Question:
How well do pots have to be cleaned on the outside in order to kasher them, or use them as a kashering vessel. There is a tremendous amount of gook especially around the handle area. Please advise
Answer:
In order to kasher the pot you have to get rid of all the gook near the handles, as a utensil that can not be cleaned well can not be kashered, unless you will do libun to the pot.
Regarding the pot that you want to use for kashering other pots, as long as it wasn’t used in the last 24 hours, and the item that you are kashering wasn’t used in 24 hours, the pot doesn’t have to be cleaned (and it is before the 5th hour on erev Pesach), because it is considered, nat bar nat of heter.
Sources:
O:CH 451-3 452-1 M:B 451- 22,23,26, 452-1, Y:D 121-2
