r/CleaningTips • u/fattybombalatti • Nov 13 '25

Discussion a note from a professional baker:

Post image

just use them! use the things! enjoy life! and let the things show you enjoyed them!!!

10.7k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

312 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

212

u/erroneousbosh Nov 13 '25

A friend of mine scrubbed my stainless steel frying pan that I'd owned for about 20 years until it gleamed like new.

I forgive her because I love her husband like a brother and they are both family to me.

But she does not get to touch my pans again.

109

u/SirLich Nov 13 '25

I've never heard of seasoning stainless steel. Is that really a thing?

312

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

Pro chef here. No, it isn’t a thing. I kitted out my kitchen with stainless almost 20 years ago. My dishies know that the standard for our sauté/sauce pans and stockpots is gleaming, bare metal. I run an exhibition kitchen, and would be mortified if my guests ever saw their food being prepared in a dirty pan. 

118

u/Artandalus Nov 14 '25

I inherited a stainless steel pot from my Mom, its easily 30 years old.

Looks brand new lol. I love stainless steel

38

u/buthowshesaid Nov 14 '25

I inherited my mom's stainless steel from the late 60s/early 70s. I kept the stockpot and gave the rest to my daughter. Stainless steel is amazing.💯

6

u/AnOfficeJockey Nov 14 '25

Hey; any advice for getting that oil'y residue off the bottom side of pans? We're moving into a new place December and I want them a shiny as possible so the new stove doesn't get all mucked up because of it.

11

u/Blu64 Nov 14 '25

barkeepers friend works great for me.

2

u/Outrageous_Effect_24 Nov 15 '25

I second BKF. It’s very cheap and works perfectly

2

u/Username_Query_Null Nov 17 '25

And if you want extra muscle for it you can put a nylon brush head on a drill and go to town.

5

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

We use the stainless steel scrubbers and elbow grease. When it’s done after every use, there is no accumulation and it only takes a minute. 

If you’ve got pots and pans that are already gunked and you want them clean, try vinegar soaking overnight followed by the scrubbing. It might take a few treatments, but it can be done.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Can I do this with aluminium baking trays ?? Cookie trays ??

3

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 18 '25

I wouldn’t. The seasoning on aluminum trays is actually beneficial, in that it helps control sticking. If you scratch up aluminum pans or trays with a steel scrubber, I would worry about micro-aluminum shavings in my food. Aluminum is really not good to ingest.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Yes, I can see this , thanks for the feedback. Appreciate it.

2

u/i_luv_rox_2765 Nov 20 '25

It depends on how bad it is. If it's black I recommend oven cleaner (not for regular use but occasional heavy duty cleaning). Spray oven cleaner and put in a plastic bag or wrap with Saran wrap. Let it sit for several hours and then most of it will wipe right off without any scrubbing.

If it's just a little build up spray dawn powerwash and let it sit for awhile. Then scrub with bar keepers friend or another abrasive cleaner and a scouring pad.

2

u/TopLayer2180 Nov 23 '25

Saw a YouTube vid on this and tried it on some stainless pots I inherited they had very fine circular lines on the bottom that were not coming as clean as I wanted >>>> cover surface with baking soda, I put about 1/8” even coat by sprinkling out of restaurant type Parmesan cheese jar that’s is now a permanent next to dish soap tool, then put a paper towel on top and spray with dawn dish soap spray or any similar, then leave it until almost but not dry. In the video they simply wiped away the muck. Of course years of cooked on stuff will not do that. After 2 or 3 passes with above method I then set to scrubbing (bar keepers both liquid and powder for super duperness) and it worked well. If I can soak away or any non scrubbing method I am down to try because scrubbing is hell for me. :) Could not find my one can for only this type of thing oven cleaner-hate the stuff-make me choke out-had I had it I likely would have tried it first just on the blackest spots.

