How to Clean a Pan

When you don’t know the method I’m about to tell you, cleaning a pan can feel like a major hassle. It can be particularly daunting when your pan looks like this.

Especially after you’ve just finished a good meal and you want to relax. It doesn’t have to be like that though. Cleaning a pan is super simple and easy when you know how to do it properly.

What not to do

• Do not put cold water on a hot pan. This may sound contrary to your intuition but this can damage your pan. If you have any pans that are higher in the middle, this may be why.
• Don’t scrub it with steel wool or use metal tools to clean it.

The cool and heat method

To ensure your pans longevity, you want to let it cool down before you add any water to clean it. If the water comes out of your tap really hot then you may not have to worry about letting your pan cool. You could add water straight away and clean it that way. However, you may want to use this method anyway because I still believe it makes the pan easier to clean than adding hot water straight away.

When you’ve let your pan cool down to room temperature, you want to add some cold water to it. Then put it back on the pan and heat it to a simmer. This will make the oil lift off the bottom of the pan. You can then pour the water out of the pan and down the sink. Be sure you leave a little bit of water in the pan though. You can then use some paper towel to soak of the oil from the pan. It’s much better to clean this way as that oil doesn’t end up down your sink. After a few wipes, don’t worry if there is still some oil left on the paper towel when wiping. It’s better to leave a thin coat of fat on your pan as it will last longer this way and maintain it’s non-stick properties for longer.

Steps made simple

1. Let pan cool after cooking
2. Add water to pan
3. Put pan on heat and bring to a simmer
4. Poor out 80% of the water
5. Soak up the rest of the water and oil with paper towel

Viola! Your pan is clean. Happy cooking!