What nasty film?  If Dawn won't take it off, try a product call the Works Tub and Shower Cleaner or something similar that has oxalic and sulfamic acid in them.  These need to be cleaned off completely before using the skillets since they are poisonous.  They work great on hard water stains and are a fraction of the cost of CLR.

re: nasty skillet bottoms.

     Where do you get this cleaning product ?  Dan . bluecherryhill@sbcglobal.net  Thanks for responding.

The Works is sold in the grocery store next to other bath and tub cleaners.  I would assume other places like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. would have it.  Just what is on the bottom of your skillets?

The nasty stuff referred to, is the normal baked on grease that you just can't easily remove from the side of the skillet that contacts the stove.  Dan

The Works probably won't take that off.  Everything that I have found that will remove the burnt on grease will also remove the finish.  The Works is great on other things, especially hard water stains, but burnt grease is probably on there for good unless you have a natural steel or aluminum finish.  At that point, I suspect steel wool or a steel brush and scratching the surface is probably about the only want to do it.

That's all I could think of  too. Wish Corningware made a non stick skillet. They are easy to keep looking new.  Thanks for your help. Dan: from Olathe KS

While working for Utah Power & Light as a home economist, I learned that the nasty film is from old grease from previous cleanings. From the very start treat the bottom of the pan as you would the top of the pan - clean thoroughly. If doing by hand, use CLEAN dish pan water and detergent. Better yet, do the pans first when washing them.

If your pan bottom doesn't have many grooves, you can use elbow grease and a soapy 3M Scotch Brite pad (tougher than others). It has worked for me over 40 years!

my pot bottoms suffered thru the cooked on grease too as I have electric burner stove.. Try product named "sokoff" it removes baked on grease and carbon...strong, worked on my pot bottoms...just take it outdoors and use it over layers of newspaper as it"s a little like oven cleaner requiring you to pour it over the pot bottom and let it sit for a while; Wash pots VERY well afterwards because really it's is like oven cleaner, can remove paint.Got it from a kitchen gadget mailorder catalog.