Son took nice, expensive Calphalon pan and put it in a campfire last night. He burned a bunch of blueberries. they are black, and all over the pan. I soaked the pan, and some of it will not come out. I have little black spots all over in the pan. Also the whole entire back of the pan is pure black.

I have scrubbed with Comet after soaking all night, and going after it with a scrubbing pad. Any ideas of how to save the pan? I just can;t scour one more minute. I am pooped, and my skin is getting raw.

Would Oxyclean work? I think I'd read the label or google it to see.

Maybe this trick will help. Fill the pan with water and let the water boil for a few minutes.

What she said, only add alot of salt to the water. You can also use the salt to scour the pan.

I did this to a Calphalon pan of my own. I was making blueberry yogurt. One min. they were fine the next they were burnt solid to bottom of pan. I thought pan was done for also. My husband soaked it in dishwasher detergent. Cascade to be exact. For a couple of days. He got it clean just like new.

Interesting! I thought you were not supposed to put Calphalon in the dish washer??

And just a thought, go to the nearest resale shop and find him a good old fashion cast iron for his campfire cooking.

Be sure to teach him out to season it, he'll love it. He can season it over the campfire! Perfect.

I never went camping ~ cooked over open flame/fire ~ without one.

Iron is the only skillets I'll ever use! My mom cooked and still cooks with them and I have 7 of all differant sizes.

Calphalon recommend Barkeepers Friend cleaner. Good to know as that is what I use on my stainless steel sink as well.

http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/links.htm

Try a Mr. Clean eraser wont hurt inside or out and might get everything off

When something like that happens to me, I find I have good luck when I fill the pan with water, add baking soda and salt and boil for a while. Hope you find a solution.

which type of calphalon is it?

My husband did that just after we bought the Calphalon. You don't want to use anything really abrasive because it will scratch it. I just poured boiling water in the pan and let it sit. It took a few times but it came clean.

It is just the solid silver kind - I think it may be aluminum.

stainless steel is what they are. I just bought some because i got a glass stove top.

try hot water & place a softner sheet in it, let it soak overnight.....Worked for me.....Michele

I use my spray oven cleaner on my stainless steel things- sink, teapot, pans, etc. Even the glass pans.

Try oven cleaner on it and let it set then see if will come off.

Coat the pan with Dawn dishwashing liquid, let set several hours or over night.
Girl Scout tip--before using a pan or pot over open campfire coat the pan/pot with a layer of liquid dish washing liquid.
Makes easy cleanup.

That is just what I was going to suggest.... My DH would do that to the pans when they cooked over an open fire on Canadian fishing trips. The clean up great!

I would boil it on the stove with water & salt. That's how Mom always cleaned the cast iron.

I put Calphalon, Analon & Circulon in the dishwasher all the time. The only damage ever done to my skillets was my sons over-using the cooking spray. There is something in the cooking spray that binds to the non-stick part and ruins it if it's not washed right away. I have worn out my Circulon non-stick pans but it took over 10 years cooking with them daily.

If one of my sons took my good stuff to a campfire--they had better come home with a new set. We have cast iron set aside for open flame cooking & they know it. It's too heavy for me to use.

Try hot water and add a dryer sheet. soak overnight. I don't know why, but I read it somewhere and tried on mine and it worked. Wasn't blueberries but worth a try to save your pan.

i've had success removing burned on mess using a little liquid fabric softner and water - bring to boil on stove - watch it! then let it sit for a while - maybe overnight. i read that in a 'how to' somewhere.

Beliveve it or not I have done this and it works. My sister forgot a pan on the stove and what was in it burnt to the bottom. I read somewhere that if you put a fabric softner sheet in the pan with some hot water and let it sit for about 20 to 30 minutes. The burnt particles will come right off with very little scrubbing.

Fabric softner works to clean off burnt on pans-may need to soak overnight but it does work. Couple of tablespoons in water cleaned burnt of the stainless steel pan.

soak in in a bath of amonia, will be good as new

tdgiffin, To get any burned food out of a pan, put water in pan, bring to a boil and ,being very careful put baking powder in the pan and allow to set a while. maybe 10-15 minutes. use a scrubby on it and most ,if not all , of the burned food should come right out.

Cast iron all the way.
I have about 12 and use regularly.

:idea: Get son to replace it with a new one LoL :lol: and tell him next time to cover the outside of the pan with a bar of soap; it removes the black easily when he washes it later. My mom took us camping alot and that's what she always did.

magic eraser

Bar Keepers Friend, where you get Comet at the grocery store. It is much better and was recommended when I got stainless pots and pans. works great!! also made need to soak it hot water too.

Have you tried applying it to the back of son's head?

Thanks even better, LOL

boil water and baking soda

Try boiling baking soda in the pan.

I have mix hot water with a lot of comet in the pan and let it soak all night, in the morning it will come right off.

I use lots of cast iron cookware, so much better IMHO

Get your son to do the scrubbing! Then he'll remember to use the cast iron on an open flame. NOT a punishment just the natural consequence of action.

No, no, not Comet! That makes tiny scratches in your pot that will always attract burned stuff. Boil a little water in the pot, remove from fire and put enough soda in to make a thick paste. Let it sit overnight, then add some more water and boil again. Most of the gunk should float to the top. Whatever's left should come off easily with a Brillo pad.

I would try some Barkeepers Friend (Wal-Mart sells it by the Comet). Try using it with some fine steel wool. I usually burn my oatmeal in the a.m., and find that this takes it off the pan the best.