Home cook shares how single ingredient could be the key to the toughest, cooked-on stains: 'It's already eating away'

Typically, tough stains on pans are solved with a lot of chemicals. This is why one home cook creator (@problemsolved) took to TikTok to share an unbelievable method for getting a spotless pan. The ingredient is far from what you would expect: tomato paste.

The scoop

At the beginning of the video, the creator asks, "Are you looking for an easy way to clean your cookware? Believe it or not, it's tomato paste."

@problemsolved Make your pots and pans sparkly clean with tomato paste 🍅 #cleantok #potsandpans #cleaning #problemsolved ♬ original sound - problemsolved

All you need is a little bit of tomato paste and a sponge (this creator is using a scouring sponge, which is rougher and tougher).

Then all you do is put a little bit of water with the tomato paste on the stain and rub it on.

"I'm just using light pressure, and I can see it's already eating away," the creator says.

Stains build in layers, so the creator mentions that one definitely needs to clean in layers.

"Don't expect any cleaning project to be effortless and foolproof. It's usually not that way. But it does just take a little time and patience," they explain.

The creator finishes the video with a shiny pan that looks brand new.

How it's helping

"Tomato paste is acidic, so I think that's what's really working here," the creator says.

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He then continues: "What I love about this tomato paste is it's something natural. It's not a chemical, it's not super abrasive. So it's gonna be gentle, but just the acidity of that tomato is doing a great job. So this is a cleaner you can feel good about."

The OP also mentions that you could use expired tomato paste to clean, which means you will waste less. This way, you could save money without needlessly buying expensive chemical cleaners. Meanwhile, you can rest easy knowing you're supporting the environment.

Toxic ingredients found in chemical cleaners have been known to contribute to water and air pollution, both of which are capable of harming wildlife, the environment, and humans. Air pollution pervading one's house from chemical cleaners can be detrimental to your health. To avoid this, the OP's genius solution is the way to go. 

What everyone's saying

One commenter recalled a science experiment that proved the hack works.

"We did this to clean pennies as a kid for fun," they wrote. "Brought them to new."

Another mentioned an alternative tomato product that also does the trick.

"I had a pan on the bottom rack and a bowl of ketchup on the top [rack] of the dishwasher. The ketchup fell in the bottom of a pan and soaked there overnight. Discoloration gone. Time and acid," they described.

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