Woman shares simple hack to get tough stains off stainless steel pans: 'This is so helpful'

A 99-cent box of baking soda really is a gift that keeps on giving.

The scoop

TikTok user Kasha (@kasha_home) posted a TikTok of how she uses baking soda to keep stainless steel pans squeaky clean.

@kasha_home When I worked in a restaurant we used Bar Keepers Friend - which I later found out is made with Oxalic acid, considered a category 1 toxin (highest degree of toxicity) by the EPA 😵 Oxalic acid is corrosive to the eyes and skin, and is highly irritating and damaging to the respiratory system if inhaled 🥴 I'm so glad I discovered this non-toxic cleaning hack to use baking soda to remove tough stains from cookware/appliances ✨ Like + follow for more non-toxic cleaning hacks 💚 Sources "US EPA - Pesticides - Fact Sheet for Oxalic Acid" epa.gov #nontoxiccleaning #diycleaninghacks #nontoxichome #hormonesafe #bakingsoda ♬ Stompin At The Savoy - Benny Goodman

In the video, Kasha spreads the baking soda over burn marks in a pan and covers it with a cup of water. She boils the water and brings the pan to the sink while the water is still hot.

Kasha then uses a non-abrasive sponge with dish soap to get the burn marks off of the pan. Those simple steps leave the pan looking good as new and ready to cook another meal.

How it's helping

Kasha said in the caption that she used Bar Keepers Friend when she worked in a restaurant. But when she found out it used oxalic acid, she stopped using the cleaner. 

On its toxicity scale, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency put the chemical in the most toxic category.

But according to Medical News Today, oxalic acid is something that naturally occurs in plants, fungi, and even humans. The EPA even noted this in its assessment. So, what's the problem?

Ultimately, the dose is the poison. Human bodies don't create an amount of oxalic acid that's considered dangerous. But using products containing oxalic acid for a long period of time can cause irritation.

You can avoid all of that risk by using baking soda and other simple cleaners with fewer ingredients when possible.

As one person in the TikTok's comments put it, "I often think 'what can't baking soda do?!' because it has SO many applications!"

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Baking soda is a mild abrasive, which makes it great for scrubbing at dishes like stainless steel pans. It also deodorizes and dissolves organic debris with ease.

It's even effective at cleaning fruit and making your car smell fresh. There's never been a better time to add that orange box to your shopping list or break it out of your pantry.

What everyone's saying

A lot of people were happy to learn about this hack in the comments.

"This is so helpful. I've been having trouble cleaning my new stainless steel pan," one TikTok user said.

"I have been waiting for a tip like this!" another commenter wrote. "Thank you!"

"Definitely trying this out ASAP!" a third person exclaimed.

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