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So these are stains that I tried to get off with everything this board has adviced. Still no end in sight. I tried baking soda, citric acid, white vinegar, bar keeper's friend etc.

Does anyone know what these are? First time I'm getting these in 5 years of cooking, hard as hell to get off. I even tried to scratch it off but it doesn't work.

enter image description here

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  • I also have stains like this on my stainless pans.
    – Preston
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 21:16
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    Did they slowly build up over time, or was that something in particular that caused it?
    – derobert
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 21:17
  • I live with two other people in this house and I know my pan was moved while I was asleep - could it be a chemical reaction of some sort? I had it sit out overnight with some Bar Keeper's Friend because I had cooked sausage in it.
    – JackCheff
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 21:25
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    @JackCheff I don't think the issue is getting poisoned, just that the active ingredient is oxalic acid and leaving it long term could maybe start to corrode metal a bit.
    – Cascabel
    Commented Jun 20, 2014 at 22:12
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    However, unfortunately just because there aren't any valid answers, that doesn't make this question any less of a duplicate...
    – talon8
    Commented Jun 22, 2014 at 3:17

1 Answer 1

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These are probably mineral deposits. Boiling water or washing with hard(er) water can leave them.

You can scrub with a plastic pad, use vinegar, etc. I have found that denture cleaner works well for this. Drop one or two tablets in a pan full of cold water, let it sit for 20 mintues, and then rinse it well. A sponge or plastic abrasive pad should remove any remanents easily.

The film will probably reappear in a few months, so regular treatment is recommended. As for the denture cleaner, a generic brand with a hundred or so tablets will cost you a couple bucks. Also good for cleaning stains off porcelain.

That said, it shouldn't affect the flavor or healthfulness of your food.

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  • Denture cleaner is a novel idea. I'd love to hear if that works for the OP. +1
    – Jolenealaska
    Commented Jun 26, 2014 at 17:43
  • More uses for denture cleaner (google is your friend) link
    – JSM
    Commented Jun 27, 2014 at 16:58

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