Today I sauteed onions and left our stainless-steel pan full of grit and oil stains. After dinner, my dad left it on the stove, poured a few cups of water into it, and turned on the burner. After a few minutes, he grabbed a chunk of steel wool, and using tongs, he scraped the pan clean in the hot water. The grease and onion-residue came right off. This works well for a variety of crusted or oily messes.