How To Clean Ceramic Pans

Ceramic cookware ticks a lot of boxes for average home cooks: It's nonstick, it can stand up to high-heat cooking, and it's pretty to look at. Inevitably, though, that pristine white ceramic coating will get dirty. Fortunately, ceramic pans are also easy to clean, which goes a long way in helping you keep your cookware looking great and functioning properly.

The cooking surface of ceramic pans is lined with a water- and oil-resistant coating which makes them inherently simple to clean — as well as cook with — because food just doesn't stick to it. Although ceramic may appear to still be clean after light use such as frying an egg, it is always best to clean the pan after cooking. Tiny food particles can start sticking to the pan when it isn't cleaned, which can lead to discoloration and build-up you want to avoid.

To clean the pan, it's as simple as washing any other dish in the sink. Using warm water, dish soap, and a light sponge, just scrub the surfaces to remove any oil and debris, rinse it, then wipe it with a dish rag or let it air dry. If you prefer to use the dishwasher, be sure to check your brand of ceramic pan to make sure it's dishwasher-safe. Another thing you must be sure to do is never use an abrasive scrub like steel wool or nylon — even if you feel a deeper cleaning is necessary. This will needlessly damage the coating of your ceramic pan.

Now that you know the danger of using abrasive scrubs with ceramic, it's time to learn how best to properly deep clean your pan to keep it looking good as new. Everyone burns their food from time to time, and even ceramic cookware isn't immune to some discoloration as a result. In these cases, the first thing you should do is let the pan soak in warm, soapy water for up to 30 minutes. Then, remove the pan and sprinkle baking soda on the spots that need deep cleaning. Using a damp sponge, start scrubbing the baking soda into the pan to form a paste on which you will then pour some white vinegar. The combination of these common household items will create a reaction that can loosen up burned bits of food, allowing you to wipe them away with soap and water.

If you find that some spots are particularly difficult to clean, you can try filling the ceramic pan with a solution of four parts water and one part white vinegar and leaving it to soak overnight. To expedite the process, you can also boil the vinegar solution for a few minutes to try and release the stubborn food particles sticking to the ceramic coating. No matter which you choose, follow these steps up with the tried-and-true cleaning method of warm water, soap, and sponge to scrub off the loosened debris.