What did I do to my All-Clad? [Moved from Home Cooking]

[bookgirl234]

I have two All-Clad pans (8-inch fry pan and 3-qt saute) and both of them have mottled, cloudy surfaces in the pan. I bought them both new at a Williams Sonoma outlet. The started with the saute pan. The first thing I cooked in it was a steak. I didn't make a sauce to go along with it so the burned bits were tough to wash off. I filled it with soap and water and let it sit (I think overnight.) After I cleaned it the surface was all mottled. I thought it was because I let it sit so long so I didn't do that with the fry pan. After using it I washed and dried it right away but I still ended up with the same result. Did it require some sort of seasoning? I didn't get any directions with it because it was open stock and didn't come in a box. Any ideas on what's wrong and ways I can get it looking new again, if possible? TIA!

[Moira]

You guys rock! I Googled "All-Clad stainless cloudy" and came up with this topic. A little Barkeeper's Friend and dobie later, the clouds have lifted. Thanks!

[OCAnn]

oops...see above.

[MRS]

Yup...Barkeeper's Friend will make them brand new. Make a little paste out of a generous sprinkle inside the pot/pan and then use a soft sponge or strong paper towel to gently rub out staining. Also, when making pastas etc...ONLY put salt into the water once it is at arolling boil to avod pitting in the pot/pan.

[TexasToast]

I had the same problem with an omlette pan once. I'd used it to dry toast pitta bread (don't ask) and it was never the same again. No matter how long I soaked it, or washed it, or scrubbed it. But then, I cooked some sausages in it and when I cleaned the burnt bits off, the whole thing was shiny new!

Clean by grease apparently!

TT

[OCAnn]

Boo hoo! My husband used my stainless steel All-Clad frypan to make pancakes on a setting too high...and now I have golden grease stains that BKF can't remove.

Any recommendations?

[Dommy]

For REAL tough baked on grease, nothing beats Oven Cleaner. Just let it set for a while... it will come out...

--Dommy!

[OCAnn]

Oven cleaner (Easy Off) worked & looks new! Thank you thank you thank you! =)

[Dommy]

Glad it worked! However, only use it on REAL emergency occassions. It's VERY toxic stuff and might be too harsh for regular cleaning! :)

--Dommy!

[bogie]

OMG people, it's a saute pan and it's going to get dirty.

If you don't want to deal with this fact or can't stand not having shiny unused-looking stuff...buy non-stick cookware!

[OCAnn]

I know I purchased All-Clad as much for its utility as for its beauty. I know I'm going to try my darnedest to it shiny new for as long as I can (thanks to Barkeeper's Friend)!

[Peter]

Barkeeper's Friend (which is a scrubbing powder not unlike Ajax or Comet but very much is NOT Ajax or Comet -- don't use Ajax or Comet) and a Dobie -- a yellow sponge covered in a white nylon mesh. Do NOT use the green scrubby side of a sponge -- it'll scratch the pot. The yellow Dobie, on the other hand, with BarKeeper's Friend, will take that cloud and anything esle right off of there. :)

[fauchon]

This sometimes happens to All-Clad if the cooking temp gets too high. IME scrubbing with Bartender's Friend will completely remove the mottling & return your pan to new.

[JoanN]

One of my neighbors, oh fool s/he, left an All-Clad 2-quart saucepan in this condition on the floor of the recycling room. I took it back to my apartment and had it looking like new in less than 5 minutes. Bless Barkeeper's Friend. Don't know what I'd do without it.

(Hope my neighbor's not on this board. I'm not giving it back!)