Love using stainless steel utensils at home? We assure you that you are not alone. Stainless steel utensils have been used for years in Indian kitchens. Be it drinking glasses, plates, bowls, spoons or cookware, much of it is made of stainless steel. Over the years we’ve seen many trends in utensils and cookware but stainless steel seems to be a staple through it all. They are recently back in high demand as they are sustainable and more durable than other material. Unlike plastic or ceramic dishes, stainless steel is easy to handle and maintain.
However, it can be challenging to keep them shiny for a long duration, because they tend to get scratched and lose their shine with time. Moreover there are different types of stainless steel available in market these days, including stainless steel with protective coating which has become quite popular of late. But don’t worry, here are some simple methods you can try at home to make stainless steel utensils shiny again.
Also Read: Kitchen Tips: How To Clean A Mixer Grinder
Here Are Simple Tips To Keep Stainless Steel Utensils Shiny:
Boiling Method
At times when we cook, the food gets burnt or stuck to the bottom of the pan and it seems like it will take forever to clean the dense layer of stuck food. For those who think it will be easier to scrape off the burnt part with spoon, you might want to reconsider your choice. There are chances that you will leave scratches on the utensil, making it look old. To clean a burnt pan, all you need is to pour water in it and place it on the stove to heat. Let the water boil for 10-15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit for another 20 minutes. This will loosen the stuck food and the utensil will become easier to clean.
Add Baking Soda And Water
Stainless steel utensils are durable and easy to maintain. However, these sometimes get rough brown spots that are very hard to remove. You can easily remove these by using baking soda. For this you will need to boil some water. Now place the utensils in a large pot or basin and generously add baking soda over them. Next, pour the hot water on them and submerge the utensils properly for 15-20 minutes. Scrub them well until the stains stay go away.
Use Vinegar
Did you know that even water leaves stains on utensils? These light in colour-white patches are basically calcium build up. When we boil water in a pan or in an electric kettle they get white stains that are tough to remove. For getting rid of these, all you need is to add 1-2 spoons of vinegar in the utensil and pour hot water on it. Cover the utensil and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash it well and watch the shine return.
Vinegar can be used in cleaning stainless steel. Photo Credit: istock
Lemon Juice For Shine
If your stainless steel looks old and dull, then this technique will be helpful for you to bring back the shine. In a bowl add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and squeeze in fresh lemon juice. With the help of a sponge, apply this paste evenly on the utensils and set it aside for 10-15 minutes. Rinse it with warm water and admire your shiny utensils.
Also Read: Kitchen Tips: How To Clean Greasy Utensils
Use Toothpaste
This hack might sound unusual to many of you. But it works very well in cleaning and brining shine to stainless steel. Just add 1 tbsp baking soda and squeeze toothpaste in it. Mix well and form a paste. Now gently apply it all over the stainless steel utensils. Once that is done wash it away, clean and dry it with a clean cloth.
Mix toothpaste with baking soda to prepare a cleaning paste.
Avoid Streaks
Cleaning stainless steel is not a tough task, however one must know the right way of cleaning it, in order to avoid streaks. First of all you need to find the right kind of cloth to clean them. You can use a microfiber cloth or soft paper towel for it. Ensure that you clean it in one particular direction as wiping the utensils against the grain can lead to streaks.
Keep Them Dry
It is very important to wipe the stainless steel utensils dry after washing them. With a kitchen towel, wipe the plates and bowls well to dry them and avoid water droplets from leaving stains on them. This way you can keep the utensils stain free and they will look as new as before.
Clean it with dry kitchen towel. Photo Credit: istock
These were some simple and easy tips to maintain the shine of stainless steel cookware at home. But please note that some kinds of stainless steel may have special instructions for their care and maintenance so do take a look at the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Let us know which tip you liked the best using the comment section below.
