I shined my pans!!!
Want to know how I did it?
With this
Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap with tea tree!!
However I was running a little low.
But even with that itty bitty amount I was still able to shine one corner.
Just dump it on and start scrubbing.
It did take quite a bit of scrubbing but I think it was worth it.
Also, if you have not purchased Dr. Bronner's soap before, it is fairly expensive.
(my daughter has allergies to soap and this is the only brand that seems to help)
This bottle cost $10. However, if you are only using it to shine your pans, a little goes a long way.
Does it have to be the one with tea tree?
ReplyDeleteI believe the tea tree has something to do with it. I have not tried any other kind. If you do use another kind let me know how it works.
DeleteTea tree oil has natural chemicals in it called terpenes (turpentine) and will dissolve grease,gum, adhesive, etc. It can damage soft plastic finishes such as doors on your microwave, etc.I sell the NOW brand in my store and it is inexpensive.
DeleteAnonymous, May I ask is the *Now* brand just something you can get a hold of or can it be found elsewhere?
DeleteDo you have a site I an look at to see it?
Thanks.
I work for NOW. You can buy NOW Tea Tree oil at most any health food store.
DeleteI also heard soaking these in vinegar may remove some of the stains.
DeleteI switched to Dr. Woods pure castile soap instead of Dr. Bronner's. It is very similar, but half the cost from vitacost.com As of this post it is $6.97 for a 32oz bottle!!! I purchase lots of organic foods from them too for my little guys, since my local stores are so expensive.
You can get $10 off your first purchase with a friend referral. If you don't have one, you can use mine: http://www.vitacost.com/Referee?wlsrc=rsReferral&ReferralCode=2234027
Thank you, Raylene, for the great tip, just signed up on vitacost!
Deletepure tea tree oil does not work
DeleteTake a plastic bag, add one cup of ammonia, slip in the pan. Make sure pan get wet all over. Leave closed for a while. This makes it very easy to get rid of any baked on stains. No hard scrubbing. I do this outside and layer several pans at once.
DeleteYou can get Tea tree oil at walmart near the vitamins & supplements.
DeleteI don't think I'd order anything from vitacost. In spite of the A+ rating from the BBB, they've had 246 complaints in the past year. Too many for me!
DeletePlain, inexpensive ammonia works the best. It is just hard to find a bag big enough for a whole sheet pan. When you do, soak your pan for at least 24 hours. Then the grime will easily scrub off. It works fantastic on stove burners.
DeletePlain, inexpensive ammonia works the best. It is just hard to find a bag big enough for a whole sheet pan. When you do, soak your pan for at least 24 hours. Then the grime will easily scrub off. It works fantastic on stove burners.
DeleteThanks for the tip I just bought some of that soap the other day to make shampoo with....I'd like to invite you to share this great tip @CountryMommaCooks Link & Greet party.... and have a wonderful holiday weekend:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip. I am pinning this so I can try it when I have the extra $ to buy the soap. My pans look like your before. I am skeptical that this actually works that well....seems like infomercial magical results, but I love the idea of a natural soap being able to do this great of a job!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Wow! Where can I find it? Is it available in stores or online only? Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI found ours in a natural health store but I believe you can find it online for a lot cheaper.
Deletethey sell it at Walgreens in the cosmetics department. It can be used to wash hair, body, clothes and anything else you need cleaned
Deleteyou can get it at whole foods, sprouts, and i think sunflower. catch it on sale and it really isn't expensive compared to other natural soaps. totally worth it.
DeleteTarget carries this in the cosmetic area.
DeleteYou can purchase this at vitacost.com I found Dr. Woods is the same as Dr. Bronners, but only about $7 for 32oz!!! You can use my code to get a $10 off code emailed to you so it could be free: http://www.vitacost.com/Referee?wlsrc=rsReferral&ReferralCode=2234027
DeleteI spend lots on this site because they offer a great selection of gluten free products and vitamins too, which I can't find in my small town.
I tried the Dr. Bonner website and couldn't find it. Where do you get it?
ReplyDeleteYou can purchase this at vitacost.com I found Dr. Woods is the same as Dr. Bronners, but only about $7 for 32oz!!! You can use my code to get a $10 off code emailed to you so it could be free: http://www.vitacost.com/Referee?wlsrc=rsReferral&ReferralCode=2234027
DeleteI spend lots on this site because they offer a great selection of gluten free products and vitamins too, which I can't find in my small town.
