Caring for your cooking utensils

When you buy cooking utensils, don't make design your only criterion. If you want to ensure that you will be able to use them for the intended purpose for many years to come and minimise wear and tear, the material they are made of is equally important. Stainless steel is a high quality material that has proven to be excellent for cooking because it is robust, stable and very durable. Stainless steel has an extremely smooth surface. This is coupled with the special advantage that it is rust free, shock and heat resistant. At the same time, because it is so smooth, stainless steel is the easiest material to clean. Particles of dirt can only stick to a surface if it is textured or if it has indents or cracks.

How to clean your kitchen utensils properly

• Kitchen utensils made of stainless steel can be put in the dish washer. You can also wash them with hot water, washing up-liquid, a soft cloth a sponge or a soft brush.
• Kitchen implements made of wood don't need any special care. Simply remove the residual food from them after use and wipe them clean.
• Wooden boards should not be put in the dish washer because it warps them.
• Cutting implements with blades such as knives, can openers, peelers and cutters should not be put in the dish washer because sharp blades are usually made of high-grade steel and are not entirely rust-free. The dish washer also makes them blunt. Wash knives, peelers etc. by hand and dry them immediately. Don't leave them in the washing up water as they can be a hazard!
• Plastic kitchen utensils and pans with plastic handles shouldn't be put in the dish washer either because the aggressive chemicals in dish washer detergent cause the plastic to become brittle over time.

Another handy hint
Rainbow-like discolorations on the surface of cooking utensils and cookware such as pots and pans are not functional impairments or material defects. The discolouration is caused by the formation of a passive film - a film on the surface of the stainless steel which protects it from corrosion. It is easily removed with a little lemon juice or vinegar essence.