Have you ever been washing dishes and come across that pot with the caked on food? Rather than burying it in the dishwater, try this.
If you are having trouble removing food from a pot, place about half a cup of water in the pot and place it on the stove. Turn the fire on and allow the water to boil, which is only about 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your appliance.
After the water has reach a rumbling boil, turn the fire off, and pour the water out. Anything that was stuck on the pot is now gone. Now you can wash your pot and keep your dishwater clean. Hope this helps.
By bridgette from Ferriday, LA
This works even better if you add a Tablespoon of either dishwasher or laundry detergent. Especially good for burnt oily foods on metal pots. But beware: boiling detergent in containers finished with enamel can dull the shiny enamel finish.
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If you find food stuck to the bottom of a pan after you've emptied it, simply fill the pan to cover the bottom with water, set it on a burner, and bring the water to a boil.