How to Remove Burned Food from Aluminum Cookware

Co-authored by Elias Weston

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

You might have a beloved cookware set that you use all the time. What happens when it starts getting brown or black marks on it? With some proper care, you can remove burned food from aluminum cookware.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

With Vinegar

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Do not add more than necessary. Then boil the vinegar for about 10-15 minutes. Do not boil it more than 15 minutes. This will soften the burnt areas, so cleaning will be much easier.
Grab a metal scraper and start scraping the surface very gently; you don't want to scratch it. Keep doing this until you have removed all the burned food.

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Pour the cleaner in a bowl and mix baking soda with it. This will enhance the ability of the cleaner. Next, take a soft rag or cloth and start cleaning the pan both on the surface and on the underside. ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Elias Weston
Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 30 January 2021.}

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

With a Freezer

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Let it freeze for about 2/3 hour. This will freeze the burned food. Frozen food is much easier to clean as it becomes less sticky to the surface.
This time you might have to use a little force. Repeat this process until there’s nothing to clean. Be careful, though, as you might scratch the cookware. A 45-degree angle is suitable when using the scraper.
Pour a good amount of the juice in the pan. Start cleaning with a soft cloth. You will notice that all the left over burned foods comes off the surface. Keep doing this until it’s clean and shines like a new pan. Then rinse.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

With Salt

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Then add the salt in the water and mix it well. The amount of salt that you need varies depending on the size of your pan. If you have a 10-inch pan, then 4 teaspoons of salt should be good enough. After you are done mixing the salt in the water, let the pan soak for about 8-10 hours.
You will see that burned foods start lifting already, and the water will turn into a darkish brown color. After about 15-20 minutes, turn your burner off and wait until the pan cools down. This should not take too much time.
You should see that almost all of the stains are gone. All that is left are some stubborn smudges. No worries!
Now start cleaning all the smudges. All the leftovers should clean off pretty easily.
Now you should have a like-new aluminum pan.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

With Baking Soda

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After you are done mixing them pour the mixture in pan. Then add some water to it and let the pan soak really well. ^{[2]
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Expert Source

Elias Weston
Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 30 January 2021.}
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When you are done boiling the baking soda and water, throw the water away. Then wait for the pan to cool down a little bit, but do not cool it completely.
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Now pour some more baking soda on the surface of the pan.
Start rubbing the surface. You will see that all the burned food comes off, and the shiny surface of the pan is now visible. After you are satisfied with the cleaning, wash the pan with clean water. ^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Elias Weston
Cleaning Specialist

Expert Interview. 30 January 2021.}

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Question

How do I get rust stains out of a tin?

Elias Weston
Cleaning Specialist
Elias Weston is a Cleaning Specialist and the Founder of Seatown Cleaners in Seattle, Washington. Elias specializes in helping clients find cleaning services with instant booking and flexible pricing. Seatown Cleaners offers standard, deep, and move-in/out cleaning services using green products and cleaning techniques. Every cleaner is thoroughly vetted and every cleaning is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.

Elias Weston

Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Scrub the rust with steel wool, sandpaper, or aluminum foil. Then, wet the tin and sprinkle baking soda over the rust. Wait one hour and then scrub the area with a scouring pad until the rust is gone. You can do this multiple times if you'd like!

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Tips

Use of vinegar is recommended as it is available and efficient.

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Use soft cloths instead of nylon rag.

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Use of salt is another good choice as it is both cheap and available.

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Warnings

In case of method one, let the pan cool down first.

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Use industrial graded gloves.

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Elias Weston
Cleaning Specialist

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How to Remove Burned Food from Aluminum Cookware

Steps

With Vinegar

With a Freezer

With Salt

With Baking Soda

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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