How do I oil a non-stick pan?

Non-stick pans can be cleaned quickly, but the quality of the non-stick coating can degrade over time, especially if you don’t clean and store it properly. Scratches or stains will make the pan stickier and reduce efficiency, which can be frustrating if you have spent a lot of money on a high-end skillet. Fortunately, you can restore your favorite pan by cleaning and then “meshing” oil to fill in scratches and strengthen non-stick. Oiling a non-stick pan is a much simpler, faster and more economical operation than having to buy a new pan.

Table of Contents

Deep clean non-stick pan

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Put the water, baking soda, and vinegar in the pan. Before you oil your non-stick pan, it’s a good idea to do a deep clean to remove stains and food residue that could be causing the pan to stick. Start by putting 1 cup (about 235 ml) of water, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of baking soda, and ½ cup (120 ml) of white vinegar in a saucepan. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Cook over medium heat until mixture boils. Place the non-stick pan on the stove, turn the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes until the vinegar mixture in the pan comes to a boil, then lift the pan down. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Wash the pan. After removing the pan from the stove, pour the vinegar mixture into the sink. Then, wash the pan as usual with mild dishwashing liquid. Limit the use of steel wool or rough tools when washing to avoid further scratching the non-stick coating. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Dry the pan. After rinsing, dry the pan with a soft cloth. It is important that the pan is completely dry before setting, so that the oil can adhere to the surface of the pan. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

I pan with vegetable oil

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Warm the pan over low heat. After you’ve thoroughly cleaned the pan, you can proceed with oiling to restore the non-stick surface. Place a clean, dry pan on the stove and turn on low heat until the pan is warm. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Preheat the oven to about 150 degrees Celsius. You will put the oil pan in the oven to bake for the oil layer and the pan surface to stick together. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Coat the pan with a layer of vegetable oil. Put salt-free vegetable oil in the pan. Use enough oil to coat the entire bottom of the pan with a layer about 1.3 cm thick. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Heat the pan in the oven for about 2 hours. After pouring the oil into the pan, place the pan in the oven and bake for 2 hours. The heat of the oven will cause the vegetable oil to stick and form a layer on the bottom of the pan. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Use this method only with oven-safe pans.
The oven doesn’t have to be completely hot before you put the pan in.

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Turn off the oven and leave the pan in it overnight. After 2 hours, turn off the oven. But instead of taking it out, leave it overnight, so the pan will continue to be hot and dry. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Remove the pan and use. After leaving the pan in the oven overnight, remove it. The non-stick pan has been restored and is ready to use.

I pan with coconut oil

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Heat the pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. If you’re not sure if the pan can be used in the oven, it’s best to oil it on the stove. Start by heating a clean, dry pan over medium heat for 3 minutes. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in the pan. After 3 minutes, add 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) of coconut oil and heat for about 2 minutes until the oil is melted.

If you don’t have coconut oil or prefer vegetable oil, you can also use it instead.

Stir the pan to coat the oil evenly. After the coconut oil has melted, pick up the pan and rotate your wrist to tilt the pan in a circular motion. This will coat the oil evenly around the surface to form a thin layer over the entire bottom of the pan. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Heat until the oil smokes. Once the oil is evenly coated, place the pan on the stove. Continue to cook until the coconut oil smokes. This sign indicates that the oil is heating up and starting to stick to the pan. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Remove the pan and wait for it to cool. When the oil smoke starts to rise, take the pan down and wait for it to cool down. Leave the oil in the pan and let it cool until it reaches room temperature. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Apply oil to the pan. After the pan cools, you should see a layer of coconut oil on the bottom of the pan. Take a paper towel and gently dab the oil into the pan. This will somewhat push the coconut oil into the tiny holes in the pan, and at the same time absorb the excess oil onto the paper towel. So the pan is oiled and ready to use. ^{[14] X Research Source}

I pan before cooking

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Rinse and dry the pan. Whether the non-stick pan has been restored with coconut oil or vegetable oil, you’re better off pre-heating before each use to strengthen the natural non-stick coating and protect the inherent non-stick surface. The pan needs to be clean and dry before proceeding with the tempering. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Put the oil on a paper towel. Place 2 teaspoons (about 9.5 ml) of a neutral-tasting oil like vegetable or canola oil in a paper towel. Alternatively, you can also add a few slices of butter to the pan if you like. ^{[16] X Research Source}

You only need to use a small amount of oil, so it’s best to blot on a paper towel rather than directly onto the pan.

Grease the pan with oil or butter. Use a paper towel to spread oil or butter all over the bottom of the pan, rubbing and absorbing excess oil so that the dish that is about to be cooked is not affected. You can then use the non-stick pan to cook as usual. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Advice

In order for the non-stick coating to be durable, you should not use a flat ladle or metal spoon when processing, and limit the use of harsh cleaning tools such as steel wool.
If the nonstick pan is peeling, it’s time to buy a new pan. Do not risk your health because these substances are very toxic.

Things you need

Coconut oil or vegetable oil
Tissue
Baking soda
Vinegar
Gentle dishwashing liquid

Steps