I went back and tried again. This time I found it. I looked under classic liquid and bar soaps. Now I'm going to order some. Thanks
ReplyDeleteWow, that is awesome to know! I have some pans that are definitely in need of a little sprucing up!
ReplyDeleteI would love it if you would come link this up at my Pinworthy Projects Link Party.
I buy my Dr. Bonner's at Trader Joe's. It's the least expensive of anyplace else around here that I'm aware of.
ReplyDeleteTarget also carries Dr Bonner's in the skincare, makeup section
DeleteLots of supermarkets carry it, especially if they have a health foods section. Love the peppermint one for a body wash. Trader Joe's does have the best price.
DeleteGood to know. I've got several pans that need some cleaning.
ReplyDeleteI love this soap, but in almond. I remember it from my childhood and have always loved the smell of it. Great to know it cleans pans like that too.
ReplyDeleteA little goes a long way with Dr Bronners. We dilute ours by more than half and it still kicks booty!
ReplyDeleteI read in a "Green Housekeeping" book that you can use this soap for ANYTHING ... cleaning a shower, your hair, your body, your face, and your dishes. It's fairly expensive, but with just a dime sized amount I can wash my hair so it can last quite a while. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteThey say you can even brush your teeth with it...I tried and it wasn't so tasty.
DeleteThis is our goto camping soap. When we're out for days I use it to wash my hair, body, for dishes, washing hands. I personally don't brush my teeth with it, but it's great for everything else and it's completely biodegradable which is very important to us.
DeleteThis is our goto camping soap. When we're out for days I use it to wash my hair, body, for dishes, washing hands. I personally don't brush my teeth with it, but it's great for everything else and it's completely biodegradable which is very important to us.
Deletetry adding a little peppermint extract, it taste better the minty smell makes every thing fresh sented
Deletemost all of my pans look quite very good. I think the trick is to compleatly and carefully clean them after each use. Mine are a bit scratchy but all clean all over. I think you can over do this. one of my square cake pans have a few small holes up near the rim I have a few thin spots that you can see light though. but when tarnished with baked on stuff.. the best thing to do is to dow what it takes to get them clean and shiny..
ReplyDeleteOh my pans could sure use this! I hope I can find that Dr. Bronners around here! Great tip!
ReplyDeleteI use Dr. Bronners for everything! I water it down and refill my foam pump hand dispensers, I make my own multi-surface cleaner with it. I try to stock up when Whole Foods has their half off sales because it can get pricey. I never thought to use it on my pans, but I am totally trying it now-thanks for sharing!I am hosting an "anything Goes" linky party right now through Monday night and I would be super excited if you stopped by to link up!
ReplyDeleteKim @ Too Much Time
http://too-much-time.com/2012/04/get-schooled-saturday-18.html
Hi Kim,
DeleteWhat's the/ your ratio for watering it down? I have a big bottle of the lavendar but it clogs up the pump. Maybe watering it down would reduce this? The clog comes out easily when i pump it, but then the force often makes it shoot out rather hard, and i usually end up loosing some of the soap on the shower floor. It's a little too expensive to loose a little with just about every pump! I try to cup my hand around it, but still shoots out too fast!
Kat, I use 1 TBSP per 8 oz water, and it works fine every time!
DeleteI have found that Dawn Power Dissolver works quite well on old burnt on oils. It can be bought in most grocers and Walmart.
ReplyDeleteJust what I was going to say! It works great!
Deletecheri
I keep my pans sparkly clean by using an SOS pad after every use. My pans are 21 years old and look brand new.
ReplyDeleteNothing beats SOS pads!!!
DeleteDo you just use a regular sponge?
ReplyDeleteI bought some today at Vitamin Shoppe. Got an 8 oz bottle for $5.99. Put the soap directly on the pan and started scrubbing away with a Scotch Bride stainless steel scrubber, and after round one it looks SO much better. However, I think it will take several rounds of scrubbing. The soap is amazing PLUS it smells good!
ReplyDeleteI bought a gallon of Dr. Bronner's Non-Scented (more versatile though I bet you can find tea tree there) Castile Soap from vitaglo.com for $36! Free shipping if you spent $50 or more. I also buy all my vitamins (Dr. Christopher's) from there. Great post!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if this can be used in a dishwasher? Since they revamped dishwasher soaps to exclude (the icky stuff for the environment - can't remember the name of it), my dishes come out pretty gross. Wondering if this stuff could help any.....
