Need to know how to remove burn marks from stainless steel pots? You’re not alone. Most of us burn something from time to time. For me, the culprit is typically my homemade popcorn.

Sometimes when I make the best homemade popcorn ever, I get greedy. I want every last possible kernel to pop into fluffy white goodness. So I leave the pot on the stove a little too long, and I get this: ugly, black, burn marks on the bottom of my stainless steel pot.

This is a problem, because I use this pot a lot, and I want it to stay shiny and clean. Usually, if I wash it right away, I can clean those spots with no problem. But last week, no amount of washing or scrubbing would remove those stains.

That’s when I found this tip for tackling badly burned pots on Martha Stewart’s website. The solution was so simple, I knew I had to give it a try.

Here’s what Martha recommends.

Simply fill the pot with cold water and add 2 – 3 Tbs. of regular table salt. Let the salt solution soak in the pot overnight. In the morning, slowly bring the salt water to a boil. After letting the water boil for a few minutes, pour out the water and start scrubbing.

Those stains should come off with a tiny bit of elbow grease. (Note: you may need to repeat the process a few times.) When you’re satisfied with the results, rinse the pot and wash it as you typically would.

It took me three rounds of soaking, boiling, and scrubbing, but I finally got most of those stains off the bottom of the pot. Phew! I’m so happy to have my clean pot back. Thanks, Martha!