British cook Nigella Lawson has shared two methods for removing burned-on food from pots and pans, neither of which requires fancy cleaning products or equipment.
First method: dishwashing liquid and boiling water
Her first tip is to add a little dishwashing liquid to the bottom of the pan, then fill it with water. Place the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil.
The stuck-on bits of food will slide off, and the pan only needs a wipe afterwards. This method is low effort and requires no harsh scrubbing.
Second method: laundry detergent or fabric conditioner sheet
For pans that are “really dauntingly stuck with cooked-on gunk”, Lawson recommends soaking them in hot water with either a splash of laundry detergent or a fabric conditioner sheet for the tumble dryer.
Let it sit for a while, then scrub it clean. Careful scrubbing is advised to ensure no traces of laundry detergent remain, so food does not taste like soap.
