Pyrex glassware - almost impossible to clean after eggs cooked in it.

August 8, 2023 1:09 PM

Eggs cooked in avocado oil in glassware (microwave). No matter pre-soaked in soapy water (or re-soaked after first attempts) it is almost impossible to clean eggs off glassware. Wondering if it is because I'm using rough plastic scrunge cleaning pads, am I scratching it making it more and more a chore after each wash? About ready to toss (goodwill, actually) and buy new but would scrunge pads just do the same to new? If I can't use scrunge pads, how am I to clean eggs from glassware?
posted by dancestoblue to Home & Garden (17 answers total)

I used to microwave eggs in a small glass bowl. For any bits that stuck, I just used a metal spoon to scrape them off. I feel like this might be less scratchy than using a scrunge pad. It's blunter and can be directed just on each egg bit.

I also started adding some water to the bowl which made a huge difference on the cleanup end. They are more like poached eggs, but maybe that will work for you.
posted by hydra77 at 1:26 PM on August 8, 2023 [3 favorites]

You can season dulled Pyrex glassware with baked-on thin coats of vegetable oil in exactly the same way you'd season cast iron cookware. It makes the Pyrex look kind of brown and grubby but does a pretty good job of helping cooked-on food to release from it. You might want to experiment with doing that on a piece you'd otherwise discard and see how you like it.

Steel swarf scouring pads will scratch glass less than the rough plastic ones, because the plastic pads get their scouring power from incorporated grains of an abrasive that's much harder than glass; steel is slightly less hard than glass. The ribbony shape of the swarf strands also does a better job of slicing food residues off surfaces than the grindy plastic pads do.

I think an acidic soak will soften egg residues better than a soapy one. Try adding a cup of cleaning vinegar or a spoonful of citric acid powder.
posted by flabdablet at 1:29 PM on August 8, 2023 [7 favorites]

Make sure you use cold water to start with when cleaning, not hot. With protein stains (egg, blood, meat etc), hot water will just continue to 'cook' the protein and make the problem worse. Once you've got all the actual stuff off, then you can switch to hot for a final clean.
posted by penguin pie at 1:48 PM on August 8, 2023 [7 favorites]

A soak followed by using my fingers to rub a paste of Dawn and baking soda on any egg residue that a dish brush hasn't been able to remove works really well for me. I've generally found baking soda to be both more effective at scouring food residue and gentler on cookware than anything else.
posted by as_night_falls at 2:00 PM on August 8, 2023 [2 favorites]

Try Bartender's Friend? I've never used it on glass but they say it's safe for that kind of surface.
posted by praemunire at 2:25 PM on August 8, 2023

These polycarbonate pot scrapers are fantastic.
posted by bricoleur at 2:34 PM on August 8, 2023 [4 favorites]

I have not found plastic scrubby pads to be that effective with caked on food and have had better luck with brushes with short, stiff nylon bristles.

unless you are actually using an industrial type scotch-brite, you probably are not leaving scratches with your scrubby.
posted by Dr. Twist at 2:35 PM on August 8, 2023

I use cheap plastic scrubbies for everything from pyrex to cast iron. They don't scratch anything, but they're great at removing eggs.
posted by hydropsyche at 2:46 PM on August 8, 2023

Salt on a dry-Ish paper towel is what we use, on our cat iron.


Can't really speak to glassware and chees though
posted by Windopaene at 3:04 PM on August 8, 2023

That is strange. I cook eggs and then I soak the cookware (cast iron, pyrex, ceramic, whatever) in cold water. No soap needed. And after 20 minutes or less, all is good. Maybe bring the water to a boil and let it simmer for five minutes just with the water. This is something that worked that terrible time when I burnt bread in the bottom of my favorite enameled pot, and enamel is glass.
How does your glassware look? Is it still clear? Otherwise your theory might have something to it, though I feel a lot of my cookware is well-scratched.
BTW, depending on the age of your Pyrex, you might not want to recycle it. Newer Pyrex is not at all the same quality as the older stuff.
posted by mumimor at 3:05 PM on August 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

I scrub my Pyrex glassware with Barkeeper's Friend. So far it has removed hard water spots, weird water lines, and dull cloudiness from glassware I've had for 20+ years with no noticeable ill effects.
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 3:29 PM on August 8, 2023 [2 favorites]

Much like mumimor, I don't think I've ever had this problem. Eggs come off well for me with soaking, a brushing, and maybe a scrape with a fingernail if something is really suctioned on there. The brushes I use are oxo but I can't imagine an ordinary sponge would be any worse.
posted by Lady Li at 3:57 PM on August 8, 2023

Clear glassware? Magic eraser. Still do the hot water soak to loosen residue, then pour out. Wet the sponge, squeeze to remove excess water, add a dab of grease-cutting dishwashing liquid like Dawn, and gently scrub. Rinse well.
posted by Iris Gambol at 3:59 PM on August 8, 2023

I keep a little metal scraper, like you get in a hardware store for scraping paint, by my sink. Invaluable cleaning tool for many situations, including this.
posted by Ausamor at 4:23 PM on August 8, 2023 [2 favorites]

I find that raw egg in a pyrex bowl cleaned with hot water can stick pretty tightly.

However, the result also looks a lot like the buildup I get from hard water stains.

Are you sure it's egg and not minerals?

Try vinegar first, as that will definitely get rid of hard water stains, and may get rid of egg too?
posted by soylent00FF00 at 5:49 PM on August 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

I have a hard plastic scraper I use for removing residue after a soak. (Our go-to dishwashing brushes actually have an edge on their head for this purpose). And then a non-scratch plastic scrub. Never had a problem like this.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:41 PM on August 8, 2023

Try soaking the pan with a dishwasher tablet in there - it got so many teeny little dried on marks off my glass baking dishes that I had spent hours scrubbing to no avail.
posted by In Your Shell Like at 8:35 AM on August 9, 2023