By Alice K. Thompson for Food Network Kitchen

Alice is a contributing writer and editor at Food Network.

Anyone who cooks regularly has found themselves staring down at their favorite pot or pan crusted with burnt food or grease. Yes, it can look daunting, but the good news is there are very few blackened messes that can't be fixed. Here are the very best strategies for getting any scorched pan or crusty pot back in working condition.

How to Clean a Burnt Pot

The first step is to simply soak the pan. Scorched, caked-on food may look intimidating, but it’s often easier to remove than you think. If 30 minutes or more of soaking and gentle scrubbing with a sponge or nylon brush doesn’t work, don’t worry. You still have many other options with readily available cleaning products like baking soda and vinegar, a tablet of dishwasher soap, steel wool or cookware cleanser.

Be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure your approach is appropriate for your pot. Nonstick pans have surfaces that need different approaches than other cookware; for those, see our guide below. And, if your cast-iron skillet has a burnt-on mess, check out How to Clean a Cast-Iron Skillet.

How to Soak a Burnt Pot

Soaking is your first, easiest and most effective cleaning strategy. Fill the pan with water immediately if you can, before food and grease cool and harden. Even if you want to eat before tackling the dishes, just let the burnt pan cool slightly and then get it soaking before you sit down to dinner. Burnt food will naturally loosen as it absorbs water. Add a few drops of dish soap, too. Soap is a surfactant, meaning it breaks the surface tension of water and allows it to penetrate more thoroughly. Here’s exactly what to do:

Step one: Add water. Once no longer hot, use a spatula to scrape off any loose bits of food, add hot or boiling water to the pan along with a squirt of soap.

Step two: Scrape and soak. Scrape a spatula over the charred bits a few times to help water better penetrate. Set the pan aside for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Step three: Scrub. Pour out the water and scrub gently with a sponge or scrub brush using small, circular motions for at least a minute.

Step four: Rinse and reevaluate. Rinse the pan and analyze the results. If the charred surface is gone or almost gone, and the surface is unstained, you’re done; just give it a quick wash and a rinse. If not, either soak it again, or move on to one of the techniques below.

How to Clean a Burnt Pot with Baking Soda and Vinegar

In addition to being a mild abrasive, baking soda’s alkaline makeup helps loosen burnt food. Vinegar neutralizes acid. Together, these common household ingredients produce a fizzing action that is effective on burns and stains.

Step one: Make the mixture. After soaking, fill the pot with a mixture of half vinegar and half water and bring to a boil. If you’re working with a rimmed sheet pan, bring the mixture to a boil in the microwave and pour it onto the pot.

Step two: Fizz and soak. Stir in 2 tablespoons of baking powder until the mixture fizzes. Let sit for 30 minutes, and then pour out and scrub gently. You can also sprinkle the pan with baking soda only, and use it as an abrasive to scrub, but be sure to try this on a small section first to make sure it doesn’t mar the surface.

Step three: Make a paste. If stains and food remain crusted on, make a paste of water and baking soda and let it sit on the pan for 1 to 12 hours. After, rinse and try scrubbing again.

How to Clean a Burnt Pot with a Dishwashing Tablet

Dishwashing tablets contain enzymes that are very effective at loosening crusty, charred food. Even if you don’t regularly use them in a dishwasher, it can be convenient to keep a few of these tablets on hand for burnt messes.

Step one: Soak and boil. After soaking, fill the pot with water and add a dishwashing tablet. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Step two: Wipe clean. Pour out the water. When cool enough to handle, use a sponge or scrub brush to wipe out the pan.

How to Clean a Burnt Pot with Scouring Pads or Cookware Cleanser

Cleaners like low-abrasive Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser and Polish or steel wool soap pads are fine on most sheet pans and on some stainless steel and enamel pots, but not all. Note: Don’t use products that contain bleach.

Step one: Test. Try a pad or cleanser on a small area of your pan first to make sure there's no scratching or marring.

Step two: Soak and gently scrub. After soaking, use a sponge and cookware cleanser or just a steel wool pad to gently scrub the surface in a circular motion.

Step three: Rinse. Rinse the pan, then wash with soap and water and rinse again. For very tough stains, let a mixture of Bar Keepers Friend and water dry on the surface of the pan, then rinse and scrub again at stains.

How to Clean a Burnt Nonstick Pan

Burnt food sticking to your nonstick might seem like an oxymoron, but it happens. The unique surface of nonstick pans means you’ll need to take extra care to remove it.

Step one: Soak. First remove as much food as possible with a wooden or rubber (never metal) spatula. Soak the pan with hot or boiling water and a squirt of dish soap for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Step two: Use a sponge. Pour out the water and gently rub the pan with a sponge.

Step three: Baking soda as needed. If food is still stuck, you can repeat the process or try baking soda. Bring 4 tablespoons of baking soda to a boil in your pan. Remove from the heat and let sit until cool, or soak overnight.

Step four: Gently rub clean. Pour out the water, add a sprinkle more of baking soda and gently rub with a sponge.

If nothing works, it may be time to retire your nonstick pan. Damage to the pan’s surface means it won’t cook properly.

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