Help...cleaned the Garage and Found...

[Harrle]

I hate to admit this but I while cleaning the garage I found my rectangular baker, the worst part was after lifting the tin foil of the top I found a science experiment!!! I think the original product was cheesy potatoes, however by the color and texture of the contents I wouldn't guarantee that was it!!!

After tying a towel around my head to keep from passing out from the smell :yuck: I was able to scrape out the contents and rinse out the pan. There are a couple of faint black spots and I am wondering if and how that can be cleaned?? I am pretty sure it is mold and am not sure if a cycle in the HOT dishwasher with vinegar would do the trick??? Any help would be appreciated!!

Leea

 

[smspamperedchef]

all I can say is EEEWWWW! YUCK!!! :yuck:

I'm not sure if you should try the dishwaher because of the high heat might break it. I would soak it in hot soapy water for a good day. Scrub it and soak it again. When the "mold" comes off and before you cook on it cook some crescent rolls on it to absorb the soap that you used. Then throw those crescent rolls away.
You might also try to scrub it with baking soda as well. Good Luck!

Question though, how did that stone end up in the garage with food still in it?

 

[Kitchen Diva]

You could try baking the mold out of it... just a thought, put some day old bread and funky cheese on there- as if you were making cheesey sammies...

Good luck! If that doesn't work- Call Ghost Busters!

 

[Harrle]

...Question though, how did that stone end up in the garage with food still in it?

It got left out there by the DH after a family function and then it got ignored, and ignored, and ignored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

It got left out there by the DH after a family function and then it got ignored, and ignored, and ignored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ignored like a red headed step child... the poor stone!:yuck:

 

[Harrle]

Ignored like a red headed step child... the poor stone!:yuck:

Careful there.. my DS is a red head!! You can't really tell right now...DH gave him another summer buzz and the red isn't glistening off of his locks yet!! :balloon: He prefers it longer but it has been since home opener that he let me cut it that short, so we thought with our string of 80 degree days he might be a bit more comfortable with a buzz!!

 

[Jess_K]

I know it's not the answer you're looking for.. but I'd trash it! but that's just me.. I'd never be able to use it again and feel like it was clean.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

Careful there.. my DS is a red head!! You can't really tell right now...DH gave him another summer buzz and the red isn't glistening off of his locks yet!! :balloon: He prefers it longer but it has been since home opener that he let me cut it that short, so we thought with our string of 80 degree days he might be a bit more comfortable with a buzz!!

I used to be a red headed step child, well auburn but it's close! When the sun is out, I look like a full blown cherry coke colored red head. Now thanks to age and medication I have to have the red added chemically.

Besides, I was only teasing hon...

 

[dianevill]

I'd say baking soda paste. Let that stuff sit on there for a really, really long time. Scrub the bejeebies out of it with the kitchen brush. Then I'd pour really hot water in it and let it soak again and give it a final scrub.

 

[Harrle]

Besides, I was only teasing hon...

No offense taken - he's actually the joke of our family because neither DH or I (or DD for that matter) have red hair. When people ask where the red hair comes from we say 'our best man and maid of honor' - both had red hair...you should see the looks we get and the wheels spinning to figure that one out!!

 

[smspamperedchef]

Careful there.. my DS is a red head!! You can't really tell right now...DH gave him another summer buzz and the red isn't glistening off of his locks yet!! :balloon: He prefers it longer but it has been since home opener that he let me cut it that short, so we thought with our string of 80 degree days he might be a bit more comfortable with a buzz!!

Wow! 80 degrees? You might burn up! LOL! I just WISH we had 80 degree days here! I think it will hit 104 this weekend! :yuck:

 

[dianevill]

I wish I was over there with you Sharon, enjoying that 104 degree weather. Well, maybe not . Sorry we didn't get to meet up earlier this week. I would've loved to have met you! I enjoyed our phone call, though, until the connection was lost .

 

[TheChaoticCook]

I know it's not the answer you're looking for.. but I'd trash it! but that's just me.. I'd never be able to use it again and feel like it was clean.

I would too!

 

[raebates]

Oh, Leea, that's terrible. I'd tell you that nothing like that could happen at our house, but I don't like to lie. LOL!Here's my suggestion: Let it soak. Scrub it good. (I know you were planning to do that already.) Let it soak with a bit of bleach water. Put it in the oven, then turn the oven on to 250 (that's just "warm" on my oven), let it heat for 30-40 minutes, then turn the oven off and let it cool. Repeat process if necessary.

 

[AnnieBee]

How about some bleach? I would think bleach is probably the best to kill mold. Even just regular baking in the oven at 400F for half an hour (with no food on it) is going to kill anything icky on it.

And I have to admit, I don't get the whole "trash it" line of thinking (I probably shouldn't mention it - I was very restrained in the whole "a rat pooped in my stoneware" thread a while back and didn't post AT ALL!! ).