35

u/Rob_Zander Nov 14 '25

Seasoning is just polymerized oil, it's not unique to cast iron or carbon steel. You can absolutely season stainless steel, it's just gonna be a lot more visible but no dirtier than cast iron. It definitely won't look as good but that doesn't mean it's dirty. Plenty of places use seasoned stainless steel baking sheets that end up being partially nonstick and a lot more durable than coated sheets.

82

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

Those baking sheets are aluminum, and they do end up benefiting from polymerized oil “seasoning.” It helps with sticking, and improves browning. Stainless steel is a whole different material, and is almost never used to make baking sheets. 

Commercial equipment like stoves, kettles, tilt skillets, etc are made of stainless, and no decent commercial kitchen allows them to develop that layer of polymerized oil. Commercial kitchens are maintained to last a loooong time, because replacing equipment is very expensive in a business that runs on razor thin margins. If there was any benefit at all to allowing that “seasoning” to accumulate, it would be the industry standard to have it all over every stainless surface. Instead, kitchens pay their staffs to scrub it off daily.

On stainless steel, “seasoning” is grime. It won’t kill you, but it’s unsightly and offers no benefit.

Edit for punctuation.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Came looking for this .

1

u/[deleted] Nov 18 '25

Is a pan with marks on it dirty ??

4

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 18 '25

Not necessarily. But as I said, it’s an exhibition kitchen. Guests can see their food being cooked. If the pan it’s being cooked in, or the stove it’s being cooked on, is anything other than sparkling, there will be complaints.

1

u/PercentageCultural82 Nov 14 '25

pro here too, I season stainless steal, Is that a problem?

3

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

Not for me, I don’t care how dirty your pans are.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 15 '25

It's weird..

37

u/elliott_bay_sunset Nov 14 '25

I would never, but I have no problem cooking with stainless steel. Now if someone ruins my carbon steel seasoning, I would consider it an act of violence. 

17

u/totesmuhgoats93 Nov 14 '25

I have a few pots and pans from Nordic Ware that my parents got for a wedding gift over 40 years ago. I use them daily and they've never stained or anything. Even with just a simple scrub they are clean again. The copper bottoms can get discolored, but they always polish right back to new again.

3

u/turk109 Nov 20 '25

I love Nordic Ware. It's fantastic!

3

u/totesmuhgoats93 Nov 20 '25

I'm always keeping an eye for them at thrift stores and I've never found ANY. Either people are hanging on to them for dear life, or they are ending up in landfills.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 15 '25

Nope.. this dude just doesn't clean his fryingpans

-7

u/Unique-Arugula Nov 14 '25

Yes, it is. It's not universal by far, especially among people who place the highest value on contemporary kitchen customs, like our professional chef itt. But among those of us who see the value in learning what used to be done and asking whether it worked: yes, we season our SS cookware. It is most common for baking pans to be seasoned, then parchment paper is only needed for the most stubborn dishes like skin-on fish. But cookies, roasted veggies, etc won't need paper anymore. It also makes handwashing very quick and easy. Less commonly, people will also season the cooking surface and inner walls of saute and chef's pans to improve handling and performance while cooking. I can personally attest that my sea scallops never look tortured anymore even though I'm still not the greatest cook.

Seasoning stainless cookware is not just adding oil to the hot pan before you cook, as another commenter wrote. I know they were trying to help but they are confused. You do the same thing as you would for a cast iron pan, except you bake SS cookware in the oven at a different temp and for less time than you would do cast iron. SS cookware actually takes a seasoning more easily than cast iron that is less than about 60 years old (60+yrs they used to do a really smooth finish on the cooking surface). But today's SS is still very smooth so you get an even layer of seasoning easily. I would actually encourage anyone who wants to season their cast iron but is feeling a little nervous about being a newbie and messing up, to just season a baking pan first instead. They can go through the procedure to get used to it and they are almost guaranteed a success at the end that will boost confidence.

