How to Clean and Care for your Kitchen Knives
We all know that having the right tools and gadgets in the kitchen can make the difference between a happy chef and an annoyed chef.
Keeping your knives clean and sharp will make your cooking experience better and more satisfying as well as extend the life of your knives. It will also result in a much safer working environment for you or whoever uses these knives.
Many people get it wrong and assume that washing and cleaning your kitchen knives is the same as washing some glasses or plates when this is clearly not the case.
While cooking, it is important to keep your knife clean, wash it while cooking every few minutes to ensure it is clean and ready to perform. Use only hot water and soap and don’t use any other cleaning chemicals, never leave your knife in the sink or wet while waiting for it to dry. Once the knife is washed, wipe it clean, dry the water and put it back in its place. Only wash your knives by hand and never use the dishwasher, this can destroy your knife and result in a poor kitchen tool.
Make sure you take care when washing sharp knives and pay close attention, especially when cleaning the blade, as you want to make sure the knife is clean but keeping yourself safe is just as important.
It’s usually recommended to sharpen your knife about once a year, especially your chef’s knife (depending on how often you use it). You can sharpen it yourself with some home gadgets and tools, but a proper sharpening stone is more suitable and recommended, be sure you know how to use it before trying to sharpen your knife. You can take it to the closest knife shop and have it done by a professional if you have expensive knives or you are not sure how to do it yourself.
If you invest in a good knife, we recommend taking it to a professional once year, which will make a huge difference. It is usually not a bug investment and it is totally worth it.
Keeping your knife in a safe place is essential for your home safety as well as for the knife, which will make it last longer if it is stored properly.
Using the right cutting boards is also a very important aspect of maintaining a sharp blade that will last longer. Avoid using glass, porcelain or any other hard material that can damage the blade. Special plastic and bamboo cutting boards are the best choice, comfort wise as well as keeping a sharp blade for longer.
As we have seen on our list of Top 10 Chef’s knives, some of these knives can be pricey and to make the most out of them and extend their working lives we need to make sure we clean them, store them and take good care of these great tools.
Almost every home cook or professional chef will testify that the most important tool in the kitchen is his chef’s knife. If you will keep them clean and sharp, they will be your best buddy in the kitchen!
Safe cleaning.
