Over time, many non-stick pans tend to develop a sticky coating. In most cases, this coating forms due to repeated use of cooking sprays or cooking oils.
Mix One Part Vinegar and Two Parts Water
To make this buildup-busting and non-stick-restoring mixture, you'll combine one cup of water and half a cup of white vinegar. That's it!
Use high proof alcohol (Rubbing alcohol will work) or nail polish remover. Make sure it fully evaporates and then wash your pan before cooking with it.
Sticking is caused by chemical bonds forming between the food and the material of the pan -- almost always a metal. These bonds may be relatively weak van der Waals forces or covalent bonds.
Not all non stick pans are created equal, so they can range in length of life. While most non stick pans last an average of two to three years, pans of a poorer quality may yield fewer uses before the non stick coating wears off. Alternately, higher quality pans may last longer than three years with the right care.
The Olive Wellness Institute team often gets asked questions about this common myth, and the answer is NO, cooking in extra virgin olive oil will NOT ruin your non-stick pans.
You may encounter some bouts of sticking throughout your non stick's life, and especially towards the end of it. In some cases, it's easily fixed, while in others you'll need a brand new pan.
The Fix: To remedy stickiness, place the cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven and bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat if necessary.
Most of the time, stickiness on the surface of your pan means that it's been overseasoned. Oil slowly accumulates on cast iron, and too much of it can cause it to cake, creating a gummy texture that ruins the nonstick properties of a well-seasoned skillet.
Water spots can be avoided by thoroughly drying your cookware after washing. However, if a water spot does appear, you can wipe the surface of your pan with distilled white vinegar. Avoid other types of vinegar as they contain additives that can harm the nonstick coating.
Or Try a “Cleaning Cocktail”
Cookware company Farberware recommends combatting cooked-on schmutz and stains with a “cleaning cocktail.” To do so, add ½ cup vinegar and 1 ½ cups water to your nonstick pan. Then, cook the mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes to remove stuck-on food particles.
Use gentle cleaning tools: To protect the nonstick surface, use a soft sponge or cloth. Avoid using abrasive scrubbers or steel wool, as these can scratch and damage the coating. Stick to a mild detergent: A mild dish soap and warm water are usually sufficient for cleaning.
Cooking over a high-heat
This form of damage is easy to recognise; the non-stick surface becomes discoloured and in extreme cases it will detach from the pan by either peeling or blistering. In addition to this never allow food to burn onto your non-stick pan. If burning occurs the non-stick will be compromised.
If you do find your pan sticking, we suggest emptying any loose food, partly filling the pan with warm, soapy water, and letting it come to a quick boil—then turning off the stove and leaving it to cool. After cooling the burnt food should be easily to wipe away.
Cooking Oil – Cooking oil is one of the most commonly used solvents for tackling sticky residues on stainless steel. Here, you need to dip a clean cotton cloth in cooking oil and rub it over the affected areas, waiting for the sticky residue to loosen.
We advise replacing your nonstick pans whenever the coating starts to degrade or is scratched—or about every three to five years.
If food is sticking to your nonstick surface, there may be a residue on the surface causing food to stick. This residue is usually formed from the natural oils in the foods you cook and does not always come clean with regular dish washing liquid.
Using cooking spray (PAM is the most popular) is a surefire way to ruin your skillet's nonstick coating.
Four of our favorite types of oil to use with GreenPan pans are peanut oil, canola oil, coconut oil and grapeseed oil.
There are a number of ways you can damage a nonstick pan, from spritzing it with cooking spray to scraping it with metal utensils to putting it in the dishwasher.