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Cooking Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [cleaning]

For questions about cleaning kitchen equipment after use. Please also tag with type of equipment you're cleaning. Do not use for food preparation (washing produce, cleaning fish, etc), just use the tag for the food you're preparing

410 questions
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4 answers

Why does plastic never dry properly in a dishwasher?

Whenever I get tasked with unloading the dishwasher, I'm always amazed at the amount of water that's still stuck (always in droplets) to our plastic kitchen utensils and storage containers. We have a dishwasher with three racks, but it doesn't seem…
Tinkeringbell
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15 answers

Best way to remove fruit flies from your kitchen

I have a confession to make. I was lazy, I didn't think it would cause any harm, but it did. And now they are back. The fruit flies have taken over my kitchen, and I need help fighting them. Story: I was preparing a must for homebrewing a batch of…
Korthalion
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9 answers

How do I wash the "pokey" side of a box grater?

I have this box grater, and one of the sides is "non-directional" (not sure what this is called) -- that is, the pointy "blade" things are on every side of the holes: Close-up: The fibers you see are from ginger. My question is: How do I clean…
Jason C
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47
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7 answers

How do you clean a seasoned cast iron skillet?

I have a seasoned cast iron skillet, and I don't want to mess up the seasoning when I'm cleaning it. What do I use and what don't I use to get it back to clean? I've heard not to use soap and to make sure it is dry, but nothing beyond that.
plor
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3 answers

Dishwasher safety - "top shelf" vs. "bottom shelf"

The instruction manual for some of my kitchen equipment says "Dishwasher safe (top shelf)". What difference is there between what an object on the top shelf of a dishwasher experiences, and what happens to an object on the bottom shelf? What are the…
slim
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12 answers

How can brown stains be removed from pots and pans?

I haven't been cooking for long — recent college grad — so I'm doing a lot of experimentation and making a lot of rookie mistakes. One of them is shown here for your viewing pleasure: My mom gifted me this pan less than a year ago. She used it…
Pops
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12 answers

Is there any cleaning utensil that is comparable to fingernails?

As you know, sometimes the best scraping tool in the kitchen for cleaning up is your own fingernails. The only thing I know of that compares in terms of effectiveness is metal, but you shouldn't use metal on many things, such as cast iron or…
BVernon
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5 answers

Can a pizza stone be fixed after soap has been used to clean it?

We bought a pizza stone from a thrift store (so at least it was cheap). Unfortunately we cleaned it with soap before reading up on how to clean them. I know, rookie mistake. Is there any way to fix it or should I just toss it out and consider it a…
Steve Hiner
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12 answers

Why not put knives in the dishwasher?

What is it about the dishwasher that harms knives? The only reasons I've found are: You could get cut... I personally have a greater change of getting cut by trying to wash them by hand. The blades can damage the plastic-coated metal shelves... so…
JustRightMenus
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4 answers

Is it normal to see flames inside my self-cleaning oven?

I spilled some sauce in the oven, so I decided to clean it today. I wiped the bottom and glass door, but the rest of the stuff was crusty and stuck to the bottom of the oven. I started the cycle and went about my business. About 15 minutes later I…
Michael Moussa
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11 answers

What is the best way to clean a grater?

A grater is a very useful instrument in the kitchen and it's fun to use. You can use it for a lot of food: cheese, citrus fruit peel, nutmeg, all kinds of vegetables, etc. But cleaning a grater is a pain. Anyone here knows an easy and effective way…
Mien
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4 answers

What are the benefits and drawbacks of washing dishes in hot water?

When hand-washing dishes, it seems commonplace to wash dishes in hot water. This LifeHacker article about washing your hands in hot water versus cold water points out that: It's certainly true that heat kills bacteria, but if you were going to use…
Insane
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10 answers

Cleaning out coffee pots and thermoses

Is there a commonly available cleaning solution I can use for coffee pots and infuser thermoses for coffee and tea? I have a number of these that are starting to show coffee stains and particle buildup from coffee and tea. For coffee pots (back…
Cloud
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6 answers

How do you properly clean a cutting board and knife to prevent cross contamination?

I have one very nice cutting board that I like to use with my chef's knife. Because I only use this single cutting board and chef's knife, if I have a recipe that calls for cutting raw meat as well as vegetables, I have to take turns with the same…
Ben McCormack
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Cure for burns from hot peppers / capsicum oil?

So, I foolishly ignored advice about wearing gloves while handling hot peppers. I thought since they were "just" anaheim peppers I'd be fine... I was wrong, and I repent. Does anyone know of a way to stop the burning? I have washed my hands…
JustRightMenus
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