Teflon Non-Stick Cookware Repair Spray to Fix Pots & Pans

! These sprays are discontinued for a reason. PTFE becomes a highly poisonous gas when heated above 500 degrees. It can kill within minutes if exposure is high. Even with relatively small exposure, it causes neurological damage. It is FDA approved as a cookware coating only when used properly, and under conditions where the temperature would not likely exceed it's melting point. The few dollars you would save by re-coating your cookware is simply not worth it. Just buy a new one, or better yet, get old-fashioned iron pots and pans and season them thoroughly with lard. It will have the same effect without the health hazard.

----
Ed. note: whether your claims about PTFE are true or not, Kagan, you're implying that this non-stick spray was PTFE -- but it wasn't.

! The use of a PTFE repair spray is dangerous and should be avoided. It emits over a dozen toxic gases when heated over 500 °F. Instructions that suggest spraying and baking in a 550 °F oven are negligent.

Although the quantities of gas emitted are small, they are potent enough to kill a small pet canary in the same room; and who knows what the effect will be on a toddler.

My guess is that this is why the spray continues to disappear from the market.

I have worked with PTFE in an industrial lab; heavy venting is always present to eliminate the possibility of polymer fume fever which can be fatal. There continues to be confusion caused by lobbyists. As I understand it, there is a bill to eliminate PTFE as a non-stick spray.

Be safe; not sorry.

----
Ed. note: Peter, whether your claims are true or not, you are implying that the non-stick spray was PTFE; but again, according to the supplier there was no teflon in it.

!! I have worked with fluoropolymers for a number of years, ran two test labs and have done research. The comments about poisonous gas are extremely inflammatory and have no business on this site.

For one thing, PTFE does not melt, it goes to a gel state. PFA and FEP are melt processable. PTFE is rated for use at the 500 °F range, that is why it is used for the covering on aircraft and spacecraft wire. DuPont sells PTFE spray-on coatings for industrial and commercial use that are baked on at temperatures well above 500 °F.

The temperatures used to process PTFE from its powder form into products such as tubing run into the 1100 °F range. The PTFE fever mentioned has to do with raw PTFE (unprocessed) along with the lubricant used to bind the powder together in order to extrude the PTFE during its processing. It is unfortunate that mis-information is given on the internet.

----
Ed. note: Thanks for relating your knowledge & experience, Gerald.
Although comments about the coatings being dangerous might be inaccurate and may annoy proponents, they don't seem to be intended as simply inflammatory.
You're certainly entitled to find some postings factually wrong, and you are encouraged to continue to offer corrections -- but as for "have no business on this site", that's incorrect! This is a public forum where we do not presume to exclude or censor opinions or positions that we or you don't agree with. Thanks again.

A. I have a friend who lives in Spring Grove, IL. He left a teflon coated pot too close to a range burner which he left on.
Mark is a bird lover. He had 2 beloved parrots and over 25 finches.
They all died due to their sensitivity to what I assume to be perfluoro-octanoic acid, and whatever other pollutants are emitted.
None of the cats, fish, snakes or lizards died.
I do not know how hot the pot got, or if the coating disintegrated.
This does not scare me away from trying to repair my own pans. I will however do the curing in the Weber outside.

A. I've had Exotic Birds (spoiled rotten at that) for many years while caring for a very needy Geriatric person.

Due to the information circulated about the potential of Teflon coatings producing a lethal gas, and the occasional need to step away from the stove for an urgent matter, we decided to go with steel pans. I also use steel pans for heating various oils to make my soaps.

Over time, we've found that the best non-chemical method of removing food, stains, or oils which have become sticky and tar-like on a steel pot is as follows:

* Fill the pan with water to the level of the sticky stuff.
* Add a couple drops of good grease fighting dish soap.
* Bring to a boil - then reduce to a low simmer.
* When it starts to release some of the problems, use a stiff or medium stiff brush to gently brush-work the gummy areas. (don't scrub or you'll make foam & splashes.)

** Note: if this doesn't get all of it within 30 mins, take the pot to the sink, dump most of the soap water, add a little more soap, and scrub with an SOS pad [on eBay or Amazon] or other steel scrubby.

Personally, I like enamelware for cooking. No worries about true/false gasses or scratching a chemical coating, same cooking, cleaning techniques used as with stainless, Only 1 extra benefit.... if the enamel gets scratched/chipped - I can take it to a ceramic studio or restoration/body shop and have it recoated for a few bucks. ;-)

Brownells sells teflon spray coating for gun products to reduce carbon buildup. I don't know if that helps anyone..

----
Ed. note: Thanks Ed, it may help some people -- but not those who want to recoat pots and pans; that would be very dangerous because of the probable petroleum products in the spray and other possible non-foodsafe ingredients.