients for a pot-cleaning recipe. Don't let your cookware sit after a meal. Attack them right away to keep your kitchen neat and clean and your pots in usable condition for the next meal.
