Non Stick Cookware

[Geoff Lane]

Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)

It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.

Geoff

[Jane Gillett]

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.
Geoff

Sorry, don't know of anyone or anything really successful in regenerating a
non-stick pan; I assume you mean getting it back to the state where an
frying egg will slide around.

Suspect the problem is build up of a food layer over the surface rather
than deterioration of the ptfe or whatever is in use now so the frying
content is not really in contact with the non-stick coating at all - just
bonding to the food layer. Thorough washing with detergent, hot water and a
cloth will help someway but I doubt if it is successful in
stopping/removing all the contamination and I don't think you are going to
get the new performance back. I tend to think a n-s-pan will only last a
couple of years at most and mentally cost it over that time which is
hopefully not too expensive. After that time it is still a good pan for
purposes which do not demand the extreme non-stick property eg sauces.

I have a couple of ex-non-stick frying pans which are still useful even
though now nowhere near the original "non-stick". I always wash them with
detergent after use and do not use them for high temperature cooking. In
contrast, I also use a couple of cast iron pans which I use for things like
fried potatoes, chops etc. Add a small amount of oil or fat if needed
depending on how much the food needs. I oiled them years ago and since then
have never used detergent on them, just hot water if they get to a state
where wiping with kitchen paper doesn't do enough. Can be a problem when
helpful guests put them into hot detergent but that's life and by now they
are sufficently oiled to stand the occasional assault. Dishwasher is
definitely a no-no for cast iron imv; dunno about non-stick - anybody have
experience?

Sorry I cannot help but hopefully someone else will be able to.
Cheers
jane

[Geoff Lane]

Thanks Jane,

It is not a major problem, was just wondering if there were any products
on the market that I had missed.

I usually wash it (No dishwasher) in Fairy or similar but I'll try and
give it a more thorough clean.

Geoff

Post by Jane Gillett

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.
Geoff

Sorry, don't know of anyone or anything really successful in regenerating a
non-stick pan; I assume you mean getting it back to the state where an
frying egg will slide around.

[Jane Gillett]

First of all, only a good clean with a cloth (and hot detergent!); nothing
abrasive - no plastic scrubbers for example - they'll gouge the surface of
the non-stick layer.

Next, I'm not sure you can you can really undo 3 years of food polymer
development if that's what it is; no idea what characteristics it would
have but polymers in general are known to be resistant to deterioration
which is why they are used for industrial purposes such as tyres and
electrical insulation and why <dateable> 40 year old plastics still turn up
floating in the oceans and why, IMV and from marine investigation,
"biodegradeable" probably just means polythene bags break down into a
polymer powder not into basic materials and the wildlife in our food chain
just eat a proportion of polymer particles but that is a private hobby
horse! I suspect it is necessary to stop the polymers forming right from
the start with a new pan - thorough washing, maybe after every use, (maybe
using clean hot detergent rather than the existing washing up water if that
has been used for other greases), and always rinsing with hot water so
there is NO chance of leaving any food material to build into a polymer in
time.

Whether it is worth doing that is for you to decide, particularly if part
of the time the pan is going to be washed by people who will use the
existing washing up water and not rinse the pan simply because they don't
rinse by habit. Just a single incident of having a layer of grease at the
start of the next cooking may be enough to begin a polymer layer, I dunno.
It may be less wear on the nerves to accept that you are just going to have
to buy a new one after a couple of years!

Sorry, just my opinion!
Jane

Post by Geoff Lane
Thanks Jane,
It is not a major problem, was just wondering if there were any products
on the market that I had missed.
I usually wash it (No dishwasher) in Fairy or similar but I'll try and
give it a more thorough clean.
Geoff

Post by Jane Gillett

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.
Geoff

Sorry, don't know of anyone or anything really successful in regenerating a
non-stick pan; I assume you mean getting it back to the state where an
frying egg will slide around.

[Stephen Wolstenholme]

On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 22:13:12 +0000, Geoff Lane

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.
Geoff

My experience with coated nonstick pans is that they don't stay
nonstick for long. OTOH uncoated cast iron pans get less sticky!

Steve

[Geoff Lane]

I used to get very little sticking with a well oiled wok so know what
you mean.

Geoff

Post by Stephen Wolstenholme
On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 22:13:12 +0000, Geoff Lane

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.
Geoff

My experience with coated nonstick pans is that they don't stay
nonstick for long. OTOH uncoated cast iron pans get less sticky!
Steve

[Ophelia]

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.

Have you damaged the non stick stuff? ie is it chipped off?


--
http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/shop/

[Geoff Lane]

Don't think so Ophelia, just maybe via fairly careful washing with Fairy
over about 3 years but that sound quite good going by the replies.

Geoff

Post by Ophelia

Post by Geoff Lane
Does anyone know how to re nonstick a nonstick pan that is now sticking :)
It's a good pan so I don't really want to dispose of it.

Have you damaged the non stick stuff? ie is it chipped off?