ReplyDeleteyou can make your own dishwashing soap:
Delete1 cup of Washing soap(like arm and hammer)
1 cup of Borax
1/2 cup of salt (Kosher works best but Iodized with work too)
4 packets of Lemon Aid Kool Aid
Mix together in a large bowl, eliminating the clumps and store in an air tight container, like a mason jar.
1 tablespoon for each load
2 tablespoons if really dirty...
HOPE THIS HELPS!!!
washing soap or washing soda? I make my own laundry soap with washing soda, borax, & Ivory. Love it!
DeleteIf the tea tree oil is what does the trick, then it may be that tea tree oil mixed with any inexpensive soap would work. Regardless, I'm sure I saw Dr. Bronner's at Target.
ReplyDeleteI also wonder if that would work.. I have some tea tree oil I bought for something else just sitting around and some free & clear dish soap... I'll try it :)
DeleteThey sell it online here: http://www.plummarket.com/home/apothecary/body-care/dr-bronner-s-organic-tea-tree-castile-liquid-soap-16oz.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/DR-BRONNER-Tea-Tree-Organic-Liquid-Soap-2-OZ-/350467579315?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51997eddb3#ht_688wt_847
ReplyDeleteIt is a smaller bottle but, very inexpensive :)
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a Trader Joe's nearby and don't mind peppermint, the big bottle is about $9. I use that stuff for EVERYTHING and it still takes me about a year to get through the bottle.
ReplyDeleteI buy ours at Whole Foods, Meijer and Woodman's (3 different states lol). Whole foods has by far the best price for an in store, but I have seen it cheaper online. My husband can't use anything with fragrance, and the oils are extra great for his skin! We only use the baby version, but if the tea tree will clean my pans i'll buy the tiny bottle just for that!
ReplyDeleteI've been using Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap for nearly 30 years. When I was working, it was the only thing that would wake me up in the morning! lol I have also used Dawn Power Dissolver (I really love all Dawn products), but I will give this a try. Always looking for something to make pot-scrubbing easier!
ReplyDeleteI agree - I needed that mint soap in the morning or I didn't wake up or feel clean. Dr. Bronner's is pH balanced - very important for not drying out skin, hair, etc. Since I am not stateside - I order it on Amazon.
DeleteBar Keepers Friend is also amazing for pots and pans!
ReplyDeleteHmm. Never heard of that. I'll have to look it up.
DeleteI've seen BKF in stores by the Comet/Ajax.
DeleteIt IS great for alot of stuff!
Deletecheri
If you have porcelain sinks or tubs, BKF makes then look brand new. Works great at removing scratch marks from everyday dinnerware too. LOVE BKF!!
DeleteYep, bar keepers friend works wonders on a lot of things. I use them to polish up my stainless steel pots and pans, stainless steel sink and even used it to clean up my stainless steel appliances.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe best cook in the town I grew up in swears that the dark coating on her pans is what made her the best cook in town. She got really upset when I tried to 'help' her once by scrubbing her pan.
ReplyDeleteI like the seasoning on my pans. It means they're used and used a lot by a great cook. It prevents sticking just like cast iron. I used to work for a major pizza chain and they would pre-season all the pizza pans just like cast iron pots trying to obtain that golden natural nonstick surface.
DeleteDitto on the seasoning. All that golden baked on stuff is lecithin, one of the things that adds non-stick properties to non-stick spray. I worked hard to get a baked on layer of lecithin (using straight lecithin) onto my loaf pans. They're non-stick that won't ever fail.
DeleteIt didn't anything to my pans. I'm not sure how you did it but mine are still as bad as they were before. I spent 15 minutes scrubbing the same area and nothing came off...strange...because it was just like yours on your picture
ReplyDeleteI love Bar Keepers Friend too!! And it's inexpensive...
ReplyDeleteI'm getting ready to move into my new home this month, and just today I went through my cookie pans and baking sheets and put a few in the "throw away pile" because of those stains that just wont go away! Maybe I will just purchase some of this miracle soap instead.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!!! :-)
Baking soda and peroxide works and it's cheap!
