How To: Clean and Care for Your Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless steel is strong and durable, making it perfect for cookware in your commercial kitchen. This material looks attractive and offers quick heat absorption and even heat distribution. While these pans can last you for years to come, it’s essential to understand how to use, clean, and care for your stainless steel cookware. Caring for stainless steel can be challenging, especially because there are so many things to consider to keep this material in top shape. When cared for properly, a set of stainless steel cookware can serve your commercial kitchen for years.

There are several different materials that you can choose for your cookware. You might be wondering; why pick stainless steel? One of the main benefits of this material is the unique surface. The natural tendency for foods to stick to the surface (without added oil) can provide an excellent seasoning to your pan. Another benefit to the metal combination is durability. This type of cookware is tough and is dent and scratch resistant, giving it a long life in your kitchen. Stainless steel also adds a professional and clean look to a commercial kitchen. 

Below are some tips and instructions that we consider essential on using and maintaining stainless steel cookware. Whether you’ve just bought your first set, are considering buying for the first time, or have owned stainless steel cookware for years, these tips can help you!

First Time Use

So, you’ve bought a set of stainless cookware. What do you do first to ensure that you’re using and maintaining it correctly? Follow these tips (and more here) before cooking with your pans for the first time.

• Before first use, wash cookware in hot soapy water. Rinse and towel dry.
• Lightly run cooking oil into pan surface before using.
• Do not preheat your cookware empty. This can scorch the bottom of your pans.

Cooking Tips

It’s important to remember that your cookware is sensitive to high heat exposure and contact with other metals. Be sure to use the right kind of utensils and watch your burners while cooking with your stainless steel.

• If your fats or oils are smoking, the heat on your burner is too high. Use less heat to avoid scorching.
• Use plastic, wooden, or metal utensils during cooking – They’ll hold up to the heat and won’t damage your pans.
• Never cut food or use electric beaters inside of your pans – This will scratch the bottoms.
• Don’t let liquids boil dry– it can cause severe damage to cookware.
• Avoid letting food crust build up in the pan by cleaning after each use and keeping food from burning.

How to Clean

Regular washing is recommended to prevent build-up and burning of food, but chemicals and dishwashers can harm the metal compound in your stainless cookware. Mild washing and limited soaking are ideal to keep your pans in excellent shape between uses!

• Clean with hot soapy water and towel dry. Wash by hand, as dishwashers can cause damage to the surface and reduce the lifespan of the cookware.
• Do not use strong chemical cleaners like bleach or oven cleaners.
• Avoid using scouring pads and steel wool. Wash with a cloth or sponge.
• If the pan has crusted food build up, soak the pan in hot soapy water for several hours. Then, scrub vigorously until clean.
• If water spots show up in the pan, swish around some club soda and hand wipe dry.
• Polish your cookware with stainless steel polish. This can remove fingerprints and make it look brand new.

Some More Important Safeguards

There are some other tips and tricks to keep your stainless steel cookware performing and looking its best. We recommend following these guidelines to maintain the surface and exterior.

• Make sure that your cooking surface is level. Uneven burners can lead to pooling of oils and fats, which leads to inadequate coverage of the pan surface. 
• Avoid salt damage by seasoning food after it has been added to the pan or after the water begins to boil.
• Try seasoning your pans to improve the flavor of sauces and foods.

Have more questions on caring for your stainless steel cookware? Our product experts are here to help! Check out the Central Resource Center, comment below, or call 800.215.9293 for questions.