You could read the thread on cooking in stainless. There is much discussion on how to cook in, and to clean, stainless. Don't worry, your pan can be cleaned to look good as new.

If you don't get better suggestions, then I would soak it overnight in soapy water, then scrape with a wooden spoon, and finish cleaning it up with a blue scrub pad (i.e. a plastic one) and soap.

Don't use a Brillo pad, steel wool, green Scotchbrite pad, or other abrasive/metal scouring pad. Don't use a metal scraper. And don't use a really abrasive cleanser.

People seem to swear by Barkeeper's Friend, I use a similar product called Temp.

Worst case, I'd take it to the garage and soak it with spray oven cleaner or even brake cleaner. But I'm a brute.

Oops, I'm sorry. The thread I referred to is in the Cooking Forum. I got turned around. The thread is well worth reading.

Thanks so much Johnliu!
I'm a brute too, that's why my pan is all messed up already....
It's soaking now, if it's not looking any better after an overnight soak and some more elbow grease with the nylon scrubber, I'll try oven cleaner. If that doesn't work, I'm considering hitting it with the pressure washer after a long soak in the oven cleaner.
Thanks again for the suggestions!

Soaking in soap won't help. Make a paste with Bar Keeper's Friend and after a few rounds of soak/scrub, it'll come clean. You didn't ruin the pan.

I have a few PC stainless steel pans, I used to be a rep, and yes, the bar keepers friend will do the trick. You don't even need to soak. Just wet, sprinkle a little BKF, and wipe with a paper towel. Don't leave the BKF on too long, I think the directions say no more than a minute.

Don't worry! Get some sleep.

Kathe

I was just going to suggest Bar Keeper's Friend...that stuff is magic! My daughter fought with awful toilet stains for years & this is the only thing that finally worked.

I love my All-Clad stainless steel pieces. I only have the big Dutch Oven but I use it all the time. I got daughter the huge saute pan & she loves it. Hard to make the switch sometimes, between different pans.

All my pans are SS. When I've burnt food on it really,really good, I usually fill the pan with water & put it back on the range on hi & boil the water in it for a few minutes. I try to remove as much of the black burnt on gunk with a wooden spoon, working at it as it soften up. Then I dump out the water, get out the Barkeepers Friend & my trusty blue Scotch-brite non scratch sponge/scrubbie & scrub. Sometimes, it takes a 2nd boiling treatment, but my pans still look pretty darn good after 2 years of blackened chix & steak :D

baking soda paste also works great. If you have oven stains I suggested this to several folks and I use it too and it works great. Pour a large amount of baking soda on the stuck food. Take a thick towel and place over the bs. Now pour on boiling water to soak the towel only...not flood the area. You want it very wet . Leave till the AM. All of the stuck stuff will come right up. Much much better than oven cleaner and safer. Also if you have Perfect Clean or other surface that shouldn't have any abrasive then this method works ...perfectly ! :) c

Ss pans are nearly indestructible. Barkeeper's should work -- if not Astonish will. It's an English paste cleaner used for Aga tops and ovens. It worked on my ss sink when nothing else would.

Here is a link that might be useful: Astonish

You didn't destroy the pan, SS just does that sometimes. I usually clean it as much as possible and reuse it. The pan will eventually take on a nice patina.

You've gotten some great advice on cleaners, so relax and get some sleep.

Fear not, Rookie. It will shine again.

I gave my son a dutch oven (SS) to use in his college apt. Oi vey. He brought it home with a layer of black stuff burned to the bottom of it, profusely apologizing but wondering could I get it off? One look and even I doubted whether my magical powers would work on this one.

First, soak it overnight in some hot water to which you have added some powdered dishwasher detergent like Cascade (not sink dish soap) to the water. In the morning, if it won't lift off, grab your husband's metal putty knife from his tool box and start scraping. It will come off.

Then you can shine it up again. Stainless is wonderful and very forgiving. Your MIL will never know. :)

I'll just add to the chorus - BarKeeper's Friend - that stuff is truly magic. I burn stuff on my SS pans now and then, and after washing, there will be the discolorations you mentioned. A sprinkle of barkeeper's friend, a wet sponge, and poof, the stains are gone. I got my barkeeper's friend at a local grocery store - I think they sell it at most grocery stores and discount stores (and high-end stores, but who needs those prices???).

Keep us posted!
AP

Barkeeper's Friend is the first thing I reach for in that situation. I've scoured mine with a Chore-boy type pad too. Last resort is oven cleaner (e.g., burnt popcorn).

