Not every viral cleaning trick deserves a place beside the cooking stove. Do not mix household cleaning chemicals, especially products containing bleach, with other cleaners.

Vinegar is acidic, while baking soda is alkaline. Mixing them creates fizzing, but much of that reaction simply neutralises the two ingredients. Using them separately is generally more useful for cleaning.

Most importantly, check the pan material first. Non-stick cookware needs gentler treatment, while stainless steel can usually tolerate more cleaning effort. If the coating is peeling, damaged or badly scratched, cleaning cannot restore its original surface.