This typical household tip refers to cleaning burnt-on grease and soot from the bottoms of pans and pots. Baking powder (or baking soda) reacts with acid or heat and loosens encrusted dirt without tedious scrubbing.

The home remedy behind this tip works as follows:

Grandma’s recipe for shiny pans:

Ingredients: 1/2 packet of baking powder (or 2–3 tablespoons of baking soda), a little vinegar or lemon juice, and boiling water.

Application for the inside:

Sprinkle the baking powder in the pan.

Add a little vinegar or lemon juice (it will start to foam up).

Fill with boiling water until the crusts are covered and let it soak for about 15–30 minutes.

Simply wipe away the loosened residue with a soft sponge and rinse.

Application for the outside/bottom:

Mix baking soda with a little water to form a thick paste.

Spread it onto the bottom of the pan, briefly spray with vinegar, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Wipe and rinse.

Important note regarding materials: This trick works perfectly on stainless steel, enamel, and cast iron. Be careful with coated Teflon pans and never scrub, as this can damage the non-stick coating. Uncoated aluminum pans may tarnish or become discolored by the vinegar and baking soda.