Kitchen Talk

[Huntn]

Have you ever... Let a pot of water on the stove boiled dry?

Did this with a copper clad pot, it got very hot and a layer of black tarnish formed on it. I let it cool down, and to avoid getting throttled by the wife who was out of town, I'm trying to figure out how to clean it. About 70% of it flaked right off, but on the other areas it's tenaciously! I've used Tarnex, Brasso (even though this is copper, and Wright's Copper polish and cleaner. It seems to be cleaning up slowly with the copper polish, but it's taking tons of elbow grease. I'm wondering if there is a product designed for this specifically?
For now, I've got the pot hidden away. HELP!

 

[Apple fanboy]

Have you ever... Let a pot of water on the stove boiled dry?

Did this with a copper clad pot, it got very hot and a layer of black tarnish formed on it. I let it cool down, and to avoid getting throttled by the wife who was out of town, I'm trying to figure out how to clean it. About 70% of it flaked right off, but on the other areas it's tenaciously! I've used Tarnex, Brasso (even though this is copper, and Wright's Copper polish and cleaner. It seems to be cleaning up slowly with the copper polish, but it's taking tons of elbow grease. I'm wondering if there is a product designed for this specifically?
For now, I've got the pot hidden away. HELP!

Your dead!
Try some scotchbright. Sort of cloth Brillo pad. It's what they use to polish metal when they make it.

 

[0388631]

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Bar Keeper's Friend and a stiff sponge. I've had this happen to me a few times when I got distracted by a phone call.

Clean it well, then wash it in a solution of baking soda to neutralize the acidic compound and then wash with hot soapy water a few times.

 

[JamesMike]

Do it the easy way, go out and buy a identical pot.

 

[chown33]

Congratulations. You made copper oxide. Solubility:

Mineral acids (hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric), potassium cyanide, ammonium chloride, ...​

Hmmm, looks like the cures may be worse than the disease.

 

[vrDrew]

Did the black tarnish form on the inside, the outside, or all over the pot?

This is last-ditch sort of stuff, but I've had quite good results using 1000-grit wet/dry sandpaper removing "impossible" stains from stainless steel and copper pots. You'll usually have to go to an auto supply store to get this. Don't worry about scratching the pot - at 1000 grit, when used wet, it will usually leave the metal surface as good as, if not better, than new.

 

[Huntn]

Thanks all for the replies.

Your dead!
Try some scotchbright. Sort of cloth Brillo pad. It's what they use to polish metal when they make it.

I'll look for that.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Bar Keeper's Friend and a stiff sponge. I've had this happen to me a few times when I got distracted by a phone call.

Clean it well, then wash it in a solution of baking soda to neutralize the acidic compound and then wash with hot soapy water a few times.

Lemmon squeezy? Lemon juice?

Did the black tarnish form on the inside, the outside, or all over the pot?

This is last-ditch sort of stuff, but I've had quite good results using 1000-grit wet/dry sandpaper removing "impossible" stains from stainless steel and copper pots. You'll usually have to go to an auto supply store to get this. Don't worry about scratching the pot - at 1000 grit, when used wet, it will usually leave the metal surface as good as, if not better, than new.

The inside of the pot is clean. The black is on the outside only. I was thinking about using a solution of bleach and water?? I used it before on the inside of pits to remove a food disaster, by letting it soak, but don't to mess up the copper any more that it all ready is.

 

[D.T.]

Lemmon squeezy? Lemon juice?

He meant it's an easy solution, easy-as-pie, easy-peasy / easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy

The product he was suggesting is this:

https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Keepers-Friend®-Cleanser-Polish/dp/B000V72992

 

[Analog Kid]

I get a lot done with baking soda as an abrasive. It doesn't scratch in any noticeable way, but seems to work better than most things on grinding stuff away.

Do it the easy way, go out and buy a identical pot.

I can vouch for this approach. My grandparents used this trick to replace my goldfish as a kid, and it worked like a charm.

 

[Huntn]

He meant it's an easy solution, easy-as-pie, easy-peasy / easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy

The product he was suggesting is this:

https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Keepers-Friend®-Cleanser-Polish/dp/B000V72992

@Zenithal, thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that and D.T. thanks for clarifying!

I get a lot done with baking soda as an abrasive. It doesn't scratch in any noticeable way, but seems to work better than most things on grinding stuff away.

I can vouch for this approach. My grandparents used this trick to replace my goldfish as a kid, and it worked like a charm.

I'll try some baking soda, thanks!
[doublepost=1473213464][/doublepost]How do you get the smell of old fish out of your microwave?? Heated up some left overs now I'm getting to relive the smell of old fish everytime I open its door. I've sprayed and cleaned the interior, but it's still there! Serious.

 

[mac666er]

Baking soda dude, since you have it handy, baking soda is very well known to absorb odors. They are even sold in packs so that you just lift a tab to let it air and absorb the odour without taking it out of its pack.

I used baking soda to remove odours, including coffee. You can wash the microwave oven tray with baking soda and leave an open pack inside the oven. That is what some people do with refrigerators.

Sounds like you are quite handy in the kitchen when your wife is not around!

I am betting she WILL find out regardless of what you do...

 

[Huntn]

Baking soda dude, since you have it handy, baking soda is very well known to absorb odors. They are even sold in packs so that you just lift a tab to let it air and absorb the odour without taking out of its pack.

I used baking soda to remove doors, including coffee. You can wash the microwave oven tray with baking soda and leave an open pack inside the oven.

Sounds like you are quite handy in the kitchen when your wife is not around!

I am betting she WILL find out regardless of what you do...

I'd like to get rid of the source, but the only thing I can think of is that some particles came off the fish and lodged themselves in the ventilation system, something that seems to be inaccessible.

 

[mac666er]

I'd like to get rid of the source, but the only thing I can think of is that some particles came off the fish and lodged themselves in the ventilation system, something that seems to be inaccessible.

If this is indeed the case, then baking soda will definitely absorb the odour. Leave a pack inside the oven, it will absorb the odour in no time:

http://www.armandhammer.com/deodori...aking-soda-fresh-n-natural-odor-absorber.aspx

 

[Huntn]

If this is indeed the case, then baking soda will definitely absorb the odour. Leave a pack inside the oven, it will absorb the odour in no time:

http://www.armandhammer.com/deodori...aking-soda-fresh-n-natural-odor-absorber.aspx

I've always thought that it absorbs oders, but not eliminate the source, but I'll try it. In this case the source has to be minimal. Thanks!
[doublepost=1473253425][/doublepost]

Congratulations. You made copper oxide. Solubility:

Mineral acids (hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric), potassium cyanide, ammonium chloride, ...​

Hmmm, looks like the cures may be worse than the disease.

There must be a commercial solution that's not too toxic. I ordered the Bar Keepers Friend. Basically I'm looking for something that makes it easy to clean, not requiring excessive exertion. However, the Brillo pads is option 2.

 

[0388631]

Order? It's readily available in stores.

 

[Huntn]

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Bar Keeper's Friend and a stiff sponge. I've had this happen to me a few times when I got distracted by a phone call.

Clean it well, then wash it in a solution of baking soda to neutralize the acidic compound and then wash with hot soapy water a few times.

This stuff worked pretty well. It's got Oxalic acid in it. The pot is not perfect, but much improved. I may give it some more work. Thanks!