Non-stick surfaces are great for cooked food because it allows easy release and cleaning. I typically use non-stick pans for eggs and pancakes. My last non-stick pan lasted around 9 years before the Teflon started fading away.
However, over time the non-stick surface can become scratched and damaged, which affects both its appearance and performance. When this happens, it’s time to restore the pan to its original condition.
I did a few things to take care of my non-stick pans and restore them to like-new condition. And here I’ll show you how to do the same.
How to Restore Non-stick Pan
If your non-stick pan is scratched follow these three steps first
1. Check the Warranty
The first thing you should do if your non-stick pan has scratched is to check whether it has a warranty and make a claim.
For warranty policies, consult the pan’s owner’s manual. Some manufacturers might be willing to replace or re-coat the pans for no cost or a little fee.
2. Use non-stick repair spray
If your pan has tiny scratches, you may be able to repair it with the help of a non-stick repair spray. Spray coat an adequate amount on the pan’s interior surface as product directions instruct.
Keep in mind that the non-stick repair spray can lengthen the lifespan of the cookware, but it cannot undo the damaged surface.
3. Re-coat the pan with a professional’s help
It is possible to successfully re-coat frequently used Teflon cookware. This process can only be done professionally because re-coating is done at high temperatures. Remember that professional re-coating services can be more expensive than buying a new non-stick pan.
But Why is my Non-stick Pan Sticking?
Non-Stick pans can become sticky if the Teflon has scratches or worn off or there is an oil build-up.
So Does the Non-Stick Surface Break Down?
It all comes down to this: the Teflon coating on your non-stick pans no longer keeps the food off the metal if your pans are sticking.
The food is adhering to the non-stick surface as it would on a typical pot or pan because it penetrates the scratched non-stick to the metal underneath. This is most likely the result of scratches—possibly small or big.
These are a few reasons the food might stick to the non-stick pan.
1. Overheating
When utilizing non-stick pans, it’s important to remember that they aren’t designed for high heat. Overheating from using non-stick pans on high heat will damage the non-stick surface.
Additionally, overheating may emit harmful vapors if the cooking surfaces of the pans have a weak Teflon covering. Check the maximum temperature guideline by the manufacturer before using non-stick cookware.
It is also important to never heat an empty non-stick pan. In a test carried out by GoodhouseKeeping, Some good quality non-stick pans reached 500F in under 5 mins, and the cheap, lightweight non-stick pan reached 500F in under 2 mins.
2. Using aerosol cooking spray on non-stick pans
Cooking sprays are handy and help you use a minimum quantity of oil. However, they shouldn’t be used with non-stick pans. It leaves an almost permanent coating of the stuff on the pan. This accumulation ruins the non-stick coating on your pans over time and gets harder to get rid of. Cooking spray should be replaced with spray bottles or spritzers. Just fill them up with olive oil or peanut oil for high temperatures and spritz.
Circulon prohibits using aerosol cooking sprays on non-stick cookware and voids the warranty if an aerosol oil spray is used.
3. Cleaning your non-stick pans with harsh agents
Handling non-stick cookware gently is necessary. Food simply slides off their cooking surfaces because of their non-stick qualities, making them simpler to clean. As a result, washing a non-stick pan doesn’t require a lot of effort or harsh cleaning supplies like steel wool, hard sponges, etc.
If you don’t want the cooking surfaces of your non-stick pans to start flaking, all you need to clean them with is soapy water and a soft sponge.
4. Not Using Oil
You should add a little Fat to your non-stick pan before cooking. This oil coats the cooking surfaces of your pans, preventing scratching and sticking. Your non-stick pans’ non-stick qualities can start to deteriorate if you never use oil in them.
How to take Care of Your Non-Stick Pots and Pans
Prevention is the best protection, so be aware of this beforehand and take good care of your non-stick cookware! The key is to avoid scratching them because doing so will remove the Teflon covering.
1. Avoid storing food in your non-stick pans
You should never use non-stick cookware as food containers because this can deteriorate the non-stick surface over time. This practice can also modify the taste of food. So food should be stored in the food containers meant for storing food.
2. Use the right utensils
You should never use metal utensils with non-stick cookware.
One scratch is all it takes for the pans’ non-stick coating to come off. Use silicone, plastic, or wooden utensils only.
3. Proper storage
Your non-stick pans can scratch if they are stored improperly. Don’t haphazardly stack all the pots and pans in your kitchen on top of one another.
If you have to stack them place a paper plate or paper towel between the pans to limit contact with other surfaces
Another great way to store non-stick cookware is to hang them on hanging racks secured on kitchen walls on cabinet doors.
4. Avoid instant temperature change
Your non-stick pans will deform due to an abrupt temperature shift. When your pans are hot, let them cool before submerging them in water. The non-stick qualities of non-stick pans are destroyed by warping. In addition, using a warped non-stick pan makes cooking difficult because of uneven heat distribution.
But sometimes, it’s just the sticky build-up so, how to fix a non-stick pan
How to make a Pan Non-stick Again by Deep Cleaning
Non-stick cookware may get sticky due to grease and other small food particles that may accumulate over time. The non-stick surface’s effectiveness may suffer as a result.
Thankfully, the only thing you need to do to get non-stick quality back is carefully deep clean the soiled areas. MadeIn recommends using baking soda and vinegar to clean the greasiness.
You’ll need:
- Sticky non-stick pan
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Water
- Wooden spatula
Instructions:
- Pour two cups of water, two tablespoons of baking soda, and 1/2 cup of white vinegar into the pan.
- Place it on the stove and heat it until it boils.
- While the water is boiling, scrape the pan with the help of a wooden spoon.
- When you feel the stickiness has come off, turn off the burner and empty the pan.
- Wash the pan with soap and water as usual.
Final Word – When to replace a damaged non-stick pan
Your non-stick cookware will undoubtedly stop being non-stick if it becomes scratched and peels.
Multiple health research articles prove that a scratched non-stick can negatively affect your health, so you may want to think about throwing it away and buying new cookware to be safe.
Knowing how to fix a non-stick coating or surface will be useful because it could help your current cookware last longer.
But Eventually, it has to be replaced. Understanding when to upgrade your pan is crucial. The average lifespan of a non-stick pan is five years if you use them as instructed by the manufacturers, though certain high-quality models may even last longer.
FAQs
How do you clean a ruined non-stick pan?
Remove any food or residue from the pan using a sponge. Then add some dish soap and warm water to it and let it soak for a while.
Once the pan is soaked, use a soft sponge to scrub away the leftover food or residue. If any spots don’t come off, you can try heating 2 tablespoons of soda and half a cup of vinegar in 2 cups of water to help loosen them up. While the mixture is boiling, use a wooden spatula to scrape the pan.
Once the pan is clean, rinse it thoroughly with warm water and dry it with a soft cloth.
How do you make non-stick pans non-stick again with salt?
Get the pan as clean and as dry as you can. Put in a large amount of coarse salt. Then begin cleaning in circles with a paper towel that has been lightly dampened and a tiny drop of dish soap. This could take several minutes, depending on the amount of build-up you’ve got.
After getting rid of all the cooked-on gunk, simply wash your pan as usual, and it will be as good as new!
How to season a non-stick pan?
A non-stick pan does not require seasoning because it already has a non-stick surface. Seasoning is the process of heating oil in cast iron or carbon steel cookware until it polymerizes. This creates a non-stick layer on the metal cookware.
