How to clean your pots and pans without chemicals

Different types of cookware require different types of care, but you don't need to rely on chemical solutions to do the job. Here are natural ways to clean your pots and pans.

• Rinse out immediately after cooking, as salt can attack the surface.
• Stainless steel shines like new after rubbing with a moist cloth sprinkled with baking soda.
• Rub stains and small scratches off cookware with a paste made from 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) of dish soap and 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) of baking soda. Rinse it off with cold water.

• Immerse new pots and pans in boiling water and allow to cool.
• Rub any tarnished spots shiny with half a lemon and a little salt.
• You can also try a paste of vinegar and salt to make copper shiny. Let it work for 30 minutes, wash off with cold water, and then dry with a chamois cloth.

• Lime deposits don't stand a chance when you fill your kettle halfway with water and vinegar and boil the contents. Turn off the heat, let the liquid work for a couple of hours, and wash thoroughly.
• Avoid calcification by placing a pebble or a piece of marble in the kettle.

• Season cast-iron cookware before the first use: clean pots, rub in some vegetable oil and heat them in the oven on the top rack. For pans, add 15 to 30 millilitres (one to two tablespoons) of oil and heat it on the element until the oil smokes. Wipe out with paper towels after it cools.
• After use, wash pots and pans in warm dish-water, dry immediately and rub with cooking oil.
• Keep your cookware from rusting. Store it in a dry place.

If, despite your careful treatment, rust spots form on cast-iron cookware, use a lemon solution sure to remove them.

What you'll need:

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
• 500 ml (2 c) water

  Mix together your ingredients. Dip a brush in the solution and coat the rust spots. Then maintain the cookware as usual.

• Wash with warm water and rub sparingly with vegetable oil.
• Remove dried-on remains. Boil 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) of baking soda in about 150 millilitres (2/3 cup) of water in the pan, pour out the liquid and wipe out the baking soda residue along with the leftover food.
• Avoid scratches by placing paper towels between pans when you store them.

Prevent burning the food you're cooking by lightly coating your pots and pans with oil and salt after each washing and wiping them with a paper towel. Foods won't cook on so hard, and subsequent washing will be quicker and easier.