When it comes to cooking, it’s commonly accepted that some types of food are much easier to clean than others. Dried on flour, overcooked meat and even solidified sugar can result in left over residues that are all but impossible to wash away. Here’s a look at one of the most effective dish, cutlery and pot cleaning techniques on the planet!
Tackling the Toughest Dirty Dishes
If you’ve come across a few incredibly hard to clean dishes, then we have some great steps that can help you to get your pots and pans looking and smelling as fresh as possible! You’ll be able to spend less time waiting for your tough dishes to soak, and plenty more time enjoying a fantastic variety of food instead!
Here’s what you will need:
- A pair of rubber gloves
- White vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- Dishwasher detergent
- A towel or cleaning cloth
- A tub of baking soda
- A scrubbing brush or particularly coarse sponge
Let’s get started!
First
The first thing that you’ll want to do is to put your gloves on. Your hands will be exposed to scrubbing and brushing, so it’s a good idea to keep them as safe and protected as possible.
Secondly
Fill your sink with hot water and add a few drops of cleaning detergent. The hotter the water, the easier the food stains and build-ups will be to break down. Just be careful not to burn yourself in the process. If you’re hoping to clean dairy products like cheese or dried cream from your dishes or pots, avoid hot water as this will cause the foods to melt and become sticky.
Third
Allow your dishes and pots to soak for up to two hours. If your dishes are really dirty, leave them to settle for a little while longer.
Next:
Once your dishes have been sufficiently soaked, empty the water from your sink, and sprinkle baking soda over the tops of your pots and pans.
Then:
You’ll need a little elbow grease for the next step – but it will be worth it in the end! Grab your sponge or brush, and start scrubbing away at the food deposits.
After:
Being careful not to burn yourself, run your dishes under the hot water tap and watch as the food residues lift away.
Extra Steps
If you’ve found that there are still certain traces of food that our earlier steps haven’t tackled, then simply pour baking soda over the affected area, followed by vinegar. The chemical reaction should break down even the most stubborn build-ups, and then you can simply wash your pots, dishes and pans again with hot water to remove the traces of food.
As soon as your pots and pans have been sufficiently cleaned, you’ll be able to go about cooking a brand new recipe! To avoid these types of build ups happening again, why not spread a bit of butter or vegetable oil around the base of the pan before cooking? This will make it very hard for hardened foods to take hold.