I second the baking soda boiling water trick. I just use a thick layer of baking soda, and cover with a very small amount of water and bring to a boil, put the lid on it and remove from heat. leave it for a few hours or longer and it should come off very easy. anything that's left stuck on, I use barkeepers friend. I have the All Clad all stainless and have burned veggies to the bottom of them too many times LOL.

Most importantly what did you cook today in your lovely new kitchen?

So... I am not recommending that everyone run out and steal these but... you know the little samples of laminate countertops that they have at the box stores? They make great scrapers for burnt pans after you have soaked and boiled or whatever you want to do. They don't scratch the pan the way a metal scraper would. After, I just clean it and save it for the next disater, I mean dinner. Besides, I know where I can get another one but don't tell on me.

After you, get it clean, Add a few drops of lemon juice,in the pan, this will take away the discolored look. And keep the stainless, nice.

I've done the boiling water with baking soda added to it to loosen the worst, but Barkeeper's Friend works for most stuff that isn't black and deeply charred. The boiling water and baking soda make it easier to get of that nasty stuff, but I usually wind up using the BKF first to see what it will get off and then again after to do the final clean up.

Good call on the laminate "scrapers" Lynn. I just suggested the putty knife because they are easier to hold on to. Plastic putty knives would work also.

There are always so many great ideas on this board. I will also be trying the BKF next time I have a charred cooking disaster.

If things seem impossible, use some sand as an abrasive and apply with a rag and elbow grease.

That's how we clean pans in the BWCAW on camping trips and how I shine up stuff in historic sites. Stainless steel should be able to handle this; aluminum nested camping pans can take it.

Ammonia works on stainless steet with NO scrubbing. Put you pan in a plastic bag, fill the burnt area with ammonia and then tie the bag closed to keep the fumes to a minimum. I sometimes place it in the garage. Leave overnight, or up to 24 hours. Remove the pan, rinse and it should be clean. This is a tried and true method on stainless. I've used it to clean oven grates with ease.

Thanks everyone! I should have taken before and after shots because it really worked! I coated the inside of the pan with baking soda this morning and added a little water, I boiled it and then let it sit for a few hours. I threw in some elbow grease and scrubbed it with the blue-scrubbie. Rinsed and then used the Bar Keeper's Friend, scrubbed it again and it's like new!

BTW, I can't believe my local Walmart didn't have the BKF! I found it at the grocery store though.

Thanks again everyone!

Imagine my surprise when I couldn't find it at the closest Wal-mart 300 miles away! I found it at a grocery store, too. I got my daughter about 10 cans to stock up on...I considered a good investment since I got her some All-Clad pans! She loves BKF. So glad it worked for you.

I feel old but about 20 or more years ago, I bought a set of Belgique pots and pans at Macy's. I also bought a bottle of SS pan cleaners by the same company. I have given away all the pans over the years and have replaced them with AllClad.... But I still have the same bottle of SS cleaner by Belgique. I use them when the pots and pans get that bluish heat marks. This product takes the heat marks off nicely. I have had really great result with this SS cleaner keeping the pots and pans looking new.

Interestingly, Allclad gets more heat marks than the cheapo Belgique pans.

I have never used Bar Keepers. When I am out of this product, I will get some and try.

Do you know if Bar Keepers takes off the heat marks?

Yeah,,,I have used baking soda for 40 years...DH used to burn stuff...enough said. I knew it would work for you ! c

"Do you know if Bar Keepers takes off the heat marks?"

it does for me on my All Clad stainless pans. They are scratched on the bottom from when I had an electric coil burner cooktop, but have no discolorations.
I did scratch the top of one lid though by using a Dobie scouring pad with barkeepers friend on it. since then I only use it inside the pan or on the bottom of the pan. I don't know if it was the barkeepers friend or the Dobie pad that did it, but I don't want to take any chances LOL.

Rookie, I'm glad you fixed it!

Kleen King! It's made for stainless steel and copper and works like a dream! My DH burns pans all the time!

I have BKF (for my cooktop), but I've always used vinegar and salt to clean the tough spots on SS.

Another great cleaner is PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash), I use it for homebrewing but it also works great on stainless cookware. You could try oxyclean as well, but this stuff is more effective. You could find it at any local homebrew supply or catalog order such as Northern Brewer (Google it).

Here is a link that might be useful: PBW Description