We're talking about germs and mold that once cleaned off/killed are no problem!!

How many of you have changed a poopy diaper, washed your hands and then, GASP! D) prepared some food!! I don't see how this is different, if you ensure through the use of bleach or heat that any germs are killed, and use a scraper/ baking soda to get off any residue. Yes, it's icky, but so are many things in life that we have to clean up after! (LOL!). Just my opinion, please no jumping on me!

Sorry, most of that was probably stored up from the rat thread. Maybe I should have posted then, but I was pretty new and not quite up ready to be a lone voice when everyone else was going on about how disgusting it was and the piece should just be thrown away...

Now, I am not a mold or germ expert, so if anyone has a good reason why it would be unhygenic to still use this after cleaning it well, (even if some black staining remains), I truly would love to know it. Just in case I end up with moldy stoneware of my own (or heaven help me, a rat in my house!! ).

I hope I haven't offended, I understand the "grossed out" feeling, just not sure if it justifies the response... Anyone out there able to address my response?? I really don't mean this to be argumentative, I just want to know if my reasoning is correct...

 

[AnnieBee]

Sorry Rae for overlapping! Typing my response took a whlie with my kids around... I guess I should get them some breakfast!!

 

[raebates]

No worries, AnnieBee. Great minds think alike.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I'd throw it away without a second thought. Host a show to get another one, or wait until kit enhancement if you can't order one right now. I am a germ freak and there is no way I'd take a chance.
I don't think the bleach thing is a good idea

 

[dragonflyz]

I'd try and clean it and if it still looks nasty, I'd throw it in the dishwasher (just to see what happens...since we're talking science experiments here anyway) and if it was still 'questionable', THEN I would trash it...

 

[IAmChefJ]

I vote for tossing it out. I just couldn't eat out of it again.

 

[pampchefsarah]

Have you tried calling HO to see what they think? While, for the most part, I agree with Annabel, my thinking is that since you've already cleaned it, and it still has black spots, it may not be salvageable. But, HO would probably know for sure, and the best solution to getting it completely clean.

Just out of curiousity, how seasoned was it?

Sarah

 

[itsjustCarla]

I've put mine in the dishwasher several times and never had a problem. It's worth a shot.

 

[pampermejolene]

I'd say it's worth a shot to try the baking soda paste soak. Then cook something on it on a high temp (who cares if the food burns)... If you put the stone in the oven by itself doesn't it risk cracking?I am kind of weird when it comes to that stuff too though. I'm not sure I'd ever feel completely comfortable using it again. If you can get the spots off and make it at least look "normal" then at least you could use it for demos, just as a showcase product, not for use. Good luck!

 

[PamperedDor]

I am still freaking out that it was left in the garage! LOL!!

I agree - bleach and water and a good scrubbing and some heat in the oven -

Or order a new one when you can - if it was in the garage that long and you hadn't missed it - it can't be used all that often

 

[CyndiWilliams]

My vote is for cleaning it really good (without chemicals or soap), then baking some brownies in it and throwing them out.

My DH told me a few years back that it is not safe to use a stone after it has been washed in the dishwasher or when any "caustic" soap/chemicals have been used on it. He said what happens is that they soak into the pores of the stone, and then when you heat the stone, it releases gases & toxins into your food that can be dangerous.

I don't know if mold really would fall into that line of thinking. But me??? I am thinking that mold is a natural product, and if you were to just clean it as you usually do and cook something in it, that you would remove all traces of the mold.

What do you guys think?

 

[AnnieBee]

I can see the point about not wanting nasty chemicals seeping into the pores, but bleach is extremely water soluble, and with plenty of rinsing should just wash right off, just use a weak solution. And heating the stone would also decompose and or release any traces of bleach left, just have your fan on above the stove (I am a chemist by training and would do this myself, and believe me, I would not want to expose my kids to harmful chemicals!). If the pan smelled strongly of bleach after rinsing, then don't do it! Bleach is also great for mold, to break it down, and not just clean it off the surface like other cleaning agents would do.

I would think that baking the stone without food on it, after that. should be fine. I preheat my stones all the time (you just don't want to put frozen stuff on a pre-heated stone).

And maybe don't eat the first thing that you bake on it (you could try a package of crescent rolls).

Anyway, that's what I would do if it was my stone. Does anyone know if HO has an opinion on using bleach on stones? I know that baking soda paste is the recommended way to go...

 

[Teresa Lynn]

why do you preheat your stones?

 

[AnnieBee]

Sometimes for pizza, to get a crisper crust!

 

[Jenni32874]

I would try baking soda and white vinegar and let it sit for a few hours. I sometimes use this on my stoneware when I really want to "clean" it.

 

[pampered.chris]

Let us know what works for you.