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From: reid@Glacier.ARPA (Brian Reid)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Out Damn Spot!
Message-ID: <10495@Glacier.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 8-Aug-85 00:27:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: Glacier.10495
Posted: Thu Aug  8 00:27:45 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 11-Aug-85 06:33:16 EDT
References: <5543@tekecs.UUCP> <10031@Glacier.ARPA> <968@yale.ARPA> <674@cvl.UUCP> <1094@yale.ARPA>
Reply-To: reid@Glacier.UUCP (Brian Reid)
Distribution: net
Organization: Stanford University, Computer Systems Lab
Lines: 47
Summary: Look, do you really want to get your pans clean? Good. Read on.

I think that a number of people thought I was either kidding, crazy, (or
both) with my posting explaining how to clean pans with hot ammonia. I am
quite serious. I am also not crazy. I do not run unnecessary risks.

I do not pressure-cook with ammonia. I use my pressure canner because it is
the largest pot I own (40 quarts), and because it can seal neatly to prevent
the leak of ammonia into the kitchen. When I am canning with it, I use the
burner on high and I run the pan up to 15 pounds of pressure. When I am
using it as a cleaning cauldron I keep the burner on the lowest simmer, just
enough to keep the ammonia warm enough to do its thing.

I assert that there are many common household substances that are much more
dangerous than ammonia. I wouldn't trust my 2-year-old daughter anywhere
near it, but it isn't going to kill her or even badly injure her unless she
decides to go swimming in it, and even then, the worst danger she faces is
not chemical damage but scalding. Dishwasher soap is much more toxic than
household-strength ammonia. So are laundry enzymes like Biz. So is drano,
but everybody knows that. So is silver polish. So is Clorox.  So are toilet
bowl cleaners, and bathroom lime-removers, and those little blue things that
you put in your toilet to turn the water blue and cause your friends to
think you are a good housekeeper. (And for God's sake, please don't ever mix
Clorox and ammonia--it liberates poisonous gas).

I posted that note with the expectation that people would understand what
the technique is for. If you have a wimpy little spot in your pan that you
can get out with baking soda, then use baking soda. If you can get it out
with bleach, then use bleach. If you can get it out with Rotebjorn or Wenol,
then use that. Don't bring in the big time tools until you've tried the
obvious.

If you can't get it out with any of the standard Hints from Heloise, and if
you do in fact want to get it out, and if you are a responsible adult and
understand what it means to say "use in a well-ventilated area", then you
can get it out with hot household-strength ammonia. I guarantee it. Well, if
"it" is any form of organic compound, even if it has been there since 1946,
then you can get it out with hot ammonia. If it is actual oxidation or
chemical reaction of the metal, then you can't get it out with hot ammonia
(but you can get amazing results with X-ray film developer if the metal has
chemically reacted--developers are reducing agents...I don't think I'd
better go into that, lest somebody post a semi-joking semi-amazed followup
saying that you can clean better by using the jelly that comes out of used
Polaroid film...  [you can't--it's much too caustic]).

I do this about once every 3 years. My pots are cleaner than yours.
-- 
	Brian Reid	decwrl!glacier!reid
	Stanford	reid@SU-Glacier.ARPA