The Pantry Staple That Cuts Through Burnt Pan Grime Without Chemicals

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No matter how experienced or talented you are in the kitchen, everyone has endured the frustration that comes with finding a burned mess in the bottom of one of your good pans. Maybe you put a stew on to simmer and lost track of time, or underestimated how much oil you'd need to make perfectly golden pan-fried fish, resulting in a dense layer of black grime. Though a good soak with dish soap often lifts these stains, some of them require something slightly more heavy duty, like cream of tartar.

If you're not sure what the heck cream of tartar actually is, you're not alone. It's not an ingredient many people keep in their homes these days, in spite of its usefulness and versatility. A byproduct of winemaking, cream of tartar is a powdery, white substance that's a bit acidic. Mixed with an alkaline substance like baking soda or dairy, it releases carbon dioxide, making cream of tartar perfect for stabilizing Cool Whip for frosting, or adding lift to delicate baked goods like angel food cake.

These properties also make it an excellent non-toxic cleaning agent for messes in your cookware. Its crystalline granules and acidity are a perfect partnership for dissolving and gently scrubbing away charred food and baked-on grime. Simply mix it into a smooth paste with some water, smear it evenly over the charred area, and let it work for a while before using a Scotch-Brite scouring pad or similar scrubber to easily cut through and remove the mess.

If the paste-and-scrub method doesn't work, or only takes off some of the stain, you may need to give your pans a little more TLC to fully remove the most stubborn burned-on messes. One method is to let the paste sit longer by applying a nice, thick layer over the stain, covering it in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out, and leaving it overnight. Longer exposure to the cream of tartar may help pull up the last bits of burned food and grime.

A quicker method, if you're pressed for time, is to try simmering away the stain. Stir together about an inch of water and a generous sprinkling of cream of tartar inside your pan and bring everything to a simmer for several minutes. Remove the pan from heat, let the mixture cool enough that you can safely put your hand inside it, and use a scrubbing pad to get rid of the gunk. If the stain is still a bit stubborn, add a little Dawn dish soap to the cooled water so the suds can help cut through the char.

Of course, once you've got all your pans nice and shiny again, you'll likely have some cream of tartar left over. The great thing is that cream of tartar is fantastic for keeping your garden pest-free, in addition to cleaning other areas of your kitchen, such as your sink, counters, or stovetop.