Cleaning Enamel Drip Pans and Burnt-on Gunk

I have enamel drip pans or trays under my burners on my gas stove and occasionally normal cleaning methods don't remove all the burned-on gunk if I have been careless while cooking. Not even running them through the dishwasher gets rid of it so I rely on my burned-on gunk cleaner. Mix 2 teaspoons of vinegar with 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar in a small dish (double "recipe" if you have numerous items to de-gunk). Next, use a cotton ball to apply to affected areas (such as with Corning Ware casseroles or lids) ~ in the case of my drip pans, I just pour it on and tilt to spread.

Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes without touching or messing with it. Scrub with a scouring pad and then follow with a wash in hot, soapy water. Generally speaking, this cleaning formulation will soften, if not dissolve, the burnt-on gunk so it can be removed in one application. Repeat several times, if necessary, for extremely heavily soiled burner pans or casserole dishes. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I tried this in that I still had to scrub a bit, but my effort was handsomely rewarded with a clean and gunk-free burner pan.

By Ronsan from Southwest Missouri