Cleaning Teflon
Wash promptly after use with hot, sudsy water, to
avoid staining. The Teflon finish is not harmed by
dishwasher washing, but outside surfaces of some utensils
may be damaged, so follow label instructions for each
utensil. Remove stubborn spots with a plastic mesh pad.
Staining occurs from charring of food/grease residues
in the pan. Dark, widespread staining, the result of
overheating and incomplete cleaning, may lessen the
effectiveness of the non-stick property. The non-stick
surface can be "renewed" and stains reduced or removed
with commercial stain removers or by the following home
remedy: Mix two tablespoons of baking soda and a half cup
of liquid household bleach with one-two cups of water, or
enough solution in these proportions to about half fill
the pan. Simmer this solution for five minutes in the
stained pan. Remove from heat and check the pan surface.
If the stain still remains, repeat the treatment. CAUTION:
The solution will foam and if it boils over, it may stain
the outside of the pan. This solution is a strong
oxidizing agent and will cause some change in the color of
Teflon, with dark colors becoming lighter. This bleaching
effect does not reduce the non-stick performance of the
pan. Do not substitute ingredients for the baking soda,
household bleach, or water. After the cleaning/stain
removing treatment, thoroughly wash, rinse, and dry the
pan; then wipe it with cooking oil to "condition" before
using it again.
Should a white-spotted film appear it probably results
from minerals in the water and can be removed by
saturating a soft cloth with lemon juice or vinegar and
rubbing over the finish. After wiping, wash the pan, dry,
and "condition" as you did when new.