Scouring Power

I don't know how it happened, but my tea kettle has formed some nasty burnt areas on the bottom.  This week I tried out two different scouring solutions. 

Option 1
Recipe:
Salt, yup. That's it.  Some sites recommend Kosher salt, but I used plain table salt.

Effectiveness:
It seemed to get some of the heavy lifting done. 

Pros:

• Cheap
• No chemical smell at all
• Got majority of work done

Cons:

• Too harsh for more delicate pieces.  I noticed some scratching
• Didn't do anything for discoloration

I'd recommend this for heavy duty pots.  Definitely got the job done, but wouldn't work for something scratch prone.  I wouldn't use this for non-stick pans, for instance.



Option 2
Recipe:
Baking soda and a tiny bit of water (enough to make a thick paste).  I let it sit for a few minutes.

Effectiveness:
This worked more for the discoloration and the small areas that the salt missed. 

Pros:

• No chemical smell
• Worked at removing some discoloration.
• The baking soda changed color while I scrubbed, so I could really tell the difference.

Cons:

• Not as powerful as the salt for big areas.

I'd recommend this for more delicate pieces or for set in stains.





My husband added the thought that including lemon juice with the salt might boost the power.  I think I'll give it a try next time.