7 Ways On How To Care For Nonstick Pans (2024 Update)

Non-stick pans are some of the best cookware that you can have in your kitchen.

The coating on the interior prevents food from sticking to the surface when you are cooking and this simplifies both cooking and cleaning.

You can prepare your meals with less oil and this makes non-stick pans ideal if you are trying to implement a healthy lifestyle.

With food particles not sticking to the surface when you are cooking, cleaning up the pans later is easy as well.

Such pans, however, are quite delicate and if you want to use them for a long time, you need to do a few things to maintain them.

I use non-stick pans in my kitchen and over time, I have learned valuable tips that will help the first-time user make better use of their pans and make cooking more enjoyable.

How To Care For Nonstick Pans

Here are some of the rules that you need to follow if you want your pans to last longer and save money in the long run.

1. Do Not Use Metal Utensils

This is one of the most important rules when it comes to using non-stick pans.

Unless your pans have a diamond-crusted coating, then metal utensils will easily scratch the surface and ruin your lovely pans.

This means that you shouldn’t cut food on your non-stick pans using metals knives or even pizza cutters either.

You should also avoid using metal spatulas to turn your pancakes or using metal whisks to stir your vegetable blends or gravies.

Instead use scratch-friendly cooking materials made of either wood, nylon, plastic, silicone, or rubber.

2. Avoid Rapid Temperature Changes

Subjecting your pans to rapid temperature changes can cause your pans to warp.

Taking a hot pan and pouring cold water into it immediately is one way of subjecting it to a rapid temperature change.

A warped pan is not able to distribute heat effectively. This will create hot spots which will result in undercooking or overcooking.

This can be quite annoying and that is why you should avoid subjecting your pans to rapid temperature changes if you want to use them for long.

3. Use Scratch-proof Scouring Pads To Clean Your Pans

Non-stick pans are sensitive to steel wool and similar scrapers like metal scouring pads.

You may be tempted to use such sharp scrapers to remove stubborn stains.

Don’t.

The best thing to do would be to soak the pans up for a little while for the stains to soften up.

Metal scouring pads eat into the non-stick coating and in no time, the coating will have worn off and your pans will not be non-stick anymore.

4. Store The Pans Properly

Storing your pans properly also goes a long way in maintaining them.

The best way to store your non-stick pans is to hang them freely with a lot of space between them but most people don’t have this luxury.

Your next best alternative is to stack them up but make sure that they are as far away as possible from corners and sharp objects.

5. Clean And Dry The Pans After Use

Hand-wash and dry your pans immediately you are done using them.

Waiting too long increase the chances of leftover oils baking into the surface of the pans.

Baked oil and grease spots are hard to clean and you may find yourself opting for sharper scouring pads to clean your pans. Such pads remove the non-stick coating.

When you are done washing, dry them immediately to prevent the formation of rust.

6. Avoid High Heat

Most manufacturers indicate how much heat the pans can handle comfortably and this is something you must pay attention to.

Exceeding the heat limit will result in the non-stick coating coming off and this can be a health hazard since the coating peels will end up in your food.

7. Use Softer Detergents

The detergent that you use to clean your pans should be soft so as not to ruin the non-stick coating.

Most hand wash detergents are considered to be soft.

Dishwasher detergents, like Ajax, and bleach are some of the hard detergents that you should avoid.

May Your Pans Cook As Long As You

Non-stick cookware is great for any kitchen. They prevent food from sticking to the surface when you are cooking and this allows you to prepare your meals with less oil.

Cleaning the pans is easy as well and in this piece, I have shared tips on how to care for nonstick pans.