[CHyLmxDr]

It might be just a plain old skillet. It was only the small size ans the pourer that made my think it might be for something particular. It might be suitable for a single egg, but there'd be no room for bacon!

[moopogyOvenny]

Skillet is probably the correct term. If one is alone and doesn't need to cook for others then it makes sense to only use a small pan.

[fedordzen]

put some bi carb paste on it and leave it to stand in a small amount of water.

----

Jenna knows

It works.

[Ndptbudd]

put some bi carb paste on it and leave it to stand in a small amount of water.

----

Jenna knows

It works.

Well I wonder what the physics/chemistry of that is then? I can see it working on an aluminium pot by reaction with the pot, but have no idea why that would work on stainless steel.

[palantownia]

"An old method of removing gunk from laboratory glassware was to swirl sand around inside it."

I have a book about household management written by a butler who buttled for the gentry for decades. To clean wine residue and gunk from decanters, he recommends pouring the shot from a shotgun cartridge into the decanter and swirling it with water. I suppose sand would do if you did not have access to shotgun toting aristocrats.

[moopogyOvenny]

"An old method of removing gunk from laboratory glassware was to swirl sand around inside it."

I have a book about household management written by a butler who buttled for the gentry for decades. To clean wine residue and gunk from decanters, he recommends pouring the shot from a shotgun cartridge into the decanter and swirling it with water. I suppose sand would do if you did not have access to shotgun toting aristocrats.

This is the same as what happens in a tumbler. Sugar will work just as well. No need to leave the kitchen looking for agents to use.

[nickayary]

If you are aiming to remove tea stains from good china, you use salt that is just damp with water and rub it over the surface. Sugar does not work nearly as well.

[moopogyOvenny]

If you are aiming to remove tea stains from good china, you use salt that is just damp with water and rub it over the surface. Sugar does not work nearly as well.

salt is also less expensive.

[mirzaterak]

Well I wonder what the physics/chemistry of that is then? I can see it working on an aluminium pot by reaction with the pot, but have no idea why that would work on stainless steel.

I don't know**

I thought that it might work by reacting with the burnt bits rather than the pot itself.

this site doesn't explain it but does use a similar method
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-...ng-pans-140547

this one suggests using a reaction between vinegar and bi-carb



** one of the Infinite monkey shows one of the scientists says "I don't know" is one of the most common things scientists say. I like it. This should not be taken to imply I am a scientist of have any hope of knowing at all, anything. I'll just go clean and fill a water dish then ...

[Morageort]

This is the same as what happens in a tumbler. Sugar will work just as well. No need to leave the kitchen looking for agents to use.

I wasn't aware of sugar as a cleaning agent, but salt, yes, use it all the time here on china, fine and disappointingly not-so-fine-as-I-had-hoped china too.

[nickayary]

My not so fine china does not get the salt treatment because i put it through the dishwasher

[Patgaepx]

this one suggests using a reaction between vinegar and bi-carb



...

You see this all the time on the "alternative ways of cleaning things" articles, not sure what neutralising your cleaning vinegar with bi carb would do apart from lots of froth.
"Ooooh look lots of froth it must be real powerful magic"
What is the result of this reaction? I know CO2 in the froth but anything else useful?

[moopogyOvenny]

You see this all the time on the "alternative ways of cleaning things" articles, not sure what neutralising your cleaning vinegar with bi carb would do apart from lots of froth.
"Ooooh look lots of froth it must be real powerful magic"
What is the result of this reaction? I know CO2 in the froth but anything else useful?

The mechanical action of frothing can be useful.

[nickayary]

There might be some value in applying a paste of bicarb, leaving to sit for a while and then rinsing off with vinegar.

I do not see much value in mixing them first, unless you have a particular need for a dilute solution of sodium acetate.

[Ndptbudd]

You see this all the time on the "alternative ways of cleaning things" articles, not sure what neutralising your cleaning vinegar with bi carb would do apart from lots of froth.
"Ooooh look lots of froth it must be real powerful magic"
What is the result of this reaction? I know CO2 in the froth but anything else useful?

The sodium acetate solution is a buffer. I seem to recall some discussion of this being useful in some circumstances.

On the stainless steel issue though, I have been thinking about possible reactions with the bicarbonate paste and it occurs to me that the inert nature of stainless steel is due to a fine film of chromium oxide on the surface. This film could react with an alkaline reagent, which would include not just the bicarb paste, but dishwasher detergent as suggested by Ilago.

This link from an appliance manufacturer supports that view I think in that they say caustic reagents will remove the oxide film. Their mention of sodium bicarbonate as a cleaning agent seems to involve using it as a mild abrasive though as they talk of agitation.

[nickayary]

The acetate solution is only a buffer if you have added enough vinegar that about half of the acetic acid reacted with the bicarbonate and the other half is still in solution.

[Ndptbudd]

The acetate solution is only a buffer if you have added enough vinegar that about half of the acetic acid reacted with the bicarbonate and the other half is still in solution.

That might be hard to achieve in practice.

Another thought is that the carbon-like film might have a few dangling hydroxyl and carboxyl groups that might react with an alkaline reagent, leading to disruption of the structure of the the deposit.

[moopogyOvenny]

That might be hard to achieve in practice.

Another thought is that the carbon-like film might have a few dangling hydroxyl and carboxyl groups that might react with an alkaline reagent, leading to disruption of the structure of the the deposit.

All that is required is to break the bond with the steel. Any disruption is likely to be at or near this point.

Ultrasonics will do it. Thus there may be something in the fizz bomb.

[buIf6yoW]

Use the boiled water but add liquid detergent to it. If that leaves some, then get some (sorry Aunty) Gumption, the paste cleaner for such applications. You may need to go to a Hardware store for it.

I usually put about 2cm of water in my pans, get it boiling, turn the heat off and then some dishwashing detergent and leave overnight to help soften and soak off burnt on bits.

[Edqpdnuu]

Use the boiled water but add liquid detergent to it. If that leaves some, then get some (sorry Aunty) Gumption, the paste cleaner for such applications. You may need to go to a Hardware store for it.

I usually put about 2cm of water in my pans, get it boiling, turn the heat off and then some dishwashing detergent and leave overnight to help soften and soak off burnt on bits.

Yeah I just boil a jug pour it in the pot and add a fair amount of detergent.