I burned rice. Not just a little stuck to the bottom — I mean a solid quarter-inch layer of carbonized rice fused to the bottom of my favorite pot. I scraped at it with a wooden spoon for ten minutes and made almost no progress. I considered throwing the pot away.

Two ingredients from my kitchen — neither of them elbow grease — had the pot looking new in under an hour. Here is the method that saved my cookware.

The Baking Soda Boil (For Stainless Steel)

Fill the pot with enough water to cover the burnt area. Add 1/4 cup of baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it bubble gently for 15 to 20 minutes.

The baking soda is alkaline. Combined with heat, it loosens the chemical bonds between the burnt food and the metal. After simmering, pour out the water and most of the burnt residue will slide off with a gentle wipe of a sponge. Any remaining spots come off with a sprinkle of dry baking soda on a damp sponge — very light pressure, circular motion.

Dishwasher Tablet Method (Even Faster)

Fill the pot with hot water, drop in a dishwasher tablet, and let it soak for 30 minutes. The enzymes and detergents in the tablet are designed to break down baked-on food. After soaking, a quick wipe removes everything.

I tried this on the same burnt-rice pot after the baking soda method left a few stubborn spots. The tablet dissolved everything in one soak.

For Nonstick Pans

Do not use baking soda or abrasive scrubbers on nonstick — you will ruin the coating. Instead, fill with warm water and add a dryer sheet. Let it soak for an hour. The fabric softener agents in the sheet loosen burnt residue without scratching the surface.

I was skeptical. It works. After an hour, the burnt food wipes off with a paper towel.

What Not to Do

Never pour cold water into a hot burnt pot. The thermal shock can warp the metal. Let the pot cool down first. Also avoid steel wool on stainless steel if you care about how the pot looks — it leaves scratches that collect stains over time.