I get that too, on any surfaces that are exposed to heat and are sprayed with a non-stick spray. If I spray muffin pans and the muffin batter covers the sides, it doesn't happen, but if they are uncovered by food and exposed to heat, it gums up.

I can only remove it with something like Brillo...

Annie

I don't use any of the sprays for that reason. Oven cleaner will remove it or you could place the roasting pan in a garbage bag and pour a cup of ammonia in the pan and seal. Leave overnight.

Ann

Ditto Ann's advice. Scrubbing it off is far too much work and will leave scratches.

I use Pa....oops!..."baking Spray" on lots of things, like foikl, saranwrap and even slices of bread and pieces of pita to be toasted for chips....but never on any pan that may be used for making and get some on the edges.
A brillo pad ( but I use SOS soap filled!) used gently has always worked for me....but I don't spray muffin tins nor cake pans any more.
Linda C

The non-stick spray (and some oils) polymerise when heated, ie, they esentially turn into a kind of plastic. That's why degreaser donesn't work.

What AnnT said - I use (fume free) Easy-Off oven cleaner for that kind of stuff. Spray, put in warm oven, let it sit for a bit.

I can usually get of most sticky goop with rubbing alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover).

The only thing I use cooking spray for these days is to keep the snow from sticking to the snow shovel. It works really well. For cooking I give whatever needs it a wipe with a paper towel moistened with peanut oil.

I just used that spray in a bowl for bread rising.
And I don't subscribe to that stuff that bread needs "something to push against" to rise.

LindaC, I don't subscribe to that bread theory either, Grandma used to grease her bread bowl liberally with butter, plop the dough in and turn it over, so it was greased all over, and then let it rise.

I still do that, when I'm baking bread by hand.

Annie

Before the holidays, I found a long unused pan of MIL's that had that sticky resideue all over it. Someone here, and I apologize that I cannot remember who it was, told me to put dishwassher powder (not liquid soap) and boiling water in it, then let it sit overnight. Had to do it twice because these pans had been unused like that for probably five years or more, but it worked like a charm.

Wow! What an eye opener this thread is. Practicly the only thing I use this spray for is greasing the popover trays when they come out of the preheated oven. I like to use it because I can grease the six tubs real fast and get the batter into them and back in the oven before it stops sizzling. Over the years I have noticed this "unknown" buildup. My first worry was that the popovers would stick. They never do. But the word Polymer has me a bit worried. Am I cooking with some type of fiberglass resin?

BTDT: That would be me!

Someone here, and I apologize that I cannot remember who it was, told me to put dishwassher powder (not liquid soap) and boiling water in it, then let it sit overnight. Had to do it twice because these pans had been unused like that for probably five years or more, but it worked like a charm.

It does work well! I use a baking spray off and on so when I get the sticky stuff (seems to be the worst on my glass and corning pans) I soak overnight. Uses less elbow grease! LOL Works on burnt on stuff too.

My daughter also just told me she uses baking soda mixed with liquid dish soap and just enough water to moisten. That works pretty well too, but I like letting it sit.
Call me lazy.

Deanna

Are there any pans on which you would not use the "dishwasher powder (not liquid soap) and boiling water" or the "baking soda mixed with liquid dish soap" methods of removing Pam goo? The inside of our LeCreuset grill pan has quite a buildup on its ridges and around the edges, and we'd love to be rid of it. Does anyone know if that surface is non-stick or plain cast iron?

Ah, yes, Deanna, it was you! I apologize. My memory lately is terrible. And I am grateful because I unearthed several other pans she had stowed away that have probably haven't been used since her move in 2003 and treated all of them with the same method. Only one was stubborn, and I've concluded that it's just not worth saving.

Alice, I'd call Le Crueset and ask them just to be sure.

Sailfish, how could it be fibreglass? "Polymer" simply means a particularly large molecule made up of more atoms than usually occurs in nature. We generally call it "plastic". The bulld up isn't unhealthy, it just behaves like a plastic, that's all.

Alice, calling Le Creuset is a good idea.
However, I bought my daughter a used Staub enameled (inside and out)skillet that someone burnt a ring into the bottom, inside. I soaked it in the dishwasher soap solution (and soaked, and soaked, and soaked). Took me three days, but it came out looking brand new!! I was determined....

