Shea Simmons
You didn’t mean for it to happen, but burn marks and baked-on food particles have adhered to your pots and pans. If removing them is proving to be difficult, there’s one solution you’ve probably never considered—and it’s probably sitting on top of your dryer.
It turns out that dryer sheets can remove tough stains, and the process is pretty simple. Why a dryer sheet, though?
While there’s no hard and fast reason (just a lot of anecdotal evidence online), it’s likely the conditioning agents in them that make them so effective. Whenever you soak your pots, pans, or glassware, put a dryer sheet in with them. As it sits, the conditioning agents will be able to soften and lift those marks and stains.
If you’ve got some unfortunate baked-on grime and scorch marks, this hack is only a matter of patience.
First, you’ll fill the dish with warm water, or, if it’s the bottom of a pan, place it in a sink or bowl of water. Set a dryer sheet in the water and let it sit for 10-15 minutes for less stubborn stains. For more difficult spots, you should consider letting it sit overnight. Once it’s done soaking, use a wet sponge to remove the mess. Then, if you want, clean with your regular detergent, and you’re done.
The next time you’re worried that you might need to replace your cookware, you should grab some dryer sheets first.
