How to Clean and Maintain Your Kitchen Knives

How to Clean Your Kitchen Knives

Keeping your knives sharp is one thing, but what about cleaning them?

Here are some tips to remember when cleaning your knives:

• Handwash: Don't give in to the temptation to pop them in the dishwasher! Always handwash your good quality knives. Dishwashers can be abrasive and will end up with your knives knocking up against each other and losing their sharpness.
• Wash with warm, soapy water: Wash your knives with warm water and dish soap. I like to use Clarks Orange and Lemon Castile-based soap, that I also use on my cutting boards.
• Rinse them in cool water:Try to avoid using piping hot water, and once they're clean, rinse the soap of gently with cool water.
• Air dry: Preferably, lay the knife down on a dishcloth or something similar to air dry. Or, if you'd like to put it away immediately, grow-bags dab it gently with a cloth – don't run the blade through the inside of a drying cloth (for the sake of the blade and your own safety).
• Don't pack them in the sink: Whatever you do, don't pack your knives in a full sink or anything of the sort. This will lead to the blades bumping and rubbing other things, which will affect how sharp they are and may lead to damage.
• Take good care of your knives' handles: Always wipe down the handles and consider waxing or oiling them from time to time, depending on the material they're made from.

How to Maintain Your Kitchen Knives

Maintaining your kitchen knives properly really isn't difficult – it's all about sharpening them regularly, cleaning them properly, and storing them appropriately. We've covered the first two issues, so what about how to store your knives?

It basically comes down to the fact that you simply shouldn't store them in a draw, especially alongside other knives. They tend to move around, getting knocked and bumped against things including other knives, and can end up damaged or losing their sharpness more quickly than necessary.

Therefore, try one of these alternative storage options instead:

• A knife sheath/guard
• A magnetic strip
• A universal knife block