Making caramel in pans is super easy. But the problem occurs when you boil the water too much and burn the sugar. This burnt sugar gets attached to the pan and doesn’t come off easily.
How to get burnt sugar off a pan?
We have eight methods for getting burnt sugar off a pan. You can use regular cleaners like Hydrogen Peroxide & baking soda. Vinegar and Cream of Tartar can remove the stains too. Soft Drink & Ketchup are good cleaners too. Cleaning agents like fabric softener & Bar Keeper’s Friends will also clean it.
There are specific rules for applying these methods. I have discussed the rules below. Spare some of your precious moments and give a read!
8 Ways to Get Burnt Sugar Off a Pan?
Removing burnt sugar off a pan can be hard without the correct methods. But it isn’t as tough as getting melted plastic out of roaster pans. We’ve gathered eight alternative methods to help you in this task.
Have a look at them and clean off your pan in a suitable way!
#1 Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is a familiar cleaner to all of us. Almost every household has it for cleaning purposes. Hydrogen Peroxide is highly regarded for dealing with tough and dense stains. You can use this cleaner for cleaning the burnt sugar marks.
You will need Hydrogen Peroxide and a sponge for doing the job. Apply it on the pan such that there is a half-inch layer on the surface. Then heat the pan on a stove. Wait for the peroxide solution to boil. After that, turn off the stove and wait.
Once the solution is cool, rub it away with the sponge. The sugar stains will now come off easily. You have to watch out for the smell of Hydrogen Peroxide. Keep the windows and other ventilation systems open while cleaning.
#2 Baking Soda
Baking soda is a gentle abrasive cleaner. It can deal with difficult stains without leaving scratch marks on the cleaning surface. Baking soda does well with burnt sugar marks too.
You will need only water and two cups of baking soda to clean the pan. Apply baking soda on the pan and then cover it with water. Heat it for 15 to 20 minutes at low heat. If the sugar stains are dense, you can heat them for 30 to 40 minutes.
Once you are done heating, cool the pan to wash it. Wash it with water and the burnt scrapes will fall from the pan. If you don’t have baking soda in your house, table salt can be a good substitute.
#3 Tomato Ketchup
Besides the tasty flavor, tomato ketchup is also known for its cleaning properties. The acidity of tomatoes has made tomato ketchup a very good cleaner. If you want to avoid heating your pan, ketchup can be a working alternative.
Apply tomato ketchup on the pan. Make sure to apply a thick layer. Leave the pan for 12 hours. Then use a sponge to clean it. The burnt bits should come out easily.
If some bits don’t come off, scrub hard. After removing the marks, wash the pan with soap and warm water. This will get rid of the ketchup smell and taste from the pan.
#4 Vinegar
Vinegar is a very good cleaner. From cleaning ceramic pans to stainless steel pans, vinegar is very trustworthy. A cup of vinegar is enough to remove burnt sugar from your pan.
Apply vinegar on your burnt pan. Apply as much as needed to cover the bottom of the pan. Then heat it in a low flame for fifteen to twenty minutes. Then clean the pan with a sponge after cooling it down.
I can suggest some vinegar to make your work easier. Check them out!
| Lucy’s Family Owned – Natural Distilled White Vinegar | Good for making foods as well as cooking |
| 9 Elements All Purpose Vinegar Spray | Lemon scented vinegar spray good for multipurpose |
These products are good for both consuming and cleaning work.
There is also the scope of not heating the vinegar to clean the pan. For that, you have to leave the vinegar for 8 to 12 hours on the pan. Then scrub well and you will get your shiny pan back.
#5 Cream of Tartar
Cream of Tartar is an essential ingredient for baking and wine brewing. But it can be used in the work of cleaning too. Cream of Tartar functions very well in removing stubborn and dense stains from pans.
Make a solution of cream of Tartar. Mix 2 tablespoons of it with a cup of water to get the ideal mixture. Apply it to the pan with sugar stains. Make a thick layer on the pan. Then heat the pan until the solution starts boiling.
Stop the heat and give some time before handling the pan. During this time the pan will cool down. Then wash the pan with a sponge. Once all the stains are gone, clean the pan with warm water and soap.
#6 Carbonated Soft Drinks
Besides quenching our thirst, carbonated soft drinks are tested cleaners too. They can get rid of hard stains and dirt marks quite easily. You will need a bottle of soft drink, a plastic scraper, and a sponge for the task.
Pour a small bottle of soft drink into the burnt pan. Leave it overnight. After this time the sugar marks will become loose. Scrape the burnt bits with the scrapper. Then clean the pan as usual with the help of the sponge.
#7 Fabric Softener Sheets Or Liquid Fabric Softener
This might surprise you but fabric softeners can do wonders in cleaning burnt pans. They can remove the sugar burns without any hassle. You will need water, a sponge, and a liquid fabric softener or sheets.
Boil water in the damaged pan. After boiling, take it off the stove. Add some fabric softener sheet and leave it for 8 to 12 hours. Then wash it with a sponge.
If you are using liquid softener instead of sheets, the method is almost the same. Only mix the softener at the time of boiling the water. Perfectly stir it and then leave it. Later wash the pan with water and a sponge.
#8 Bar Keeper’s Friend
Last but not least, Bar Keeper’s Friend can clean your pan in no time. This powder cleaner is made for shiny surfaces. So it will retain the shine of your pan too.
Apply the powder to the pan and leave it for 2 to 3 minutes. Then scrub with the sponge. The powder will make the burnt pieces loose and they will come off. If some pieces don’t come out, you have to use water.
Apply little water over the powder. This will make a paste. Allow the paste to sit on the stains for some moments. Then scrub it. This should do your work.
These are all the techniques you can follow to remove burnt sugar. You can see that these methods are somewhat similar to removing baked eggs from pans. Follow my guidelines to safely clean your shiny pan.
FAQs
Question: How can you get the black stuff off my burnt pan?
Answer: To get black stuff off your burnt pan you will need vinegar. Boil the vinegar in the pan. While boiling use a scraper to scrape the black stuff. The black stuff will be cleaned easily.
Question: How do you clean sugar syrup?
Answer: Cleaning sugar syrup mess requires warm water and soap. Sugar syrup is a sticky thing and quite hard to remove. But the combination of soap and warm water will clean the mess easily.
Question: How do you get burnt food off a pan with Coke?
Answer: You have to pour the coke into the pan first. Then leave it alone for half a day. Later scrap the food particles. Don’t forget to wash the pan with soap at the end.
Conclusion
Now you have the answer to your query: how to get burnt sugar off a pan. I have tried my best to help you in making your pan shiny again.
To avoid getting burnt sugar marks, be careful about the time while making caramel. Stir the sugar solution well and you will be safe.
Good Luck!