If your once sparkling pans are looking older than ever and battle-scarred from years of use under extreme high heat, you may not need to reach for harsh chemicals or expensive scrubbing tools. Sometimes, the old tricks are the ones that work the best, with this classic two-ingredient technique being passed down from generation to generation in professional kitchens to eliminate any unsightly rust and grease marks.
While posh “grease-busting” cleaning kits can really hurt your pocket, simply grabbing a lemon and some coarse salt can bring you the same sparkle while only setting you back a few pounds. While its cleaning trick may seem like magic, there is actually some solid science behind it. Lemon juice is high in a chemical called citric acid, a weak, naturally occurring solution that, once applied to rust, turns the solid iron oxides into soluble forms that can be easily wiped away.
In this technique, the coarse salt acts as an abrasive, with its small, sharp edges working to lift some of the most burnt-on grease, which then allows the lemon juice to work its magic.
For particularly tough-to-tackle grease, a simple soak with two other household ingredients can also get the job started.
According to cleaning expert Tom’s Kitchen, using vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and salt can be really effective in eliminating grease. Posting on YouTube, he said: “Here’s what I recommend. If you could soak your pan in baking soda and a tablespoon of vinegar for maybe 30 minutes, that should help you loosen the baked-on grease.
“Then just take it out, cut up half of a lemon and some salt, like Kosher salt or something coarse to help you scrub out the stains.
“That usually does a really good job, the acidity of the lemon is aiding in removing the stains, but the salt is acting like a scrubber, like an abrasive”
Although the technique can be simple and natural for getting your pans sparkling, there are a few caveats that home cooks need to watch out for.
Firstly, you should avoid using this method on delicate non-stick coatings or thin aluminium coatings, as the abrasive salt can scratch these away, leaving your pans ruined.
It is also important to thoroughly wash and dry the pans afterwards, as the lemon juice can start to rust away cheaper steel pans. Finally, stick to using half a fresh lemon to scrub; bottled lemon juice will not be as effective.
