How to clean and care for aluminium and stainless steel pots
Wash aluminium with warm water and a soft sponge. It will dull. That is normal. Stainless steel takes a firmer pad and a little bicarbonate if it rainbows. Do not put a dry non-stick pan on a roaring flame.
Care is how a Kamukunji pot lasts. The metal is honest. Abuse is what kills it, not a missing warranty card.
Aluminium
Food film comes off with warm water and washing paste. Dark stains on the inside are oxidation, not dirt. You can lighten them with a little lemon or tomato and a boil, then rinse. Do not soak aluminium in strong alkali overnight. Do not use a sanding disc on a sufuria you still cook in.
Dry the pot. Standing water leaves marks. Store it with the lid off or cracked so the inside does not smell.
Stainless steel
Rainbow heat tint is common after a hard boil. A bicarbonate paste or a dedicated steel cleaner brings the shine back. Burnt sugar needs a soak, then a firm pad. Salt water left standing will pit some grades. Rinse after boiling beans with a lot of salt.
Non-stick
Soft sponge only. If the coat is peeling, stop using it for food. Move that cooking back to aluminium or steel. See how to choose non-stick.
| Metal | Wash | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Soft sponge, dry after | Strong alkali overnight, grinding the wall |
| Stainless | Firmer pad, bicarbonate for rainbow | Leaving salt water standing |
| Non-stick | Soft sponge, hand wash | Wire wool, metal spoons, empty high heat |
Lids, handles and jiko soot
Soot on the outside of an aluminium pot is normal on charcoal. Wash the outside if you want. It will come back. That does not mean the pot is finished. Check rivets and handles after a knock. If a handle is loose, stop using the pot on a high flame and WhatsApp us a photo if it is a new piece from this shop.
Care applies to the 28 cm sufuria, the 10 L steel pot and the aluminium set.
Back to sufurias and stainless cookware.