How to clean and properly maintain utensils

Utensils and cookware are the most used items in every household that require regular and proper hygiene and maintenance.

This will not only protect one from diseases but also ensure the durability of cookware.

Cookware comes in different forms; either wood, stainless steel, plastic, glass or ceramic materials.

Each of these materials requires good care and different methods of washing.

Here are some ways you can ensure proper cleaning and maintenance of your cookware.

Use of Scrubbers and Sponges: Sponges are the best to use when cleaning plastic, glass utensils, non-stick pans and pots as they wash off the food particles and greasy dirt.

The use of scrubbers for non-stick pans damages the non-stick coating thus reducing the effectiveness of the pan.

When the food particles are sticky, soak your pan in soapy warm water for a few minutes.

While for stainless steel cookware and any metallic utensils, scrubbers are used to clean the soot off.

Storage of utensils: How you store your utensils ensures longevity. For knives, ensure to store them upside down or in a knife holder to maintain the sharpness.

Set up your plates well stacked in the cabinet, and add a thin sheet of paper in between plates and underneath to reduce friction and dust respectively.

Always ensure to store ceramic cookware away from light to reduce fading and breakage.

For pots and pans, you can always stack them up, sorting with sizes and separately with the lids, set up in a corner of the cabinet.

You can also make a rack to hang some of the pots with handles above your oven.

For lids, you can always store them in a drawer using a lid organizer.

Proper use of utensils: All utensils should be used for the exact purpose. Avoid using knives as openers which makes them blunt. While cooking with nonstick pans, don't use metallic spoons or forks that will scratch the pan you can use wooden spoons.

Boiling food with heavy pots which can sustain high heat temperatures compared to light pots which can tear easily. Always read instruction manuals to understand the purpose of each item.

Fix your utensils regularly: Always ensure to repair broken handles especially for knives and pots as this keeps them safer for use. Oiling of your wooden chopping board will prevent it from drying out.

Cleaning your sponge: Sponges absorb the most dirt while cleaning and unfortunately, they can harbour bacteria. A simple trick is to microwave the sponge just like microwaving utensils to sterilize and it kill the germs.