How to Clean Silicone Pans

By Corey M. Mackenzie, eHow Contributor

Read more: How to Clean Silicone Pans | eHow http://www.ehow.com/how_5608313_clean-silicone-pans.html#ixzz2TnlBp3kf

Many cooks like silicone pans because silicone distributes heat evenly, which means food cooks evenly. Silicone also cools quickly--once you remove the pans from the oven, food won’t continue to cook, unlike food baked in metal or glass bakeware. Other important advantages of silicone pans are they do not retain food odors and they are very easy to clean. As long as you clean them carefully, your silicone pans can last for many years.

Instructions

1Place the silicone pan in your kitchen sink. Fill the sink with warm water and add at least a tbsp. of liquid dish detergent.

2Allow the silicone pan to soak in the warm soapy water for 15 minutes to half an hour. Longer should not be necessary--food will rarely stick to silicone in the way food can stick to metal or glass.

3Use a soft, clean sponge to wipe the inside and outside of the pan. Abrasive scrubbing sponges aren’t recommended, as they can damage the silicone.

4Let the water out of the sink and rinse the pan under warm water. If any food remains on the pan, sprinkle a little baking soda (about a tsp.) on a wet sponge and lightly rub this over the area. You can also use baking soda whenever these pans require a deeper cleaning than detergent provides.

Warning: Do not wash silicone pans with dishes or utensils with sharp or abrasive edges--these may slice or abrade the silicone. To be on the safe side, wash silicone items separately from other types of cookware.