To help you clean your stainless steel cookware and keep it great as new, use warm soapy water for general cleaning, mix vinegar and water to remove calcium deposits, use hot or boiling water for burned-on food, try baking soda or oxalic acid cleanser to remove brown stains, wipe the cookware dry and use vinegar to avoid water spots, and keep it shiny as new with water and baking soda paste.
Stainless Steel cookware can be your best cooking partner. You need to care for it as much as you make use of it to keep it in great condition and to make your cooking superb all the time. Here are some tips for cleaning stainless steel cookware that are easy to follow and proven effective by many households:
Use warm soapy water for general cleaning
For everyday cleaning, first, you need to wet your stainless steel cookware and remove any food debris you can. Next, wash it with warm soapy water, using a sponge or soft cloth. Never use abrasives, such as steel wool, to avoid scratches. If you need to remove something hard on your stainless steel cookware, make use of a nylon scrub. After washing, wipe it dry with soft cloth. The same care also applies to other materials, including aluminum and enameled cast iron, such as Staub Cookware to keep them long-lasting.
Mix vinegar and water to remove calcium deposits
Especially when you have been doing a lot of boiling in your stainless steel cookware, you may notice mineral or calcium deposits at the bottom. To help remove these deposits, mix one third or one fourth part vinegar to three or four parts water. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes, rinse thoroughly, and wash with warm, soapy water. Make sure you do not soak the solution too long as acids, including vinegar can cause your stainless steel cookware to corrode.
Use hot or boiling water for burned-on food
Washing your stainless steel cookware with burned-on food can get really messy. To make cleaning a lot easier, put enough hot water on the cookware and let it sit for about an hour. Alternately, you can boil the water and let it cool before washing with warm, soapy water and nylon scour pad or soft cloth.
Try baking soda or oxalic acid cleanser to remove brown stains
For more stubborn brown stains, you can put hot water in your stainless steel pan and add a few tablespoons of baking soda and let it sit for a few hours before rinsing and washing. You may also try oxalic acid cleanser especially used for stainless steel, such as Bar Keeper