Cleaning Pots And Pans - Keep Your Clean Cookware As Good As New

It's true that cleaning pots and pans isn't high on most people's list of fun things to do, but it is important.

The manufacturers can give you the best advice for their particular equipment, but here is some good general advice on care tips for your pots and pans.

Non-Stick Cookware

Usually this will be frypans and, increasingly, saucepans. The point of having non-stick surfaces is so that the food you're cooking doesn't get stuck to the bottom of the pan. If your cooking meat, for example, then this causes the meat to break up, and if there's anything else in the pan (like garlic), then it will stick to the bits of meat stuck to the pan.

What it eventually means is that food won't cook properly, and when it comes out of the pan it's a mess. A good deal of it might also remain stuck in the pan, too.

However, non-stick surfaces need to be cared for to maintain their effectiveness. Here are my care tips for my non-stick frypans and saucepans:

• Never use aerosol cooking oils. The propellant in these will form a layer on the pan which will eventually ruin it. If you need to use oil, use bottled oil, and spread it around with a pastry brush.


• Always use wooden or plastic spoons in non-stick pans. Metal utensils will scratch the surfaces which will ruin it over time.


• If there's leftover food in the pan, let it cool and then rinse it out with hot water. For more stubborn residue, let it stand with hot water and washing up detergent for a little while.


• If you need to use a brush to get rid of food residue, make sure you use a plastic or nylon brush. Never use steel wool or any other abrasive scourer. This will ruin the non-stick surface.

Ideally, never put your non-stick cookware in the dishwasher. Dishwasher powder can be quite caustic and over time this will ruin the non-stick surface. The best way to clean them is by hand using warm soapy water and a cotton dishcloth.

Regular Cookware

By 'regular' I mean cookware that has no non-stick surfaces. The most common materials are stainless steel, aluminium and copper.

Cleaning pots and pans like these doesn't require as much gentle care as the non-stick types, but some general care tips include:

• For stubborn food residue, try soaking with hot water and detergent to loosen it. If that fails, use a mildly abrasive scourer or brush. Try to avoid steel wool as that will really scratch the surface.


• Never clean aluminium cookware in the dishwasher. The high temperatures will cause the aluminium to oxidise, leaving a white powdery finish where once it was nice and shiny.


• Don't try and rinse saucepans while they're still hot from cooking. This may warp the base and sides of the pan.

Ensure you use the right size stove burner for the size of pan. Only the thick base should be exposed to heat, so putting a small pan on a large burner will cause the sides to eventually warp. You can put a large pan on a small burner, but the heat won't be evenly distributed across the pan which will affect cooking.

Plastic Cookware

Cookware made from plastic is becoming more common. Most often, they're use to cook foods in microwave ovens. Other types would be plastic spoons and spatulas that you use to stir foods while cooking. Equipment like food processors will also have plastic bowls and other attachments.

The best way to clean these items is by hand. You might be able to put some things in the dishwasher, but in my experience they eventually warp or discolour, meaning I have to buy new ones. Not the cheapest option, in the long run.

The only exception to this rule would be microwave-proof dishes. I've found that if they can survive the heat of a microwave oven, then they can survive in the dishwasher too.

China/Earthenware Cookware

I have quite a few of these types of cookware. I have a clay casserole dish, as well as numerous quiche dishes and casserole dishes. A lot of these dishes are designed to go from fridge to oven to table and so can handle extremes of temperature.

Unless the manufacturer says otherwise, I find these are fine to get washed in the dishwasher. If I do wash by hand, though, I'll only use a cotton dishcloth. Don't use steel wool or other abrasive cleaners as they will scratch the porcelain surfaces.

Oh, and try to enjoy the job of cleaning pots and pans. Just think of the next delicious meal you'll make on them!

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