Sheldon wrote:
> zxcvbob writes:
>> Oven cleaner (lye.) It work great on glass or stainless steel too;
>> don't use it on aluminum.
>
> Oven cleaners are not just lye, nor are they designed to be used on
> any bare metals including stainless steel... there are many hundreds
> of stainless steel alloys, with those reserved for food use not being
> very corrosion proof

I use Red Devil lye to clean the oven and also to remove burned-on food
from my Revereware and Corningware. I believe EasyOff over cleaner is
still lye, with foaming agents to make it easier to use (probably soap)

> (I once permanently discolored a stainless steel pot by boiling white
> vinegar).

Vinegar is not oven cleaner.

> Oven cleaners are designed to be used on porcelainized surfaces only
> (do not use on continuous clean ovens either).

I've never seen an oven rack that was porcelain.

> Oven cleaners may or may not work on corningware, I would suggest
> first testing a small inconspicuous area... but actually I would
> never use or recommend oven cleaners for any purpose other than as
> directed by the manufacturer.
>
> That said I've never found a situation where my patented ammonia
> method would not safely/effortlessly remove burned on food from
> glass/porcelain and ferrous metals (do not use on aluminum or
> copper).
>
> If corningware were exposed to the temperatures approaching that of
> an oven cleaning cycle I would suspect that permanent damage has
> occured, in the form of crazing, then the piece is ruined and cannot
> be cleaned... do not use if crazed... not only will the myriad minute
> cracks/fissures harbor pathogens but exposure to extreme
> temperatures (such as from cooking, freezing) can cause the piece to
> explode.

I'm not going to disagree with that. But I think the *old* Corningware
could handle oven cleaning cycles. (It even said on the pieces that
they can be used in a broiler.) The new stuff they call Corningware
is really just stoneware; it can be used in the oven at moderate temps,
but not stovetop nor broiler.

Best regards,
Bob