How To Clean Stainless Steel Utensils: Here’s A Simple Guide To Follow
Team Mishry
Cleaning stainless steel utensils is vital to maintain their quality. If the stainless steel utensils are not properly maintained, they will rust and corrode and will become unfit for cooking purposes.
Why stainless steel utensils are very popular today
Stainless steel utensils are used widely for cooking as they are one of the best cookware available. They are better than other types of cookware as they have all the advantages that one needs for a better cooking experience. Stainless steel utensils are a better choice for cooking as they are made from materials that are not toxic to human health and hygiene. Stainless steel utensils are easy to cook with as they tolerate a higher degree of heat without doing any damage to the cookware itself. They are very adaptable as they don’t change the taste of the food that is being cooked and therefore, help in retaining the nutrient value of the food.
The challenge of cleaning stainless steel utensils
As much fun as it is to cook with stainless steel utensils, you need to understand that they need proper maintenance. Else, they get damaged easily. Stainless steel utensils should be cleaned in such a way that the cookware doesn’t get damaged or destroyed because of negligence. These utensils are prone to various types of stains. The challenge to clean them lies in understanding that different stains need different cleaning treatments and to use them accordingly. Here, we will be giving you a brief description of how to clean stainless steel utensils without causing any damage or defects to them.
Different stains on stainless steel utensils need different solutions
For normal cleaning purposes of stainless steel utensils, warm soapy water, sponge or soft cotton cloth and dishwashing gel or bar are the necessary requirements. All a person has to do is get rid of the remnants of food from the utensil and then wash it with water and dishwashing gel or bar with the use of a sponge or soft cotton cloth.
1. Brown, rusty stains
One of the common stains that affect stainless steel utensils is brown stains. These are usually caused due to constant use, overheating and due to rusting. There is a particular way to get rid of these brown stains. To get rid of these stains, the utensil should be soaked in hot water with a few tablespoons of baking soda for a few hours. The timing that you soak the utensils for will depend on the intensity of the stains. After a few hours of soaking, the stainless steel utensil would be stain- free.
Another way to get rid of brown stains from stainless steel cookware is by using an oxalic acid cleanser. As these cleansers have chemical acids in them it is better to not leave them in the utensil for too long as they can do more permanent damage than good to the utensils while trying to get rid of temporary stains.
2. Calcium build-ups
Another type of damage that stainless steel utensils are exposed to is calcium deposits at the bottom of the utensil. This calcium deposit happens when water is boiled in these stainless steel utensils too often. The minerals in the water and the calcium get deposited at the bottom of the utensil, leaving a stain.
To get rid of this calcium deposit, one must use one third or one-fourth of vinegar along with three or four parts of water. This mixture should be made and kept aside to rest for a while to have great results on the utensil. The utensil should be washed completely with soapy water. A word of caution: Leaving stainless steel in vinegar for a long time can cause an acidic reaction and might corrode the utensil, so make sure you keep the vinegar in the stainless steel utensil only for a short while.
3. Burnt stains
Burnt food is another major reason for staining that can make a stainless steel utensil look unclean and old. These happen when food is left unattended to in the utensil for too long while cooking. It is also a very tough stain to get rid of. However, burnt food stain can be cleaned from the utensil with the help of boiling water.
All one has to do to get rid of burnt food from stainless steel utensils is to let it sit in boiling water until it cools down to room temperature. Then, you need to wash the utensils with warm soapy water, with the help of cotton cloths or a nylon scrubbing pad. The hot water helps the burnt food that is attached to the utensil to come loose, thereby helping in cleaning the vessel easier than you imagined.
4. Watermarks
Any kind of cookware that needs cleaning with the help of water will have watermarks on it, if not checked. Stainless steel utensils will show these watermarks more than any other type of cookware as they have a very shining and neat surface. To prevent the stainless steel from getting watermarks on them it is better to not leave them in moisture for so long. So, as soon as the utensil is washed it is better to wipe them with the help of a dry & soft cloth.
5. To keep it shining
Stainless steels can look dull and old when they are used for a long time. Do you want the shine and texture on these utensils to stay for a long time? Try this simple remedy for the same. Make a paste that acts as the cleaning agent with the help of baking soda and water. The texture of the paste should not be too watery; otherwise, the paste won’t work its magic. Make the paste and apply it on the inside and outside layers of the utensil. Rinse it thoroughly to get back the sheen and shine back on your utensils!
The utensil should be washed with warm and soapy water so that the baking soda smell doesn’t stick to it. After washing the utensil, it is always advisable to wipe them with the help of clean, dry and soft cloth.
FAQ’s
- What is the best way to clean stainless steel cutlery?
Stainless steel cutlery must be washed with warm water and mild dish washing soap. They must then be hung to dry and cleaned off with a soft and absorbent cloth to avoid water spots. Tough stains can be gotten rid of using natural cleaners like vinegar and lime juice.
- How to make small stainless steel wares shiny?
The simple hack to make your stainless steel ware shine at home is to place them in a pot of boiling water. In this water add about two spoonfuls of baking soda and place some folded pieces of aluminium foil inside. Let the cutlery stay in the water while it boils. Then take them out, rinse them off as you usually would and dry them with a soft absorbent cloth.
- How to get rid of tarnish stains out of stainless steel utensils?
To get rid of tarnish on stainless steel wares, mix vinegar in some hot water and let the mix sit on the stain for five to ten minutes. Then rinse, clean and dry the utensil.
Conclusion
Cleaning is one of the important tasks when it comes to cookware, no matter what material the cookware is made of. It is important to always keep them very clean and presentable for health and hygienic purposes. Otherwise, the stains and deposits may carry germs that may get infused in the foods we eat. This can pose a huge health risk for us; therefore, it is high time you put these simple remedies to use and get back the shine on your stainless steel utensils.
Cleaning of the stainless steel utensil is also important for another reason and it is to maintain its quality. If the stainless steel utensils are not properly maintained, they will rust and corrode and will become unfit for cooking purposes.
