How to clean the sticky bottom of a pot with milk

Milk sticking to the bottom of a pot can be cleaned by soaking, baking soda paste, heating with white vinegar, and other methods. The main methods include soaking in hot water, cleaning with baking soda, dissolving in white vinegar, rubbing with salt, and decomposing with citric acid.

1. Soak in hot water

Pour the pot covered with milk into hot water and completely submerge the bottom of the pot, keeping the water temperature at around 60 degrees Celsius. The protein in milk will gradually soften when exposed to heat. After standing for 20 minutes, wipe with a soft cloth to remove most of the residue. This method is suitable for milk stains that have just stuck to the pot, avoiding the use of steel wire balls to scratch and damage the coating of the pot.

2. Baking soda cleaning

Mix three spoons of baking soda with a small amount of water to make a paste, and evenly apply it to the burnt area at the bottom of the pot. Baking soda's weak alkalinity can break down the fat components in milk. After standing for 15 minutes, use a sponge to scrub. Stubborn stains can be handled repeatedly, and after cleaning, they should be thoroughly rinsed with clean water to avoid alkaline residue.

3. Dissolve white vinegar

Pour white vinegar and water into a pot and mix them in a ratio of 1:2. Heat until slightly boiling and turn off the heat. Acetic acid can effectively dissolve calcified milk protein. After the liquid cools down, gently scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. This method has a significant effect on stainless steel pots, but for cast iron pots, the soaking time needs to be controlled to prevent corrosion.

4. Salt Friction

Sprinkle coarse salt on the moist bottom surface of the pot and wrap your fingers with kitchen paper towels for circular friction. The physical friction generated by salt crystals can remove the carbonized layer without leaving scratches. After processing, rinse with cold water to avoid deformation of the pot caused by thermal expansion and contraction.

5. Citric acid decomposition

Cover the stained area with fresh lemon slices, or spray with food grade citric acid powder mixed with water. The organic components in citric acid can chelate mineral precipitates in milk. After standing for 30 minutes, clean with a nylon brush. This method is particularly suitable for the maintenance and cleaning of delicate kitchen utensils such as enamel pots.

It is recommended to use a thick bottomed stainless steel pot and control the heat when cooking milk based foods in daily life. After boiling, immediately reduce the heat and stir. When cleaning, choose neutral cleaning agents combined with soft cleaning tools to avoid scratching the pot body with hard objects. Regularly using cooking oil to maintain the surface of cookware can form a protective film, reducing the probability of food adhesion. If the stain has completely carbonized, the cookware can be placed in a ventilated place to dry and then gently cleaned multiple times. Avoid using strong acids, alkalis, or violent scratching.