Picture this: after cooking your first meal in a brand-new Stainless Clad Pan and admiring how beautifully it shines and handles sears, you notice a rainbow stain on the interior—and your dreams of perfect sears and simmering sauces disappear.
Luckily, this rainbow stain—otherwise known as heat tint—doesn't affect the cooking performance of your pan at all, and is simply an aesthetic imperfection. Let's get into why this rainbow stain appears and how to get rid of it.
What Causes Rainbow Stains?
Rainbow staining is also called heat tint. Stainless steel contains a small amount of chromium to help resist corrosion and rusting, and when chromium and air mix, a rainbow-hued protective layer is formed on your pan.
More simply put, when stainless steel is heated to high temperatures, the oxidized top layer can thicken, which causes a rainbow tint.
Do Rainbow Stains Have Any Effect on Performance?
This is a simple answer: No. This is purely an aesthetic issue, so if it doesn't bother you, then you can cook away with your newly rainbow-tinted stainless steel cookware.
But if you care about having both functional and beautiful cookware, then read on for tips on getting rid of the rainbow tint for good.
How to Get Rid of Heat Tint
If you have a powdered cookware cleaner like Bar Keeper's Friend handy, simply create a paste with some water and the cleaner and scrub it away with a non-abrasive sponge.
If you don't, follow the below instructions to restore your pan to its former shining glory, hold the rainbow:
- Step 1: Pour enough diluted white vinegar into your pan to cover the stain.
- Step 2: Use a soft sponge to work the vinegar into the interior of the pan and clean the stain.
- Step 3: Rinse and completely dry the pan with a dish towel. Repeat if needed.
Your pan should look brand-new after this treatment, and you can proceed cooking with your restored functional—and now equally beautiful—cookware.
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Now that you know how to get rid of heat tint, you're free to sear, sauté, and simmer to your heart's content with our Award-Winning, chef-approved Stainless Clad Collection.
