How to Get Rid of Those Rainbow Spots On Your Stainless-Steel Pots

Stainless-steel cookware is some of the sturdiest out there, but what happens when those rainbow marks start popping up on them? Does that mean you should toss them?

There’s good news! Not only do those stains not affect your food, but you can get rid of them!

Those rainbow-tinted spots on your pots and pans are caused by the material’s exposure to oxygen. Stainless steel includes a metal known as chromium that helps prevent them from rusting and corroding. However, when oxygen and heat combine, those stains pop up as a protective layer. But it won’t affect how the pots and pans cook.

If, however, you find them a bit unsightly, you can get rid of them using a common household find: vinegar.

Dilute some white vinegar with a bit of water and grab a non-abrasive sponge. Clean the offending pot or pan with the mixture and the sponge, and the oxidized layer should come right out thanks to the vinegar’s acidity. Rinse, dry, and your cookware should be good as new.

Have copper instead of stainless steel? Check out this hack for shining it.

[Via Taste of Home]