ReplyDeleteDr bronners was useless. I scrubbed for half an hour and barely noticed a difference. A waste of money.
ReplyDeleteMake sure you use the Dr Bronner's with tea tree. It's the tea tree and not the actual soap that works.
DeleteHas anyone ever used it on glass shower door scum? I may give it a try.
ReplyDeleteto get rid of soap scum mix equal amounts of BLUE dawn dishwashing detergent and vinegar in a spray bottle.
DeleteMicrowave the VINEGAR until it is hot (i get it boiling) add it to the spray bottle with dawn. Shake it to mix. Spray while hot and let sit for a while.. (I have hard water due to living in the country. I let it sit for 45 minutes) I used a green scrubby sponge and voila! like new.
It's my favorite soap too, and if you're feeling like you have to pay a hefty amount for it, it is $16.99 here in Canada :)
ReplyDeleteUsed the correct soap, scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. It took off the sticky, awful grease residue, but didn't do anything for the cruddy stains. Disappointed.
ReplyDeleteSounds like it's the scotch brite pads and SOS doing most of the work here, not the soap or the tea tree oil. :\ Bon Ami (which I think is similar to BKF) works great, particularly on things you don't want scratched. Haven't tried it on my pans yet as they're fairly new and not quite icky yet. My mother swore by Bon Ami for cleaning her "vintage" corning ware (the kind they don't sell anymore that could go on the stove & not just in the oven).
DeleteAny corning ware, pyrex, or scratchable bakeware can be cleaned really easily with baking soda and a damp finger.
DeleteIf it is the Tea Tree Oil that does it, can't you just buy a bottle of 100% Tea Tree Oil at a health food store (inexpensive) and add a few drops to your dish or cleaning water?
ReplyDeleteI would think you could. I had the Dr. Bronner's soap on hand so that is what I used. If you do try it with 100% tea tree oil let me know how it works!
DeleteI tried it with just the tea tree oil. I can see some color coming off onto the paper towel, but a small bottle of tea tree oil is $10 (good quality that I bought to use for OCM and other things), so I don't think it would be worth the money just to have clean pans. I wash them and know they're "clean". ;)
Deleteit's the turpentine in the tea tree oil that does it, you can just get turpentine from the paint department at a hardware store. Use cautiously, it stinks and is flammable I think, and you need to FOLLOW ALL PRECAUTIONS listed on it. If you just want a little just to try it, check in the artist department at a craft store for a small bottle. (It will also kill fungus that cause heel cracks, and my grandma used it for various health things and cleaning -- household cleaner pine oil has turpentine in it.) Always used caution around flame, keep away from children, pets and stupid people, etc.. Never use around gas water heaters, gas dryers, furnaces, etc., or anything with an open flame. I would take it outside and scrub out there. Make sure you wash the pans afterwards like you regularly do.
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering what I could use to clean these pans up, thank you for the tip. I just purchased 8oz of Dr. Bonner's tea tree soap from Amazon and will test it out when I get it. Again, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI will denfinatley try this since i have a couple cookie sheets I am trying to save from the trash > < thanks thanks
ReplyDeleteI use a little bit of water and baking soda for baked on grease and it works great. If you are using tea tree oil remember it is toxic if ingested, so be sure to clean your pan thoroughly before use.
ReplyDeleteDo you get the same results with non stick pans??
ReplyDeleteI'll try it! Tea tree face soap took permanent marker ink off my toddler granddaughter's legs.
ReplyDeleteLOL Vicki I read your post too fast I thought it said GRANDMOTHER! The visual in my head was ...hysterical!
ReplyDeleteBuy it from vitacost.com for the best price! That's where I get all my natural products for a better price than any of the health food stores in town.
ReplyDeleteDr. Bronner's is also great as a face wash. A pea sized amount will do your whole face and neck! I put a pinch of baking soda in mine to exfoliate in the mornings. That's all I use it for so it lasts for months!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea... but if anyone of you know. Tea tree oil is deadly to cats so please be careful.
ReplyDeleteI did not know that. Thank you for informing me. I don't have any cats but definitely something to keep in mind.
DeleteFor your daughter try activated charcoal soap from beeyoutiful.com i have really sensitive skin and this soap is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI tried both the tea tree oil soap and pure tea tree oil. It didn't do a thing. I just tossed the pan as its not worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteGreat on floors too!
