---
slug: how_to_clean_a_stainless_steel_pan
category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/cookware/frying_pans
title: "How to Clean a Stainless Steel Pan"
lead: "For everyday stuck-on food, simmer water in the pan to loosen it, then scrub with a non-scratch pad and dish soap — stainless takes abrasives that would ruin nonstick. Rainbow tints, white spots, and burnt-on grease all lift with a wipe of vinegar or a paste of baking soda."
recommendation:
  name: "Deglaze with simmering water for stuck food; vinegar for rainbow and spots, a baking-soda or oxalic cleanser for burnt grease"
  reason: "Stainless steel is tough and non-porous, so unlike nonstick you can scrub it hard — the trick is matching the cleaner to the mark. For food stuck after searing, add water and bring it to a simmer to lift the browned fond, then wash with soap and a non-scratch pad; that alone handles most of it. The bluish rainbow tint (heat tint) and cloudy white spots (mineral deposits from hard water) are harmless and wipe away with a little white vinegar. Burnt-on grease and stubborn browning respond to a paste of baking soda left to sit and then scrubbed, or a dedicated stainless cleanser like Bar Keepers Friend (oxalic acid), rubbed with the grain and rinsed well. Avoid steel wool and chlorine bleach, which can scratch or pit stainless over time, and dry the pan to prevent water spots. A well-cleaned stainless pan looks new for decades."
published: 2026-07-08
updated: 2026-07-08
---


<ComparisonTable
  columns={["Mark", "Fix", "Note"]}
  rows={[
    ["Stuck-on food", "Simmer water to deglaze, then non-scratch pad", "Most of it comes right up"],
    ["Rainbow / white spots", "Wipe with white vinegar", "Harmless heat tint / mineral spots"],
    ["Burnt-on grease", "Baking-soda paste or oxalic cleanser", "Rub with the grain, rinse well"],
    ["Avoid", "Steel wool, chlorine bleach", "They scratch or pit stainless"],
  ]}
/>