7 Tricks to Clean Burnt Grease Off a Frying Pan Bottom

Published August 28, 2020
charred bottom of an old pan

How to clean burnt grease from the bottom of frying pans can be a question that you ask yourself when you notice that brown gunk on the bottom of your skillet. While it might seem like all your pans have to chucked into the trash bin, you can actually clean burnt grease from the bottom of pans with baking soda, vinegar, salt, and ketchup, along with some commercial cleaners like oven cleaner and Bar Keeper's Friend.

How to Clean Burnt Grease From Bottom of Frying Pans

The bottom of your frying pans might not be something you think too much about until you pull one out to use and notice the greasy mess burnt to the bottom. After hours of scrubbing, you might consider just throwing the pan away. Rather than chucking it in the garbage, grab a few of these tools from your pantry.

  • Dish soap (blue Dawn is recommended)

  • Baking soda

  • Hydrogen peroxide

  • White vinegar

  • Salt (sea salt if you have it)

  • Oven cleaner

  • Ketchup

  • Bar Keepers Friend

  • Scrubbing pad

  • Toothbrush

  • Scouring pad

How to Clean Burnt Grease From Bottom of Frying Pans With Baking Soda

One of the easiest ways to remove grease from the bottom of pretty much any frying pan is through using baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and Dawn. This hack works magic for stubborn grease stains.

  1. Make a thickish paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.

  2. Add a few drops of Dawn.

  3. Use the scrubbing pad to apply the paste to the bottom of the pan using circular motions.

  4. Let the paste dry on the pan for 30 minutes to an hour.

  5. Scrub the pan with the scrubbing pad and a toothbrush.

For caked-on grease, do a pre-soak in vinegar for 30 minutes, rinse then apply the baking soda paste.

How to Clean Burnt Grease From Bottom of Non-Stick Pans With Vinegar

The acid of vinegar is good for getting rid of grease. It's a simple but effective method for pans that have light browning. Again, this hack works excellent on most pan types.

  1. Fill the bottom of your sink with straight vinegar, enough to submerge the pan bottom fully.

  2. Allow it to soap for an hour or so.

  3. Use the scrubbing pad, a toothbrush, and a bit of Dawn, and water to remove the softened grease.

Steel scouring pad

How to Clean Burnt Grease From Frying Pans With Salt and Vinegar

The vinegar soak is excellent, but sometimes you need an abrasive to make a vinegar homemade mix. In this case, salt can come in handy. Just remember salt is coarse; therefore, it could scratch the finish on some pans.

  1. Soak the pan in white vinegar for about an hour.

  2. Pour salt on the bottom of the pan.

  3. Add a dab of Dawn to the scrubby.

  4. Scrub the bottom vigorously, adding more salt and dish soap as needed.

Removing Burnt Grease From Bottom of Pans With Vinegar, Dawn, and Baking Soda

If you're looking for some deep grease removing magic for your stainless steel cookware, look no further than vinegar, baking soda, and salt. This combo packs a punch that is sure to remove the grease fast.

  1. Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with generous amounts of baking soda and sea salt, especially on the stains.

  2. Spray the baking soda with straight vinegar.

  3. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

  4. Use the scouring pad to scrub away the grease.

Using Oven Cleaner to Clean Burnt Grease From Frying Pans

While not a natural method, oven cleaner works well to remove burnt-on grease from the bottom of various types of pans. Even though you might feel a bit concerned putting oven cleaner on your cookware, rest assured it is perfectly safe. However, this method is best for ceramic and non-stick cookware.

  1. Coat the bottom of the pan in the oven cleaner.

  2. Let it sit for a few hours; overnight is best.

  3. Use a scrubbing pad to scrub the bottom.

  4. Clean in hot soapy water to remove any oven cleaner residue.

How to Clean Burnt Grease From Bottom of Frying Pans With Ketchup

It might seem weird to coat the bottom of your pots and pans in ketchup, but it works in a pinch to soften and lift burnt-on grease. You need a bit more time to allow this hack to sit than a few other hacks.

  1. Cover the bottom of the frying pan in ketchup.

  2. Allow it to sit for several hours, overnight if possible.

  3. Use a scouring pan and a pinch of Dawn to scrub.

  4. Rinse and enjoy.

Cleaning the Bottom of Stainless Steel Frying Pans With Bar Keepers Friend

Another ingredient that works well to remove burnt grease from frying pans is Bar Keepers Friend. It breaks down the grime at the molecular level. It works great for stainless steel skillets and frying pan bottoms.

  1. Mix Bar Keepers Friend with enough water to make a paste.

  2. Apply this with a scouring pad to the bottom of the pan.

  3. Use circular motions to scrub the bottom of the pan.

  4. Rinse and wash in hot soapy water.

Avoiding Burnt Grease Stains on Pans

Getting scorch marks and burnt grease on pans can be unavoidable. However, there are a few things you can do to minimize its effect.

  • Wash pans immediately after use, making sure to scrub the bottom.

  • Allow pans to soak in hot soapy water to loosen the grease.

  • Use a scouring pad and scrubber to remove grime from indents and crevices.

Keeping Your Frying Pans Sparkling

Everyone likes to keep their cookware shiny and new. However, if you are a bit of a messy cooker, this can be a problem. Rather than ordering more takeout, you can use these hacks to keep your cookware sparkling. FYI, if your pans are made from metal other than stainless steel, you'll probably need these extra tips on how to clean aluminum as well.

Have blackened baking sheets? Learn how to clean baking sheets.

7 Tricks to Clean Burnt Grease Off a Frying Pan Bottom