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As an example, I made eggs using Gordon Ramsay's Perfect Scrambled Eggs, at the end the pan ends up having a layer of eggs attached to the bottom and sides that is very difficult to wash (not a nonstick pan).

I found some recommendations online, but none of them have worked very well. Maybe there is no good way?

  • Baking soda
  • Run under cold water instead of hot
7
  • I did not provide links to recommendations I found so they can be their own potential answers and get the appropriate votes. Jul 28, 2012 at 19:15
  • 1
    If you think the recommendations are bad, you should really just include them in your question. Otherwise people have to just post things and hope they're not the ones that don't work for you. There are probably things that work in some cases but not for you, and it's no fun for people to have you reject otherwise good answers.
    – Cascabel
    Jul 28, 2012 at 19:31
  • 2
    For eggs, I'd just use a good ol' teflon pan - none of their disadvantages really apply here.
    – millimoose
    May 15, 2013 at 17:58
  • 2
    Also, for scrambling eggs I prefer this approach, on accounts of being infinitely less persnickety. The constant low heat means you can control the consistency by how much you stir and how long you let them cook.
    – millimoose
    May 15, 2013 at 18:03
  • 1
    Agreed with @millimoose - the only reason not to use non-stick would be that you don't have one. Even a badly mistreated non-stick with severely damaged teflon or ceramic coating is way easier to clean.
    – SF.
    Apr 4, 2022 at 9:11

16 Answers 16

10

That thin layer of eggs sure is a pain. I take a two-pronged approach: immediately after taking the eggs out of the pan I run it under water until it stops hissing. This helps loosen the stuck-on stuff and rinse away any heavy crud.

Then I fill the pan with water and leave it on the counter while I eat my delicious eggs.

After breakfast I rinse the pan again and hit it with a green scrubby (e.g. Scotch-Brite brand - don't use this on non-stick) or the scrubby side of a sponge.

enter image description here

After the soak, the eggs pretty much just wipe right out.

6

Have you tried deglazing your pans right after cooking? If you won't be making a sauce, you can add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan immediately after removing your food. You'll get a lot of steam, and the residue should lift right off the bottom (you may need to scrape a bit). Another way to remove tough residue is to coat the pan in a baking soda paste (make it very thick!) and air dry. You should be able to scrape off the baking soda layer and most of the residue. Depending on the stickyness of the residue, you may need to put in some old-fashioned elbow grease with either method.

3
  • Also: if you're using non-stick cookware, you may just have to use more oil to prevent sticking in the first place.
    – Tim
    Jul 28, 2012 at 19:49
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    with scrambled eggs, you can forget oil. They will stick. (Other foods will do OK with oil though).
    – rumtscho
    Jul 28, 2012 at 20:07
  • I tried this, and failed. The way I am cooking the eggs, does not get the pan very hot, so there is barely any steam. After getting the eggs from the pan, I left the pan on the stove to heat it up, and then put it under water, but most of the eggs remained there. Aug 5, 2012 at 15:03
6

i know this is an old post, but i believe i've cracked this code, if you put an inch and a half or so of water in the pan and let it sit on medium heat for four or five minutes, rinsing the pan removes most of the egg, swiping with your finger, has the rest come off instantly

4

I do get this problem and it is that which caused me to search for an answer. Maybe the problem is of my own making because I mix the eggs into melted butter and cream and use a thick-bottomed stainless steel pan. I don't get the pan heated greatly as this thickens the eggs too quickly for me.

As soon as the pan has been emptied I put in water and washing-up liquid which works well with other recipes. There is always a residual amount of product left and I wonder if this is because the pan bottom is slightly pitted. The best way I have found to-date is to use a surface cleaner (mine is Method - Multi-surface). I spray it onto the residue and leave it for a few minutes then use a stiff brush to clear it away.

2

There is a most simple solution- use a nonstick pan.

