So, it’s bound to happen. You forgot about the rice, the quinoa, the couscous. You scrambled the hell out of the eggs (bain of my stainless steel skillet’s existence). You ended up with one of these types of situations.

Your poor pan.

Well, as it turns out you have a magical powder in your pantry that will combat even the crustiest, most-permanent-looking, charred cooking disasters. Enter: Baking soda.

Sprinkle a tablespoon or two on a damp sponge, as shown above, and start working your way through the char. What’s great about baking soda versus steel wool or some other super-abrasive material is that baking soda won’t scratch your pan while you’re scrubbing off the food.

Scrub. Breathe a bunch. Scrub some more. Repeat.

And…

Voila! Admire the bottom of your pan once more.