Home> Care for Cutlery & Utensils

Text by: Tanya Munshi
As a guest you feel important if your host has set the table with the finest cutlery. As a host, with a set of well-maintained cutlery and utensils, you enjoy cooking and presenting food for family and friends. So here are some handy tips to care for your fine cutlery and utensils.

Cleaning Silverware
o Always store silver cutlery in a box or drawer, covered with a cloth.
o Rinse off silver cutlery soon after use to prevent staining.
o Use a soft cloth to polish the silverware. Don’t leave silver-plated cutlery for too long in cleaning solution. Always use a diluted dishwashing solution to wash silverware.

Stainless Steel Cutlery
o They are usually highly resistant to corrosion, rust and stains.
o Avoid direct heat/flame on any stainless steel product.
o Never dip/use them with vinegar for too long. The salts present in the vinegar cause discoloration.
o Always use a dishwashing solution to clean stainless steel cutlery.

Copper Vessels
o Copper is a good conductor of heat. Copper vessels heat up and cool down very quickly. So always use low flame and never keep empty copper vessels over a flame.
o Preferably use copper vessels with a stainless steel/silver coating.
o Wash the vessel while it’s still warm, using a dishwashing detergent and soft scrubber. Never use steel wool or strong detergents and scrub the vessel harshly.

Non-stick Cookware
o Always use a non-stick cookware on low flame.
o Always use wooden ladles while cooking in a non-stick pan.
o Wash such utensils with a liquid detergent soap and a soft scrubber.

Porcelain, Bone China And Ceramic
o Always wash them with a light detergent.
o Never place them in a microwave for heating if they have a metallic (silver or gold) plated design/coating on them.
o Avoid exposing them to extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Woodenware
At times, oil and food reside on wooden ladles can attract ants. Soak wooden ladles for about 10 minutes in hot water to remove all residues. Wash with a good detergent and dry immediately.

Published in Tips4me.com, on June 04, 2007 Link: http://www.tips4me.com/tips/homehints/others_main.asp?file=/tips/kitchen/appliance.htm