This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Here’s how to clean stainless steel pans and restore that flawless original shine in less than 5 minutes!

Stainless steel skillets are my best friends in the kitchen! They’re ideal for searing steaks and scallops, creating that flavorful golden brown crust.

But sometimes, they gather up some caked-on burnt oil along the sides and whatnot. It’s super annoying to look at, so I wanted to restore the original shine.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Pans:

I tried different methods:

  • Obviously, regular dish soap with sponge didn’t work.
  • So I tried boiling water with baking soda in the skillet, like I do for cleaning my Dutch oven. No avail.
  • And I don’t like boiling vinegar, so I skip that.

And that led me to Bar Keepers Friend. Soooo many people comment (mostly on Pinterest) on my Dutch oven cleaning post to use Bar Keepers Friend.

Well, I ordered it (the liquid version – LOVE IT!) and tried it on my stainless steel skillet.

And OMG, it worked magic!!! It took me less than 5 minutes to clean it spotless!!!

Ah, the satisfaction I get from this is ridiculous!!!

General Tips on Cooking with Stainless Steel Pans:

  1. Always preheat your skillet on medium heat before adding the oil
  2. Then add oil to the hot pan and heat the oil before adding the food. This way food won’t stick to the pan too much.
  3. When you’re searing steak (or scallop, for example), don’t force the food to unstick. It’ll usually unstick easily, once it’s fully seared.
  4. Don’t pour cold water into a hot pan to clean.
  5. If too much food stuck to the bottom, add a little water, bring it to a boil and then turn the stove off and let it soak for half hour or so. It’ll be much easier to clean.