h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So I house-sit for people with dogs. Fussy, pure-bred dogs who require a gourmet spread of cabbage, rice, pumpkin and mince for dinner. All that. Now my cabbage-cooking other half left me about 2 months ago, which has suddenly caused a bit of unexpected havoc because it turns out I can't boil cabbage. Well I can, if I don't get distracted watching Phineas & Ferb... Needless to say, it happened, and by the time I realised it was not the neighbour's dinner that smelt so awful, the cabbage had long since reduced itself to a black pitch all over the base of the house-owner's trusty enamel pot... (and halfway up the sides)
Now above-mentioned house-owners come back on Saturday, and I have been working at this damn pot since last saturday, so I reckon I need help. How can I clean it???
It's either that, or I'm telling them that their pot has embraced the gothic lifestyle...

Oh yeah, just learnt there is a face-palm smiley. I think now is a good time to use it...:

Uh oh! No tips from me, that sounds pretty bad!

Uh... vinegar cleans gloop off of pennies, it might burn away cabbage??

I'd recko, fairy platinum and a stainless steel scourer and hot water would be worth a shot

reckon

Dude, I was gonna do that, but then got told not to touch it with scourers... I'll admit I've had a go with them already, but not much luck there either.

Have you tried the fairy platinum, and broken it, I mean I have defeated the 10 minute soak and everything...

Soak and wash, consider it a delayering thing, but don't scratch

I don't recommend brands as a rule

Do *not* touch it with scourer. Srsly. Not even the ones that say they are safe for use. Ruined a milk pan that way.

The only thing to do is to fill the pan with water and add either lots of lemon juice or vinegar and boil it. You'll need to use a wooden spoon to scrape the stuff off as when you can. It'll take time. Quite a bit of time and quite a few new water + vinegar/lemon juice boilings, but it *is* possible (I did it).

You weren't hoping to do anything all day tomorrow were you?

Gogrk tomorrow, but suddenly thinking a should pull a sickie... Hahaha!

Got bicarb sitting on it right now - that was Plan N...

Got work*

Agree, scourers will just damage the enamel. You could try neat coca Cola, which is my trick for burnt pans. Leave it soaking overnight.
Good luck!

If that doesn't work work, get a dishwasher tab and dissolve it in boiling water in the pan and leave it soaking, wear rubber gloves and scrub with brush.

I like dishwasher powder. A tablespoon, perhaps, and some water. You can keep it on lowest heat on the cooker, for hours if needed. And then rinse and scrub with Sc*tchBr*te pad. Other scrubbing pads are available.

, almost

The bicarb will only work if you've popped the vinegar in and you're doing the boily malrakiness.

And I'm not even convinced that that makes it any quicker.

*sends 24 hour imaginary bug to GH*

**This broadcast is brought to you by the 'Lovely, fluffy Harbinger of Doom'

I have now moved onto laundry detergent.
Yay, fun...

What I would really like is a laundromat for pots... Somewhere I can take this pot to, drop it off, and collect it tomorrow, clean and shining!

The only other alternative I have, is to leave it inverted on the grass in your garden.
Slugs and snails have raspy tongues, I heard, and will clean scorched pots. According to old wives tales, at least. Or the internets. Not sure which...

There's some fearsome spray on oven cleaner you can get, I've used it to clean pans before. Spray on the foam, (don't breath in the fumes) leave for an hour or so, rinse off. I believe you have to wear gloves so it doesn't remove the skin from your hands.

That should do the trick!

It's Mr Muscle, if you're UK based. (I can't tell from your page).

Ah yeah, I know Mr M!