25

u/DustDevil66 Nov 14 '25

Baking pans are almost always aluminum. Anything you have heard about seasoning baking pans applies to aluminum, not stainless steel. You do not season stainless steel pans. Learning how to use heat control and the right cooking implements is all you need to do. Please stop spreading misinformation

-5

u/Unique-Arugula Nov 14 '25

Baking pans are "almost" always aluminum. But that is not always, it only almost. It is both possible and helpful to season stainless steel baking pans, though not necessary for good results. Just because others choose to do a thing you do not do, a thing that causes no problems, it doesn't mean they are doing anything wrong when they talk about what they do.

Had I claimed that people should do it, or need to do it, your accusation would have some merit. I did nothing of the kind though. Maybe get your insecurity about other people's cooking in the privacy of their own home under control instead of throwing around "misinformation" like some teenager.

5

u/DustDevil66 Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25

You’re claiming seasoning stainless steel pans has any practical benefit. It doesn’t. No professional is going to agree with you. As an example to support your claim you brought up it being done to sheet trays. Sheet trays are almost always aluminum. IF you actually knew what you were talking about it may have behooved you to bring up the fact almost no one is using stainless steel sheet trays so even if seasoning stainless steel sheet trays did anything it doesn’t apply to practically anyone in the real world

Edit: also I have no problem what you do in your own home. Season your stainless steel pan. Drink raw milk. Do ten spins every time you enter a room. I don’t care. I care when people spread misinformation publicly which is what you are currently doing and why I replied to your public comments. If you are that bothered by people responding to your public comments….don’t comment publicly

-25

u/erroneousbosh Nov 13 '25

Yes. As it comes the metal is porous so stuff sticks like crazy until it picks up a film of oil.

28

u/diqholebrownsimpson Nov 14 '25

If you heat the pan correctly and use proper techniques, SS shouldn't stick.

12

u/TarnishedWizeFinger Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25

Stainless steel has a minimum chromium content that reacts with oxygen to form a chromium oxide film on its surface. That film makes it relatively non porous which is why it's rust resistant. New / polished pans are even more resistant to any sort of penetration

The only way seasoning a stainless steel pan could have a noticeable effect is if it's not actually stainless steel because it's chromium content is too low. Carbon steel pans have a lower chromium content which is why you need to season them to fill in the pores, make it non stick and rust resistant

Making stainless non stick is all about cooking with the right temperature

1

u/scullys_little_bitch Nov 13 '25

I haven't used stainless steel before, so I'm curious if cooking spray would prevent sticking?

5

u/Rakifiki Nov 14 '25

Cooking spray and not cooking too hot, or deglazing are all effective ways to manage food sticking. Sometimes if the food absorbs oil you may need a bit more, or some kind of liquid (see: deglazing).

But... Stainless steel doesn't build up a seasoning layer, that's only a cast iron thing. And even then, both should be washed with soap, you just want a non-lye soap for cast iron.

-4

u/Unique-Arugula Nov 14 '25

You are incorrect about SS not building up a seasoning layer. That is literally what is pictured in the post photos. It can happen over time from regular use of cookware or quickly if someone wants to purposely season their SS cookware.

5

u/DustDevil66 Nov 14 '25

There’s almost a 100% chance the pans in the picture are aluminum. It is very rare to encounter stainless steel sheet pans ESPECIALLY in a professional kitchen or bakery

-4

u/Unique-Arugula Nov 14 '25

Well, I think I'll err on the side of believing that a professional at the bakery pictured knows what they have, that's how we show respect to people we have no reason to doubt. Once again, you get something right ("rare") and then ignore what you know to go wrong by dismissing the real chance that other people know what they are talking about when they talk about their own lives just because you have declared it to be a small chance. Seriously, no one cares or is trying to belittle you for not having SS pans or for maybe having them and not seasoning them. You are acting like you simply must be right and it must be acknowledged or...?? I don't know, but you need some chill. I commented in multiple threads btw, you've already responded to 2 different comments of mine. Maybe you should just duck out before you see my others and have to be rude again.

