If you're the type of person who would rather toss a pot with baked-on grime than use a little elbow grease to get it clean again, you are far from alone.
Thankfully, one TikToker is here with a hack that will save your elbow, as well as a little time and money.
How it works
In an informative video, Paige (@lifewithpaigenicole) shows viewers how to save a Dutch oven from being toast after it was used to cook a roast.
@lifewithpaigenicole How I clean my #dutchoven #cleaningadutchoven #bakingsoda #dutchoventok #clean #cleaneddutchoven #bakedon ♬ original sound - Paige | Mama Wife Decent Cook
"I'mma show you all the easiest way I know how to clean a Dutch oven," her voiceover states as she holds a blackened pot and its lid in her hands.
She then explains that all you have to do is fill the pot with water about an inch from the top, add a little baking soda, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, Paige says she turns off the heat, covers the pot, and lets it sit until it's completely cooled.
"Once it was completely cooled, I just dumped the liquid out," Paige says over the video. "Then I put a little bit of dish soap on my sponge, and I just gently wipe it off. Y'all, I wasn't even really scrubbing … I feel like this is almost oddly satisfying."
The video ends with a shot of the once-filthy pot looking sparkling clean.
How it's helping
Tricks like this help keep people from throwing away pots and pans they can't get clean with simple scrubbing and may think are ruined. Keeping items out of landfills is a key step in stopping the rapid overheating of our planet.
American households produce nearly 300 million tons of trash annually, and once it reaches landfills, it releases methane, a planet-warming gas 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Tips like Paige's, which use household items to make natural cleaning products, also benefit human health and the health of the planet. Many popular cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that can negatively affect our health. Also, when washed down drains, they enter our waterways and wreak havoc on ecosystems.
Further, most store-bought products come in plastic containers that are tossed out when empty. About 40 million tons of plastic waste are thrown away annually in the United States alone, only about 5% of which is recycled.
The rest finds its way into our waterways — where it acts as a carrier for pathogens — and into the stomachs of all kinds of wildlife, often leading to their deaths. So, finding ways to move away from single-use plastics is a win-win.
What everyone's saying
Commenters on the post were overall thrilled by and thankful for the hack.
"I had been looking for a way to clean mine. Thank you!" said one.
"Thanks for sharing!!! I forgot all about baking soda!!!" added another.
"This was so satisfying to watch," admitted a third. "Thank you for the tip."
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