It's a big mistake: why you should never wash a hot pan

How many times have you removed a freshly cooked meal from the frying pan and immediately put it in the sink while it was still hot to soak in water? Probably a lot. But did you know that this is actually a big mistake?

Household experts say that washing a frying pan while it's hot can shorten its life or even cause immediate damage, such as deformation. OBOZ.UA explains what the problem is.

The cause of the trouble can be the so-called thermal shock, which is the tendency of a material to contract and expand unevenly in response to temperature changes. With cookware, this can happen when an object undergoes a rapid and significant temperature change: from hot to cold or vice versa. For example, if you take a red-hot frying pan that can be heated to 200 degrees or more and place it under a stream of water with a temperature of 50 degrees, the difference will be very large. This sudden cooling can cause the pan to deform so much that it no longer distributes heat evenly for proper cooking.

Manufacturers often warn that non-stick pans should not be exposed to such effects. But in fact, this rule applies to any cookware, including those made of stainless steel or cast iron. Here's how to properly clean different types of pans.

Non-stick

Non-stick cookware is particularly susceptible to deformation due to thermal shock because it is usually lighter than stainless steel or cast iron pans. This is why it is important to let such items cool to room temperature before immersing them in water.

Further, manufacturers recommend hand washing such cookware. They should be cleaned thoroughly so that no food particles remain on the surface. Therefore, do not delay washing a non-stick pan. However, never clean it with hard tools or abrasives. Instead, use soft-bristled sponges or brushes and liquids or gels.

Cast iron

Care after cleaning is important if you use a cast iron pan as it is prone to rusting. Before cleaning the pan, let it cool down enough to be comfortable to touch. But do not wait until it is completely cool. During this time, pieces of food may dry to the surface. Wipe the pan with a sponge or cloth. If you have removed all the food residue, you are done. Further cleaning of the pan will only degrade the surface quality.

However, if food particles remain stuck to the pan, wash it with warm water using a bamboo brush. Then dry it with a towel and heat it over low heat for 10 minutes. As a result, all remaining water particles will evaporate from the surface. While it is hot, rub the pan with a little oil or cast iron cleaner. Let the pan cool down and put it away for storage.

Stainless steel

Cleaning stainless steel cookware is relatively easy. You can wash it by hand with soap and water or put it in the dishwasher. The main thing to remember is that stainless steel pans and pots are resistant to corrosion, but not completely protected from it. Therefore, try not to soak them for a long time. Wash such dishes as soon as possible and wipe them dry afterwards.

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