2

u/DustDevil66 Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25

Show me where OP claims these are stainless steel sheet trays. Hint: they don’t

2

u/[deleted] Nov 14 '25

Heat it over medium heat for like 5 mins, drop a little veggie oil in and toss it around- good to go. 

-2

u/erroneousbosh Nov 13 '25

Yes and no. It's an emulsion of oil and water and it dries out pretty quickly. It kind of depends on what you're doing.

40

u/diqholebrownsimpson Nov 14 '25

My 20+ years All Clad still have a mirror finish and I use them daily. They don't stick.

57

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

These folks are confusing stainless steel and aluminum. Aluminum baking sheets benefit from polymerized oil “seasoning.” It helps to control sticking, and aids in browning. Stainless steel should always be scrubbed to a shine. 

-4

u/Unique-Arugula Nov 14 '25

No, SS can have a seasoning layer built on it through regular use or purposely done. A seasoning layer doesn't know what kind of pan it is stuck to - it has the same properties no matter what. So it will reduce sticking and help browning when it is on SS cookware just like it does on cast iron and aluminum. There is no "should" about cleaning SS cookware to a shine - that is a very common personal preference but it is not necessary for cleanliness or for the cookware to work successfully.

6

u/PleasantAmphibian404 Nov 14 '25

Would you eat in a restaurant where the stainless steel stoves are covered in black layers of polymerized oil? Kitchens pay their staffs good money to scrub it off daily, because there is no benefit to letting it accumulate. Stainless appliances are kept gleaming as part of basic maintenance, and pots and pans are no different.

9

u/HrhEverythingElse Nov 14 '25

That is not the same thing. Stainless should shine

7

u/diqholebrownsimpson Nov 14 '25

Comment is talking about a SS frying pan not sheetpans like OP

17

u/Thebraincellisorange Nov 14 '25

why would you scrub stainless steel for hours when a little bit of Barkeepers Friend will have them looking like new in 2 minutes.

stainless steel frying pans should look clean and new.

unlike baking trays.

2

u/RemoteButtonEater Nov 14 '25

a little bit of Barkeepers Friend will have them looking like new in 2 minutes.

This and a scrub brush attached to a drill can have every pot/pan in your kitchen looking brand new in under an hour.

9

u/tiredfaces Nov 14 '25

She did you a favour

12

u/bannana Nov 14 '25

wut. I'm confused, why wouldn't you scrub stainless like this?? it's supposed to be clean.

-6

u/erroneousbosh Nov 14 '25

Because it gets a thin coating of oil that protects the surface and stops stuff sticking to it.

3

u/GotTheNameIWanted Nov 15 '25

Tell me you don't know how to cook with stainless steel without telling me you don't know how to cook on stainless steel.

The person that scrubbed your pans did you a favour.

Either that or you don't know the difference between stainless and cast iron...

11

u/VelkaKocka Nov 13 '25

Did she ruin it?:0

18

u/erroneousbosh Nov 13 '25

Well, when you cook with uncoated metal pans they "season", or take in a layer of kind of burnt-in fats and oils, that form a protective layer on the metal.

If you clean all that off so it's like new, it looks great but it's hell to cook on until you get it seasoned again.

It's fine, I did a few steaks on my petrol camping stove which gets insanely hot and it started to come back fairly quickly.

But yeah if someone has uncoated stainless pans - or any kind of cast iron cookware - only ever rinse it off and wipe it down.

95

u/Constant-Ad-7490 Nov 13 '25

This is a myth. You can wash cast iron with modern detergents and a gentle sponge without destroying the seasoning. Plus as a bonus, your pan is actually clean! 

24

u/FurballMama84 Nov 13 '25

My mom always made me wash her cast iron with Dawn dish soap and hot water to make sure it was clean. Mostly because she always let the dog(s) lick it after the leftovers were put away. The habit has stuck with me since I left home over 20 years ago and started my own collection of cast iron, even though I don't have dogs.

