1. Pour equal parts white vinegar and water into the pan.
2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
3. Remove it from the heat.
4. Allow the pan to cool.
5. Wash with dish soap and water.
6. Rinse thoroughly.
7. Dry immediately.

For lighter surface discoloration, you can simply let vinegar sit on the affected area for several minutes before gently wiping it away.

Never mix vinegar with bleach or other household cleaners.

What About Baking Soda?

Baking soda is useful for burnt-on food and certain stubborn residues, but it isn’t necessarily the best first choice for mineral deposits.

Martha Stewart’s current stainless-steel guidance recommends baking soda with water for loosening burnt food, followed by washing with warm, soapy water.

If you’re dealing with a white, chalky film rather than burnt food, an acidic cleaner such as vinegar is generally the more logical starting point because the problem is often mineral-based.

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Don’t Use Abrasive Scrubbers

You don’t need steel wool or an aggressive scouring pad to make stainless steel shine.

Avoid:

• Steel wool
• Metal scouring pads
• Extremely abrasive powders
• Aggressive scraping
• Scrubbing against the grain

A non-abrasive sponge or soft cloth is a much safer choice. Martha Stewart’s cookware guidance specifically recommends non-abrasive tools for stainless steel.

The goal is to remove the deposit, not remove the metal underneath it.

How to Keep Stainless Steel From Getting Cloudy Again

Once you’ve restored your cookware, a few small habits can prevent the problem from coming back.

Dry your pots immediately

Hard-water spots form when water evaporates and leaves minerals behind.

After washing, wipe the pan dry with a clean microfiber towel rather than leaving it to air-dry.

Don’t constantly cook on high heat

Excessive heat can contribute to discoloration. Medium or medium-high heat is often sufficient for everyday cooking.

Clean after every use

Don’t allow grease and food residue to sit on the cookware for days.

Martha Stewart recommends washing stainless steel pans after each use to prevent buildup.

Avoid dragging metal utensils across the surface

Wooden or silicone utensils can help reduce scratches and surface imperfections.

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When Cleaning Won’t Fix the Problem

Not every cloudy-looking pan can be restored with a cleaner.

Cleaning can improve the appearance of:

• Hard-water deposits
• Mineral buildup
• Water spots
• Soap residue
• Mild heat discoloration

But cleaning won’t reverse serious physical damage such as:

• Deep scratches
• Pitting
• Severe warping
• Permanent surface damage

If the pan is warped or heavily damaged, making it shinier won’t necessarily make it safe or useful again.

One Important Warning About CLR

This is where you shouldn’t blindly copy a cleaning hack from the internet.

CLR sells several different products, including products specifically formulated for stainless-steel appliances and surfaces. The manufacturer’s stainless-steel cleaner is marketed for appliances, countertops, grills, and similar surfaces—not automatically as a universal cookware cleaner.

So before using the Multi-Use CLR product on cookware, check the current label and your cookware manufacturer’s instructions.

If either one says not to use it on food-contact cookware, don’t.

And after any chemical treatment that the manufacturer permits, wash the cookware thoroughly with dish soap and rinse completely before using it for food.

The Bottom Line

Cloudy stainless steel pots usually aren’t ruined.

If you’re seeing white mineral spots or a dull film, try white vinegar first. It’s a simple approach supported by current stainless-steel cookware care guidance.

For particularly stubborn mineral buildup, Martha Stewart’s recently shared hack uses CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover, a method credited to her housekeeper and reported in January 2026. If you try it, follow the current product directions carefully, use gloves, keep contact time short, and wash and rinse the cookware thoroughly afterward.

The biggest mistake is assuming that more scrubbing or more cleaner will give you a better result.

Let the right cleaner do the work, use gentle tools, rinse thoroughly, and dry the pan when you’re finished. That’s the easiest way to bring back the shine without turning a simple cleaning job into a scratched or damaged piece of cookware.