If you spend any time watching cleaning videos on TikTok or Instagram, you've seen The Pink Stuff and Barkeepers Friend.
The two multi-purpose formulas are arguably the most viral cleaning products on the internet, each with endless videos dedicated to showing the impressive results that people achieved using the product on everything from dirty pans to bathroom tiles.
I have previously tried both of the products and loved them, so I decided to put them head-to-head to see how they compare.
How I tested
I have been using The Pink Stuff and Bar Keepers Friend for years on multiple surfaces and items throughout my home, so I kept my previous experiences in mind when comparing the two. I also compared them side by side on a pan that sits at the bottom of my toaster oven, which has been minimally cleaned in the four years since I bought it. On the left side, I applied Bar Keepers Friend and combined it with water to make a paste. On the right, I applied a heavy dollop of The Pink Stuff, along with some water. I let both sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing each for five minutes and rinsing.
Best for multiple surfaces:
While I first discovered Bar Keepers Friend on social media, once I started digging into the product, I learned that it's actually been a favorite of those working in the restaurant industry for years, and when I used it, it wasn't hard to see why.
I had tried it before and seen some impressive results on my pans, so I knew that the key to getting the best results on tough stains lay in letting it sit for a bit before scrubbing. The easy-to-use cleaner goes on as a powder and then, when combined with water, sets into a paste. I put the paste on one side of the sheet and let it sit for around 10 minutes to fully soak in.
In order to get the tough stains out, it does require a bit of elbow grease. I set a timer for five minutes for each side and set away scrubbing — when I washed away the residue, much of the baked-on grease was gone. (Which was pretty impressive, considering the pan hasn't gotten more than a light scrubbing in the four years that I've had it.)
I saw the same results when I had used it before on my go-to nonstick pan, with a little scrubbing, the product was able to remove grime and caked-on stains that other products had failed to fully clean.
Aside from pans, I've used it on my kitchen sink and on tough stains inside my oven, each time with equally impressive results.
The two major things I would note are that it sometimes leaves behind a white residue, so you need to go back over the area with a wet rag or paper towel to ensure all the product is gone. Also, it does have a smell, which is hard to describe, but is not the most pleasant. It's not overpowering, so it actually does not bother me much, but people in the reviews have said that they think it's too strong.
Best for caked-on stains:
The Pink Stuff was actually one of the first viral products that I was inspired to purchase and through the years, I've used it on plenty of products, including pans, ovens and even sneakers with pretty impressive results.
Much like Bar Keepers Friend, you'll get the best results by combining it with a little water, leaving it on a surface for a while and then putting in some elbow grease and giving the heavily stained areas a deep scrub.
As you can see in the top picture of the pan, the side with The Pink Stuff (the right side), the product managed to remove a fair amount of the caked-on grease. And if I had added some additional globs of The Pink Stuff and scrubbed for another five minutes or so, I think I could have gotten even more off.
Much like Bar Keeper's Friend, The Pink Stuff also left behind some residue that had to be washed off after cleaning. One thing to note with this cleaner is that it's slightly more abrasive so I would proceed with caution if using it on delicate surfaces.
Best overall: The Pink Stuff
In my years of using both of the products, I can honestly say that you can't really go wrong with either. Both do a great job at tackling newer stains and set-in grease and grime on everything from cookware to appliances.
However, The Pink Stuff just barely claimed the top spot for me for a couple of reasons. While both products left behind some residue that showed up when the pan was dry, the residue from The Pink Stuff came off with a second wash, while Bar Keepers Friend required a third for it to rinse off fully.
Also, as you can see in the photo, in the pan test, while most of the caked-on pieces were removed from the pan on both sides, The Pink Stuff did a slightly better job of getting rid of the staining on the metal underneath, as well. Plus, The Pink Stuff smells better, which could be a big factor for some people.
However, I do appreciate that Bar Keepers Friend is slightly less abrasive and therefore, I feel comfortable using it on more surfaces.
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The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.
Emma Stessman is a writer for Shop TODAY. She has over a decade of experience in digital media — and much of that time has been spent on the TODAY team. She has countless experts for her coverage around topics including cleaning, wellness and fashion and has written about everything from how often to replace your bedding to the all-around best cleaning products.
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