Do you have white spots on your stainless steel pans? Sometimes, they’re small and hard to see unless you look closely, and other times, they’re a huge blotchy mess.
The good news is that there’s a simple way to remove them, and it doesn’t involve expensive cleaning products.
In this quick article, I explain what those white spots on your stainless steel pans are, how to remove them, and how to prevent them in the future.
Prefer to watch? In the video below, I explain the simple trick for removing white spots from your pans.
What Causes White Spots on Stainless Steel Pans?
Many people mistake white spots for pitting and assume their pan is ruined. Pitting is when acidic foods, salt, or harsh cleaning agents cause small holes (or pits) in the steel. When this happens, your pan is permanently damaged, and there’s nothing you can do to fix it.
Fortunately, the white spots you see on your pan are mineral deposits left behind when tap water evaporates. Tap water contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can leave residue on the surface of your pans if you don’t dry them thoroughly after washing.
To show you how easily mineral deposits can form, I poured tap water into a perfectly clean pan and boiled the water off. As you can see, the pan is now a complete mess.
How to Remove White Spots from Stainless Steel Pans
Removing white spots from your stainless steel pans is a simple and easy process that requires only a few common household items, including white distilled vinegar, water, dish soap, and a spoon.
While other types of vinegar with similar acidity levels can work, I recommend using white distilled vinegar because it’s cheap and colorless.
Step 1: Start by washing the pan with dish soap and water. If the white spots are pretty new — like they just showed up in the last day or two, and you haven’t used the pan since — a quick wash should take care of most of them. Fresh mineral deposits are easy to remove because they haven’t had time to bond to the pan’s surface.
Step 2: If the mineral deposits have built up over time, they can bake into the pan and be more difficult to remove, similar to how burned oil can bond to the surface of a pan. In this case, pour enough white distilled vinegar into the pan to cover the affected areas. Swirl the vinegar around and let it sit for 20 seconds before rinsing.
The acidity in vinegar helps break down the mineral deposits, making them easier to wash away.
If you don’t have vinegar, Bar Keepers Friend also works well. Wet the pan and generously sprinkle the Bar Keepers Friend powder wherever you see white spots. Rub it around to make a paste and let it sit on the pan for 20 seconds before rinsing thoroughly.
Step 3: The previous step does the trick 90% of the time, but if you still see white spots, place the pan on the stove and add a mixture of one part vinegar and two parts water. Make sure the liquid covers all the white spots. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
While it’s heating up, swish it around with a spoon to help dissolve mineral buildup. Once the water starts boiling, take it off the heat and let it sit. After 20 minutes, give it a quick rinse.
This method has worked for me 100% of the time, but if you’re still seeing spots, you can increase the ratio to half water and half vinegar.
Preventing White Spots
If your home has hard water, which contains higher levels of minerals, white spots are more likely to form and can be more challenging to prevent. In this case, consider installing a water softener to remove some of these minerals before they reach your tap.
However, the best ways to avoid white spots on your stainless steel pans are to thoroughly dry them after washing and avoid using the dishwasher. Drying the pans manually removes the water and the minerals it contains, preventing any residue from being left behind. Dishwashers leave pans wet for extended periods, allowing mineral deposits to form.