1
  • I reset your user name because the old one got flagged as inappropriate. You should be able to edit a new one into your profile, but if you can't (there is a mechanism preventing you from changing your user name too often), leave me a flag with the new user name you want and I should be able to change it for you.
    – rumtscho
    Dec 29, 2012 at 0:15
2

I start with the coarser "nylon wool"-type scrub pad, then switch to the scotchbrite-type. The egg residue can be more easily rinsed from the coarser pad.

2

I once read in an old cookbook (I think the Betty Crocker one from the 1950's) to wash dishes used to cook eggs with cold water, not warm water, because the cold water keeps the egg from baking on to the pan even more than it already has. I tried it, and this definitely works! After removing all the egg residue, you can then wash it with warm water.

The vinegar would definitely get rid of that nasty egg smell!

1

Strong ammonia solution will dissolve caked-on eggs (and cheese) to some extent. It does not attack the nonstick or enamel coating, iron, or steel, but it will attack aluminium, so don't try it on an aluminium pan. Read the safety instructions.

Shake off as much water as you can so that the ammonia does not get diluted, and do the job in a well ventilated place wearing rubber gloves. Splash about 60ml / 2oz of strong ammonia in the pan, swirl it around, leave it outside with the lid on for an hour or so. A swirl every now and then helps. Throw the ammonia down the drain, rinse with water, then get to cleaning the pan conventionally.

0

cook rhubarb in the saucepan afterwards

0

I don't care for scrubbing. Too much work, and you end up with a scrubber that looks vile. Try this instead: Rinse the eggy pan, add Washing Soda and 2 drops of dish wash soap. Now push the solids around with a soft spatula. How nicely the residue sort of rolls up and liquifies! Scrape the pan bottom with a steel spatula if necessary. Let it stand for a few minutes. The gunk will come off easily when you rub with a soapy wash cloth under a trickle of running water.

Washing Soda is basically sodium carbonate, is my impression.(I use "Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda". In my part of the world it comes in a yellow cardboard box.) Maybe Baking Soda would work too? (That is bicarbonate of soda.) I'm going to try the Ammonia idea someone contributed.

Do NOT use non-stick pans! You very well know that the non-stick coating wears off. Bits of that coating end up inside of anyone who eats your cooking. Assuredly, we were not built to ingest those man-made scrapings. For the love of your descendants, don't implant toxic waste in your kids' bodies.

1
  • 1
    That nonstick coating is PTFE, also known as Teflon. Many medical implants are made of, or coated with, PTFE because it is biologically inert and nontoxic. Flakes in food can appear unpleasant, but they aren't harmful.
    – apraetor
    Jan 17, 2016 at 18:28
0

Using the pan in question cover the egg with cold water and any vinegar and bring to boil add a good dollop of bicarbonate of soda and leave bubbling away. Using a wooden spoon or plastic spatula scrape around the bottom. Rinse and dishwash Done x

0

This is one of the reasons I used to hate cleaning up after breakfast. However, I've noticed that rinsing the pan first and scraping off the larger particles with a spatula and then letting it soak in dishwasher (machine) soap for a while seems to work better than normal sink dish soap. Then a little scrubbing, rinsing and then repeat with normal dish soap which leaves a nicer smelling pan and rinsing seems to work.

0

Let the remaining sit in the skillet to dry and the eggs will lift slightly off the pan, especially the sides. Then take a paper towel, cloth or non-scratch spatula and remove. Try it. You will be amazed. (No water needed until time to wash)

0

I've just had this exact problem. What worked for me was to coat the inside of the pan with a good squirt of neat bleach and leave it soaking there in my kitchen sink. Each time I walk past the sink, I give it a quick scrub with the washing-up brush and after about 20 minutes nearly all the egg residue is gone... huzzah !

0

I had this problem and used some water and 1/4 cup of baking soda on the pan and boiled it for 15 minutes on the stove. Then i cleaned it out with a green scrubbie and it came out nice and clean. Hope this helps! :)

-2

here is one idea.. putting silver foil in the bottom of the pan, though the eggs might take a bit longer to cook.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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