White spots on stainless steel pans

[kitchengoddess8]

I just boiled some potatoes in my new Calphalon stainless steel saucepan. I had added a pinch of salt to the water. After I rinsed the pan I noticed a few whitish spots, on the inside bottom. An article I just read said they are mineral spots from salt and can be removed in a variety of different ways. Curious what method people here use to remove these spots.


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[Silversage]

I use bkf.

Barkeepers Friend.

 

[Andy M.]

If you add the salt to the water after it's boiling, you won't get the spots. I have a few and just ignore them.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I use bkf.

Barkeepers Friend.

Is Barkeeper's Friend better than Bon Ami for these spots? I have a can of Bon Ami here.


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[kitchengoddess8]

If you add the salt to the water after it's boiling, you won't get the spots. I have a few and just ignore them.

Good to know that!


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[Andy M.]

Bon ami should work.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Bon ami should work.

That's great! BKF makes me sneeze. I think I have an allergy to something in it.


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[kitchengoddess8]

I use bkf.

Barkeepers Friend.

Is the BKF liquid as effective as the powder? I might have less of a sneezing attack with the liquid.


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[Dawgluver]

I had an inherited pan in atrocious shape. I boiled some vinegar and baking soda in it, cleaned it right up.

You might try scrubbing your pot with a baking soda paste. Or make a paste of the BKF, with a dust mask on.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I had an inherited pan in atrocious shape. I boiled some vinegar and baking soda in it, cleaned it right up.

You might try scrubbing your pot with a baking soda paste. Or make a paste of the BKF, with a dust mask on.

I love your idea of using baking soda and vinegar! I just tried using the liquid BKF with some scotch brite sponges and it didn't work. What actually worked better was pouring in some Bon Ami and spraying the Bon Ami with a little vinegar creating a fuzzy paste. It looked like a science experiment, but the mineral spots were much less noticeable after rinsing the pan.

Did you use straight vinegar for boiling or a water/vinegar mix?

 

[Dawgluver]

I used straight white vinegar.

 

[Andy M.]

Keep in mind these pans are tools in the kitchen and don't need to be perfect. I can live with a salt spot or two rather than agonizing over it.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Keep in mind these pans are tools in the kitchen and don't need to be perfect. I can live with a salt spot or two rather than agonizing over it.

Good point, Andy! I tend to be a bit obsessive about cleaning cookware sometimes It's good to know that the salt spots don't effect the functionality of the pan.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I used straight white vinegar.

Thanks! Forgot to ask...how long did you boil the solution?

 

[Dawgluver]

Thanks! Forgot to ask...how long did you boil the solution?

I just boiled it until it looked clean. It was many years ago. I remember my dad was visiting, and he said you'll never get that clean. Ha! It worked!

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I just boiled it until it looked clean. It was many years ago. I remember my dad was visiting, and he said you'll never get that clean. Ha! It worked!

Lol! I'll bet it was fun to show him the clean pan

 

[Dawgluver]

Lol! I'll bet it was fun to show him the clean pan

Indeed! I admit I was quite smug about the result.