Care of Made In Cookware | Material-By-Material Cleaning Guide

A decade-old patina on a carbon steel pan is a badge of honor. A scratched nonstick coating is just money wasted. Made In sells five different materials, and each one demands a different cleaning ritual — get it wrong on the wrong pan and you lose the surface, the seasoning, or the warranty. Stainless steel is forgiving but stains easily, carbon steel needs oil attention, and nonstick is fragile. Here’s exactly what to do for each material, from daily wash to deep recovery.

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Stainless Steel Care: Daily Wash and Deep Cleaning

Made In’s 18/10 stainless steel is dishwasher-safe by the label, but hand-washing keeps it looking new longer and prevents the water-spot rainbow that forms when pans air-dry. For everyday cooking, warm water, a few drops of gentle dish soap, and a soft sponge are all you need. Dry immediately with a towel to stop the rainbow.

How to Remove Burnt-On Food and Rainbow Stains From Stainless Steel

Stubborn residue requires one of four methods, depending on how bad the burn is.

Vinegar Wipe for Rainbow Discoloration

Pour vinegar directly into the pan and wipe the rainbow-tinted area with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly and dry — the stain lifts almost instantly.

Bar Keepers Friend Paste for Stubborn Burns

Mix Bar Keepers Friend powder with a little water to form a paste, apply it to the stain, rub with a non-abrasive sponge, then wipe and rinse. This is the go-to for level-2 burns that don’t rinse off with vinegar.

Boiling Water Method for Level 3 Burns

Add enough water to cover the bottom and bring it to a boil. Use a wooden spoon or non-abrasive tool to scrape the bottom while the water bubbles. If the residue holds, add a 1:1 mix of vinegar and water and boil again. Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Baking Soda and Vinegar for General Residue

Sprinkle baking soda over the affected area, pour in distilled white vinegar, and let it foam up to loosen the gunk. Rinse and dry.

Carbon Steel Care: Oil, Salt, and the Boil-Out

Carbon steel is effectively a cast-iron cousin — it relies on seasoning (a polymerized oil layer) to stay nonstick and rust-free. Dishwasher use strips that seasoning, so hand-wash only.

For daily cleaning after cooking, add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt and 2 tablespoons of neutral oil (canola or grapeseed) to the cooled pan. Rub the salt and oil with a paper towel to free stuck bits, dump the mixture, and wipe the pan clean. For stuck-on food, add warm water to cover the bottom, boil over medium heat, scrape with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, dump the water, then return the pan to the burner over medium heat to completely dry it (this prevents flash rust). Finish by applying a thin layer of oil and letting it sit on low heat for 1–2 minutes.

Re-Seasoning a Carbon Steel Pan

When the seasoning looks patchy or food starts sticking, strip it and start over. Preheat the oven to the oil’s smoke point (420°F for grapeseed oil). Scrub the pan clean and dry it completely, rub oil or Made In’s seasoning wax evenly on the inside, place the pan upside down on the oven rack over a foil-lined pan, and bake until the oil smokes. Let it cool in the oven.

CeramiClad Nonstick Care: Gentle and Hand-Wash Only

Made In’s CeramiClad nonstick is the strictest of the lineup. It is not dishwasher-safe. The high heat and harsh detergents in a dishwasher cycle degrade the ceramic coating over time. Hand-wash with warm water and the soft side of a sponge; for stubborn bits, add water and boil briefly, then scrape with a rubber spatula.

Never use steel wool or any abrasive scrubber — those will scratch the nonstick surface permanently. A helpful trick for warm pans is the salt scrub: pour about 1 cup of salt into a warm (not hot) pan and scrub with a folded towel or stiff-bristled brush. Rinse and dry.

Critical Safety and Storage Rules for Every Material

Three mistakes ruin pans faster than bad cooking. Thermal shock — rinsing a hot pan with cold water — warps stainless and carbon steel. Let pans cool before washing. Abrasive tools — steel wool scratches stainless exterior and destroys nonstick coatings. Use non-abrasive sponges across the board. Soaking the whole pan is a no: water trapped between the handle and the body can corrode from the inside. Soak only the cooking surface with a shallow layer of water.

For storage, never stack pans without protection. Use a trivet, dish towel, or Made In’s Pan Protectors between nested pans to prevent scratching. The brand’s stainless steel care guide notes that even a single scratch from stacking can ruin a polished surface.

Common Mistakes That Void the Warranty

Made In’s lifetime warranty covers stainless steel cookware only, and only if you follow proper care. A dishwasher cycle won’t void it, but thermal shock — pouring cold water into a hot stainless pan — can warp the metal and is considered misuse. Abusive cleaning with steel wool or soaking the entire pan handle-first can also create damage the warranty won’t cover. Carbon steel and nonstick are not covered by the lifetime warranty, so care discipline is even more important there.