Today I really messed up.
I poured 3 cups of milk into my favorite Revere Ware sauce pan, added the box of Jello chocolate pudding mix, turned on the burner, and went to check email.

"Some" time later, I thought, "something smells good!"
"Some" time after that, I more consciously thought, "hmm, smells like chocolate....OMG!"

When I got to the pot, of course, it was boiling over and the bottom was positively scorched. Had to throw the whole mess out.

My saucepan is a disaster. I want to throw it out, too, but, of course, I'll never be able to find/buy another just like it and it is my very special favorite. So, it's been soaking all day, to no effect, and I've come to ask if anyone has a sneaky, hitherto unknown tip for rescuing me and my pot.

I've got Goo Gone, Dawn, SOS pads, a scraper (which didn't help at all earlier).....can you think of anything else that won't take hours and tons of chemicals?? :cry:

Jan in VA

Try boiling baking soda in the pan. Here is a website that tells how to do that:
http://www.essortment.com/home/tipscleaningsc_slmf.htm

Try vinegar and salt, have heard that can work miracles. Sorry about the saucepan - but oh my gosh, to lose the chocolate!!!!!

When I have a pan that I have burned stuff in I dump some Baking Soda into the pan then add some water and let it boil for a few min. Then clean the pan. Use about 1/2 cup of soda to 2 cups water. Good luck.

I have done this so many times over the years it isn't funny. I swear by Bar Keeper's Friend. If you can't find it I will send you one. I get it at Walmart. It is better than anything I have ever had. I have used it for years and it takes everything off.

Pour a can of Coke into the pot and let it soak for a few hours. I use Coke to clean my burners and they come out sparkling clean!

Jan, don't feel bad. You should have seen my cast iron skillet when we went camping a couple of years ago and my daughters decided to bake a cobbler in it in the fire. Don't ever try that without foil in it. It took days to clean it and throwing it in the fire to burn it off did not work.

I have used the baking soda in the pan and then gently boil. Eventually it takes a lot out and brillo gets the rest.

http://razorfamilyfarms.com/crafts/cream-of-tartar/

When I was much younger I used Cream of Tartar. I am not sure I posted the link correctly, but I hope this helps!

The laziest way I know of to clean burnt on gunk out of a pan is hot water and Cascade. Let it sit overnight and it'll be clean or very close to it in the morning.