Nancy Birtwhistle shares her method for making a 20-year-old pan look like new using one secret ingredient
Nancy's cleaning solution makes quick work of even the grimiest, forgotton pans like hers that was decades old
Try as we might to keep our pans looking their best for as long as possible, there's no escaping the inevitable grease and grime that stick to them over time. But don't give up on them just yet; Nancy Birtwhistle has a magic solution.
It's no secret that a good set of pans is an absolute kitchen essential; however, with how much they're used, they can quickly look a little worse for wear. If you've noticed your favourite non-toxic pans have been covered in stubborn grease and fat splashes, you might have lost all hope of returning them to their former, shiny glory.
Don't throw them away just yet, though, as Author and cleaning expert Nancy Birtwhistle has shared her method for completely refreshing a grubby old pan, and it's completely chemical-free.
If you own some of the best stainless steel pans on the market, you'll know that it takes a lot for them to wear down and become stained. But it does happen, even to cleaning pros like Nancy.
"Look at this pan; you see, what I'm trying to do is gradually phase out my non-stick pans, but this isn't new. I found it while clearing out the pantry. I couldn't believe it. I bet it's twenty years old, but I did a fantastic cleanup job on it," starts Nancy.
"Now, when I sorted out my pantry, I came across this pan. It was under a shelf, and I remember buying it years and years ago. And like lots of people, I shoved it to one side in favour of a non-stick pan later on, and I'm going back now to stainless steel," she adds.
"This needs a good clean-up," Nancy admits.
If you're organising your kitchen like Nancy, you may have had a similar discovery; luckily, her method is foolproof. She starts by mixing two scoops of washing soda and very hot water in a large sink or bath, then places it in the pan and lets it soak overnight.
"Okay, so this pan has been soaking overnight, and now I'm just gonna show you I've got an old bottle brush here. I'm just going to show you how easily all that burnt-on grease and fat splashes will come off," explains Nancy.
"For these stubborn bits, I've got bicarb and fine wire wool, just to clean them up," she adds, showing a scrubbing motion on the bottom of the pan.
For the copper bottom, Nancy sprays the entire side with her Pure Magic solution, leaves it for around 15 minutes, and then scrubs it clean with more fine wire wool. Rinse with clean water and dry with a cloth to finish.