ReplyDeleteI have also found that a "magic eraser" sponge will work wonders for these types of stains just using dish soap with it!!! I bet with the Dr. Bronner's TTO soap it would save some elbow grease!!!
ReplyDeleteI have also found that a "magic eraser" sponge will work wonders for these types of stains just using dish soap with it!!! I bet with the Dr. Bronner's TTO soap it would save some elbow grease!!!
ReplyDeleteThe ammonia trick works, but you have to seal the bag and it may be finding a bag big enough that is the hard part.
ReplyDeleteBoil water in a large vessel. Prior to boilibg, put a larg sheet of aluminum foil in vessel. add a T salt. SLOWLY pour in 2 c. baking soda - Arm & hammer is great. Put in hyour greasy pan, gtrasy vents from above stove. Any ick, pretty much. Cheap and amazinggg.
ReplyDeleteBaking soda lightly applied, then let stand for 15 min. or more.
ReplyDeleteAfterwards just wash with like you normally would
I prefer to use baking soda. It's more natural although this can work too.
ReplyDeleteSilpats or parchment save all the hassle
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mike. I use baking soda. In a pinch I only had baking powder and that worked too. I just wet the area with warm water and then sprinkle baking soda/powder and let it foam up keep wetting it every 10-15 minutes with a spray bottle filled with hot faucet water. In an hour or so you'll be able to scrape off the whole mess easily.
ReplyDeleteBaking soda/powder is the only thing that works for my glass cooktop. Nothing else gets it as clean with as little effort.
And for soap allergies, please also look at charlie's soap. Especially the powder version. Its very good for laundry, general cleaning and also throwing into the dishwasher. And it is very hypoallergenic. And relatively inexpensive.
Barkeepers Friends does a fantastic job for a lot less money! JS
ReplyDeleteYou lost me at "Takes quite a bit of scrubbing". I agree Barkeepers Friend is the way to to! Super cheap. Sprinkle on pan, add a small amount of water to make a paste and use a paper towel to remove baked on gunk. Very little scrubbing required.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what you use if you have dark baked on stains you will have to scrub rinse repeat it all over again. I use several different methods to remove these stains. A paste of Cream of tarter made with a bit of water , let set for awhile scrub and rinse . Another method is to make a paste of baking soda and peroxide and let set for awhile scrub and rinse . I used the bonner soap and i still have to scrub and rinse . It all doesn't come off , it just looks alot better than it did when I started. I have even used warm vinegar with a bit of dawn dish soap . Of course the big thing here is SOS Pad, ELBOW GREASE AND LOTS OF IT!. So if your not willing to go to the distance You have a choice, toss the pan out or continue using the dirty looking pan. hmm Maybe I will try colgate tooth paste next . I forgot I have also tried Bar Keepers Friend and the Magic Erasers. So plan on using Elbow Grease because there is no magic wand to make the black stains go away. Other than make sure you wash the pan VERY well after each use and DO Not For Get the Corners need extra attention.
ReplyDeleteHey would you mind letting me know which webhost
ReplyDeleteyou're working with? I've loaded your blog in 3 different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads
a lot quicker then most. Can you suggest a good internet hosting provider at a fair price?
Thanks, I appreciate it!
My homepage drastic weight loss
Thanks so much for this post! I came across it on Pinterest. And just in time I might add as I was about to chuck out my baking pans. Instead I shall give Dr. Bronner's magic soap a go. Silly question but I can use the tea tree soap for both my face *and* my baking pans?! That would be so cool...
ReplyDeleteinteresting article about pans
ReplyDeletethank you very much
my grandmother used DR. CASTILLE'S COCONUT OIL SHAMPOO for years. when she died at age 88, she had very little gray hair and her hair was always so nice and shiny.
ReplyDeletehugs :P
ok i am going to just try tea tree oil..because i know we cant get this in Australia..any chance there is a link online to purchase this product if the tea tree oil (straight) doesn't work???? my email is ayclark@bigpond.com.au ..thanks
ReplyDeleteI was able to get the same results as the blogger, using a bottle of peach scented hand soap I bought at the dollar store for $1.00.
ReplyDeleteI remember my mom used to buy Castile soup in bar version, very cheep it had a colored dot in the middle and was loose.. not even packaged. I bet a solution of turpentine/water and dawn + some backing soda would work too.
ReplyDelete