How to Remove Heat Stains and Discoloration From Stainless Steel Pans

Rainbow, blue, brown, or cloudy stains on your stainless steel pans? Your cookware probably isn’t ruined. That discoloration is a common result of heating stainless steel, and luckily, it’s usually pretty easy to remove.

Here’s how to remove heat stains from stainless steel pans and bring back their shine with Bar Keepers Friend® and a little scrubbing.

What You Need

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• Bar Keepers Friend® (USA | Canada)
• A sponge or Scrub Daddy® (USA | Canada)
• Dawn® Dish Soap (USA | Canada) 
• A clean towel for drying

How to Remove Heat Stains From Stainless Steel Pans

Step 1: Apply Bar Keepers Friend®

If you’re using Bar Keepers Friend® Soft Cleanser, shake the bottle well, then apply it directly to the heat-stained area.

Using powdered Bar Keepers Friend®? Wet the pan first, sprinkle a small amount of powder over the stain, and add just enough water to make a loose paste as you scrub.

Step 2: Scrub the Stain

Scrub the stained area well with a sponge or Scrub Daddy®. Use some effort, and you should see the discoloration start to fade as you clean.

Step 3: Repeat for Stubborn Stains

Rinse the pan and check your progress. If discoloration remains, apply Bar Keepers Friend® again and give it another scrub.

Step 4: Wash and Dry

After the heat stain is gone, wash the pan thoroughly with dish soap to remove any leftover Bar Keepers Friend®. Dry it right away with a clean towel to avoid water spots.

Those rainbow heat stains can look dramatic, but they don’t mean your stainless steel pan is done for. A little Bar Keepers Friend® and some scrubbing can usually get it shining again.

While you’re in kitchen-cleaning mode, check out our favorite cleaning products here: (USA | Canada), or watch exactly how we remove heat stains in our YouTube video.

Stainless Steel Heat Stain FAQs

Why does stainless steel turn rainbow colors?
Heat can cause the protective (chromium oxide) layer on stainless steel to thicken, creating rainbow, blue, gold, or brown discoloration on the surface.

Are heat stains on stainless steel permanent?
Usually, no. Rainbow or cloudy heat discoloration can often be removed with a stainless steel-safe cleaner like Bar Keepers Friend®.

Can you prevent heat stains on stainless steel pans?
Avoid overheating an empty pan and use only as much heat as you need. Stainless steel holds heat well, so cranking the burner to high usually isn’t necessary.

Sara B @GoCleanCo