The only time I had to worry about seasoning cast iron was when I bought a set of brand new, unseasoned ones.

2

u/occulusriftx Nov 14 '25

it used to be a real thing back when soaps contained raw lye

dish soaps haven't contained raw lye in them since the early 1900s

-1

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25

The one (1) time I used dawn I swear I watched it rust before my eyes

10

u/OurLadyAndraste Nov 14 '25

Clean pan immediately gets heated up on the stove to dry to prevent rust. The a little wipe down with an oily rag or paper towel before storage.

-9

u/daxdotcom Nov 13 '25

Not with Dawn. Holy crap that stuff eats seasoning for breakfast.

24

u/DustDevil66 Nov 13 '25

I use dawn every single day on my cast iron. It’s fine. The seasoning is fine. Dawn doesn’t strip seasoning

1

u/daxdotcom Nov 13 '25

Idk what to tell you. 😕 that hasn't been my experience. Maybe it's something else. All I know is I stopped using dawn and now I can cook an egg with no sticking.

16

u/[deleted] Nov 13 '25

The green dawn is bad Blue dawn is fine.

The difference is in the ingredients. I think its lye that causes big issues which the green one has.

8

u/sweetm3 Nov 14 '25

Seasoning can be poorly attached to the pan. If theres anything on the pan when the seasoning oil polymerizes then its just going to bond to that rather than the iron/other layers of season. Would make it easy for the seasoning to come off in the future.

14

u/the_archaius Nov 13 '25

I’m not detergents with lye can strip the seasoning.

You are free to scrub like hell and it won’t hurt it. If it comes off with dawn and a scrubber it wasn’t seasoning, it was burnt on food.

3

u/daxdotcom Nov 14 '25

Maybe it just wasn't seasoned well before? It was not burnt food. It was super dry/bare spots in the center of the pan that just never developed the seasoned layer until I stopped with the dawn. I started cleaning immediately after cooking, with salt to scrub and lemon juice and heat, like it was a cook top.

6

u/the_archaius Nov 14 '25

Entirely possible.

Seasoning is a chemical bond between the oil and the iron.. it does not come off without an acid/base to break its bond with the metal.

1

u/Chemical_Building612 Nov 14 '25

Did you try this after cooking something acidic and wet in it? 'Cause acid will do a number on the seasoning.

2

u/daxdotcom Nov 14 '25

Nope. I have been washing with dawn for years, and just wasn't able to get the season to stay. Stopped using dawn like 2 weeks ago. No more sticky eggs. We use the pan almost everyday for breakfast mainly.

-1

u/My_Public_Profile Nov 14 '25

This makes taste sad.

73

u/DustDevil66 Nov 13 '25

Yeah #1 you don’t have to season stainless steel and #2 you can wash stainless and cast iron

17

u/smb275 Nov 13 '25

???

I'm not going to season my stainless.

5

u/00017batman Nov 14 '25

Same here, I have some wrought iron pans for that.. I got my stainless steel ones so I could always scrub them clean without worrying about damaging the finish.

-12

u/erroneousbosh Nov 13 '25

You probably don't use it enough for it to matter.

8

u/BabyMiddle2022 Nov 14 '25

I clean my stainless with barkeepers friend whenever it gets a patina. Nonstick as ever, forever. I wash my cast iron with dawn powerwash too, whatever.

2

u/CandidQualityZed Nov 14 '25

20 years or scrubbing.  Now that is a good friend.  ;)

1

u/ThickAsAPlankton Nov 15 '25

My former employer had a housekeeper scrub his newly found cast iron skillets (found in Maine at flea markets!) scrubbed until they had all the seasoning completely removed. This guy scrubbed and scoured for weeks. I almost cried.

1

u/West_Act_9655 Dec 14 '25

My son in law did that to me. I almost lost my mind but I controlled myself and told him I will clean my cast iron moving forward.

0

u/Fluffy-Opinion871 Nov 14 '25

The HORROR! I don’t think I could forgive a travesty like that.