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Questions tagged [maintenance]

64 questions
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Can I descale/decalcify my coffee machine without a special product?

I have a capsule espresso machine. The company sells a special decalcification kit. However, I think that it only contains a citric acid and nothing more, yet it is quite expensive. The question is whether I can safely and efficiently use just a…
yo'
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Does a sharpening steel ever need to be replaced?

Possible Duplicate: Do honing steels wear out? I've been using my sharpening steel for several years. The tiny little ridges that run along its length seem to be somewhat worn, although they're still visible. I'm wondering if I'd get a better…
eigor40
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Do stainless steel sauce pots wear out and how can I tell if it needs replacement?

Perhaps a chef who has lots of experience with cookware might know when to or when not to replace a stainless pot. I use the pot for cooking great northern beans and it has been used for maybe 60 years. It is a 4 quart Revere Ware stainless steel…
Sedumjoy
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What regular maintenance is best for a Japanese knife?

My amazing fiancee just got me a Nenox gyuto as a graduation present. (You can't have her, she's mine.) Until now, I've only had Western knives. I understand that I should never use a steel on this beauty. The question is, what regular maintenance…
David Bruce Borenstein
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Maintenance and safety of cast iron skillet

I come from Stack Overflow and this it my first post on this branch of Stack Exchange! I write here because I received a small skillet as a gift (I assume its material to be cast iron), and I don't know how to handle and maintain it properly because…
0x5C91
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Is there any way to salvage an old rusted wok?

Hello Seasoned Advice: I cannot find an answer on any previous posts here relating to woks about what to do if the wok is Already Rusted. I found this wok in my husband's house when I moved in - he has no idea where it came from or how long it's…
Leigh Anne
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What cost-effective things can I do to help my knives stay sharp longer?

I'm a poor college student that doesn't know much about his knives, pots, and pans. Specifically is there anything that I can do to make my knives stay sharp longer and maintain them without spending too much money?
Logan S.
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What can I do about scratched pots?

I have a pot that is really nice, and I was silly enough to use a metallic spatula. It is not Teflon but looked ceramic, and it has scratches now. Can any repair be done? Edit: I am including an image below
Vass
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What type of lubricant should be used on oven door hinges?

My oven has squeaky door hinges. There are many types of lubricant available ( traditional, silicon, Teflon etc.), all with different pros/cons. I'm curious, is there a "best practice" choice for what should be used in this case?
Niall
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What is my pizza cutter's handle made from, and how do I stop it from staining everything it touches?

A while back, I bought an ordinary-looking pizza cutter with a dull grey handle. However, I soon found out the hard way that the handle is made from some weird metal or alloy that reacts with water, staining everything it touches black: "Water"…
lambshaanxy
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White stains and stainless steel cookware

I know this question has been asked before in some form or another, but I can't seem to find a definitive answer. I've looked on SA, chowhound, martha stewart, about.com, etc., and answers seem to vary. Answers that I've seen vary from using vinegar…
MarkE
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What type of whetstones are you using for sharpening stainless steel knives?

What type of whetstone should I use for sharpening knives made of VG-10, A2, D2, S30V? More specific, for each step (grinding/sharpening/honing): what kind of whetstone: natural or artificial? If artificial, what type of material? what kind of…
alexandrul
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How do you protect a pizza peel?

I got a pizza peel that feels like it is just plain wood. How can I protect it? I thought I heard somewhere to use some sort of oil.
Mike Wills
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What's happening to the coating on the OUTSIDE of my roommate's non-stick cookware as we wash it?

My roommate has a set of non-stick pots and pans. They advertise themselves as dishwasher-safe, so we typically machine-wash them. The exterior of the pans is not bare metal; it's covered in some kind of dark gray matte coating, as in the following…
A_S00
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Microwave door blew open when boiling water-vinegar mixture for cleaning

The inside walls of a microwave have become sticky. I was attempting to be a smart cookie and tried to clean it by boiling a glass of water-vinegar mixture inside it. However, this DIY backfired as the water heated beyond its boiling point and the…
3 trees
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