Clean pots and pans well to keep them working longer in your kitchen.
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Scouring pots and pans doesn’t have to be hard on your hands or hard on the environment. With a few simple techniques and a few ingredients from the pantry, your cookware will sparkle. Whether you use commercial cleaners or homemade solutions, you kitchen can stay green if you choose what goes on your pots and pans with the same care that you choose what goes in them.
Quit Harsh Chemicals
Any product that has a poison or danger warning on the label doesn’t belong in a green arsenal of pot and pan cleaners. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says to stay away from labels with words like "corrosive," "flammable," "combustible," "severely irritating" and "strong sensitizer" — these terms indicate that the product can be toxic in small doses. There are far more benign cleaners to put on your cooking pots and rinse down the drain. (See References 1)
Find Green Labels
When shopping, look for cleaners that are biodegradable, solvent-free and that don't release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the atmosphere — or your kitchen (see References 1). "Biobased" cleaners are made from renewable plant or animal materials, like citrus- or pine-based soaps (see References 2). The EPA recommends checking a product’s claims to see if a respected third-party tester like Green Seal certifies it.
Homemade Options
There is no complex alchemy when it comes to preparing effective cleaning solutions for your pots and pans. Ordinary, non-toxic household products will do a fine job of removing marinara sauce or fried dumpling grease. Keep white vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, borax and liquid castile soap on hand (see References 1). Vinegar diluted with water can deal with most cooking aftermaths; use it at full-strength for big jobs. Lemon juice will cut grease and oil, and smells nice in the bargain. A paste of baking soda and water is a mild scrubber. Follow manufacturer’s care directions for enameled cast iron, aluminum, copper and other finishes and substitute green cleaning products whenever possible.
Water- and Work-Saving Strategies
Pots and pans will last longer and get cleaner if you wash them by hand (see References 4). Green cleaning strategies reduce water use and keep down the time spent on difficult scrubbing. Soaking a pot helps food remnants lift off easily. Soak pots after they cool; filling a hot pot with water could crack or degrade some finishes. Turn off the water between wetting and soaping pots and pans and rinsing them; the EPA reports that letting a faucet run for five minutes uses the same amount of energy as burning a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours (see References 3). It's also important to watch your pots during cooking; burned-on food is hard to clean off and frequent scrubbing can shorten the life of your favorite saucepan.
Benna Crawford has been a journalist and New York-based freelance writer since 1997. Her work has appeared in "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," "The Miami Herald," on CBS, CNN, ABC and in professional journals, trade publications and blogs. Crawford is a certified Prana Yoga instructor, currently studying green nutrition.
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