Deanna

I find Scrubbing Bubbles spray helpful for this, followed by the back side of a blue scrubber sponge.

Last time I was in Canada I bought a simple two piece plastic hand pump in a kitchen gadget shop.
One just half fills it with olive oil, pumps a few times and sprays whatever needs a thin film of oil.

Every couple of weeks I just pump the top part up and down and the pressure stays in there for days, enough to be able to spray many times more.

I've never seen Pam here, but I wouldn't buy it if I did since I don't know what's in it and with olive oil I'm sure.

SharonCb

Resin for use with fiberglass layup is a polymer. I run into a lot of material that's made from polymers like urethane, linear urethane, modified urethane, most of these products have a skull and crossbones on the can. Although my comment was tongue in cheek. I do have a mistrust in some of the chemistry that goes on in the cooking world. Perhaps my biggest worry is the cheap Teflon on some cooking utensils that ultimately flakes off into the food. Now that this is brought to light I can remember using the product on my Le Crueset Roaster when I first got it. I have been plagued and disappointed with how that has gummed up. Even though I only did that for a short while I now suspect that it was this product that provided a secure foundation for future roastings to add to the buildup. I'd be excited to find that the dish powder and soaking will work on this pan. I have worked so hard at trying to get it off and nothing seems to work.

It only took a few pieces, to include glass baking dish and I decided if it leaves such a sticky mess in pans what is it doing to me! Velodoug has the best idea.

FWIW I use canola spray from Trader Joe's for the rare times I need the stuff. Somehow I picked up two cans of Pam from Costco when I ran out....mistake...

WoW thanks for all the tips Im not a fan of cooking spray but I needed to cooking something lowfat for Hubby now to try to get this pan clean UGH!!

Sailfish,

No, you don't need to be worried. What happens is that, during heating, the oil changes, and the molecules in it start linking together into long chains.

These polymerized oils seem tacky, but generally they're pretty nonstick.

Another way of getting rid of them is to simply bake the pan at relatively high heat.

Oils are made up of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms. IIRC, when you start to heat them, you start driving off hydrogen and oxygen atoms, leaving free bonding points on the molecules, which then start clumping together.

If you continue to bake an oil at moderate heat (350 to 375), you'll finally drive off all of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms, leaving a fine layer of carbon atoms behind.

That is the process by which you "season" a cast iron frying pan to achieve a very durable non stick surface. That layer of carbon atoms is your friend.

When frying a ham slice it produces a sticky mess on my cast iron skillet. I believe it ruins the integrity of the cooking surface. Does the same on stainless steel. I have no problems with other foods. Your thoughts

I use the Barkeeper's Friend for removing this residue. It works perfectly and very little scrubbing is required. I only use the spray on baking pans or casseroles and wipe off any overspray before putting in the oven.

White vinegar and baking soda makes for an easy clean up.

ooooooooooooold thread

It might be old, but the info it contains is still useful. I don't really remember seeing it back then.

I do not use any baking spray that comes in a can. I recently bought a spray bottle that I can use with oil that I have, but I still haven't used it yet. I use a silicon brush to oil pans, and I have a collection of these brushes.

I often do not oil bowls that contain bread dough, and I especially do not oil bowls that contain pizza dough. The dough still comes out easily enough, especially from plastic or glass bowls. If the dough has high hydration, I might flour the bottom of the bowl. I use plastic bowls that have tight fitting lids, and so it is not necessary for me to oil the top of the dough.

This was a trip down memory lane, seeing comments from people we don't hear from anymore.

" This was a trip down memory lane, seeing comments from people we don't hear from anymore. "

I am still here. Enjoying cooking, eating and solving problems just the same.

My cleaning method, especially cleaning baked on stuff from the grill, smoker, BBQ, etc.:

A large plastic storage tub filled with water, add a few table spoons of sodium hydroxide (active ingredient in Liquid Plumber ). Cheap and available from Amazon. Dump dirty things in and simply wash all dirt away the next day.

Sodium hydroxide is highly corrosive and dangerous. You must have rubber gloves and eye protection on and make sure no children can get to it. Sodium hydroxide can kill aluminum quickly, so use it only for stainless steel. The solution can be used many times.

dcarch