Vent: 10 years of degreasing with cold water

Honestly I just figured out last week that hot water actually breaks down grease better than cold. I've been washing my pans under the tap with freezing water for like a decade because I thought heat 'cooks' the grease on. My aunt saw me scrubbing a bacon pan and just laughed. She ran the hot water over it for 30 seconds and the grease slid right off. Has anyone else been doing this wrong their whole life or am I just uniquely dumb?

3 comments

3 Comments

claire87226d ago

Hot water is actually worse for some pans because it can warp thin metal and strip the seasoning off cast iron. Ive ruined two good pans by blasting them with hot water because I thought I was being smart. Cold water is fine if you just use a little dish soap and a scrub brush, it doesnt take that much extra effort. Plus theres something satisfying about the cold water cutting through the grease without leaving that weird film hot water sometimes leaves behind. Your aunt might have a different type of pan or she just got lucky that one time. Ten years of cold water degreasing means your pans are probably in better shape than hers.

the_wade26d agoMost Upvoted

You mentioning that "weird film" hot water leaves behind is spot on. I read somewhere that hot water actually cooks the grease onto the surface if it's not hot enough to fully rinse it away. Makes sense why some pans get that sticky residue. Cold water and soap does the trick without that risk.

logan56126d ago

Gotta disagree on the cast iron seasoning though, hot water won't strip it if you dry it right after.