The 3 Cleaning Tricks That Will Actually Remove the Brown Stains on Your Pyrex Bakeware

A little bit of elbow grease and these tried-and-true methods will leave your Pyrex good as new.

By
Kat Thompson
Kat Thompson
Kat Thompson
Kat Thompson is a Bangkok-born, Los Angeles-raised food and drink reporter. She is a former Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist and covered food trends, cookbooks, grocery stores, chefs, and the intersection between food and culture. Her bylines include Food & Wine, LA Taco, Vice, Eater, Simply Recipes, and more.
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Published July 10, 2023
Kat Thompson
dirty pyrex

Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / Getty Images

Having a glass Pyrex baking dish is a rite a passage to a grown-up kitchen. This versatile piece of bakeware can be used for cakes, bubbly casseroles crowned with fried onions, and even sticky oven-baked ribs. There’s a good reason why Pyrex dishes have stood the test of time and become family heirlooms.

Whether baking desserts or a show-stopping centerpiece for dinner, even Pyrex isn’t immune from the sticky residue and staining that comes along with cooking. After years of using my Pyrex, I’ve finally figured out how to tackle any stuck-on mess that’s bound to happen.

All that is required to restore your Pyrex glass baking dishes to their sparkling former selves is a little elbow grease and these three techniques that actually work.

Box of Baking Soda and a Measuring Spoon Full of Baking Soda

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Method 1: Form a Paste With Baking Soda and Boiling Water

Baking soda doubles as a pantry baking essential and cleaning aid. To use it as the latter, simply sprinkle the sodium bicarbonate over especially greasy areas and douse it with boiling water to form a paste. Make sure the paste covers any staining and leave it on for 15 minutes to an hour.

The baking soda’s abrasive texture will help loosen baked-on gunk, so when it’s time to rinse, the mess can simply be swiped off with a sponge.

Method 2: Pair Magic Erasers With Grease-Tackling Dish Soap

I use Dawn Platinum Powerwash dish soap for all my dishes—and even on my car tires. This grease-fighting detergent stands up to the toughest stains, especially when paired with a sturdy Magic Eraser. If it's effective enough for cars and oily stovetops, then cleaning a Pyrex is light work. The Dawn Powerwash spray nozzle also makes getting into tight corners easy, so no speck of baked-on grime is left behind.

Bar Keepers Friend soft cleanser

Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

Method 3: Bar Keepers Friend as Your Last Resort

If you’re still struggling to get stubborn stains off your Pyrex dish, reach for your bottle of Bar Keepers Friend. A cleaning staple since 1882, the acidic powder has micro-abrasive particles certain to loosen any unwanted food left on your Pyrex dish. Like baking soda, all you need to do is sprinkle the powder onto the surface you’re trying to clean and add water to form a paste, making sure all affected areas are covered. 

It’s extremely powerful—Bar Keepers Friend can also be used to clean windows and descale coffee pots—so take extra precautions when using it. Always wear gloves because the acidic nature of the product can be damaging to the skin, and make sure to leave the paste on for no more than five minutes before thoroughly rinsing and wiping away with a sponge.

The PH-balance of this product also means it should not be paired with any other cleaning materials or detergents, otherwise a toxic chemical reaction can occur.

With this regiment, and Bar Keepers Friend as the finale, your Pyrex dish will certainly look as good as new.