--- slug: how_to_care_for_a_nonstick_pan category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/cookware/frying_pans title: "How to Care for a Nonstick Pan" lead: "Keep it to medium heat, use only wood or silicone tools, and skip aerosol cooking sprays — high heat, metal, and spray residue are what kill the coating. Hand-wash it gently after it cools, and accept that a nonstick pan is a consumable: replace it once the surface scratches or flakes." recommendation: name: "Medium heat, wood or silicone tools, no sprays, gentle hand-wash — and replace it once the coating scratches or flakes" reason: "Nonstick coating is durable at everyday temperatures but degrades with heat, abrasion, and buildup, so caring for it means avoiding those three. Cook on low to medium and never preheat an empty nonstick pan on high, which scorches the coating and, past about 260 °C, starts to break it down. Stir and flip with wood, silicone, or nylon — never metal — and don't cut food in the pan. Skip aerosol cooking sprays: their propellants leave a sticky, invisible film that bakes on and wrecks the release, so use a little oil or butter instead. Let the pan cool before washing, since a cold-water shock warps it, then hand-wash gently; the dishwasher's heat and harsh detergent shorten its life. Store it without stacking bare pans directly on the surface, slipping a cloth or pan protector between them. And accept that even a good nonstick pan wears out in a few years — once it's scratched, flaking, or food starts sticking, replace it rather than eat the coating." published: 2026-07-08 updated: 2026-07-08 ---