How to Clean Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

After some time of use, stainless steel pots can become yellowish, and even blackened. To clean these stains, you can apply the following simple tips.

Cleaning Stainless Steel Pots with Dish Soap

Stainless steel pots and pans may become yellowish or blackened after prolonged use. Even other stainless steel kitchen utensils like spoons, ladles, and steaming racks can become discolored when not in use. To clean these stains, dish soap alone sometimes does not provide the best results. To effectively remove stains, you'll need to add two more ingredients to the dish soap.

Mix dish soap with baking soda and white vinegar.

First, use the largest pot or pan you have to hold the cleaning solution and allow enough space to soak the items that need cleaning. Add 4-5 tablespoons of baking soda, half a bottle of vinegar, dish soap, and enough water to soak the stainless steel items. Then, place the stainless steel utensils into the pot and turn on the stove to bring the water to a boil.

Boiling the mixture helps to remove dirt effectively without the need for too much scrubbing. After boiling, you can turn off the heat and continue soaking the items in the pot. Once the water cools down slightly, take the utensils out and use a dishcloth to scrub the surface. This method will leave your pots, pans, or any stainless steel utensils clean and shiny.

For stubborn stains, you can mix baking soda and vinegar with a little water, then add it to the boiled water mixture and scrub for an additional 5 minutes. This will help remove even the most persistent stains.

Using Dishwasher Tablets or Powder

Soak the pot in 1-2 liters of boiling water and add a dishwasher tablet or dishwasher powder (the kind used in dishwashers). For lightly stained pots, soak them for 1-2 hours. For older stains, soak them overnight.

After soaking the items in water mixed with dishwasher detergent, the stains will easily come off, and scrubbing will become much easier.

Dishwasher tablets and powder contain oxygenating agents that help to remove stubborn stains such as burnt marks and grease that have accumulated over time.

You can use dishwasher tablets or powder from any brand. Simply soak the pots in water with the detergent to clean them thoroughly.

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Choosing the Best Oranges at the Market

Oranges with large and small "navels" are completely different. Be careful when buying oranges to avoid getting ones that are sour and watery.

When buying oranges, a little observation can help you select the sweetest and juiciest ones. In the current season, oranges are abundant in supermarkets and fruit stores, but choosing a good one can be tricky as the prices are not low. A neighbor of mine owns a fruit shop, and my family often buys most of our fruit from him. After building a good relationship, he also shared some tips for selecting different types of fruits.

Of course, I have also combined my many years of experience in buying oranges. Below, I will share with you a compilation of tips for choosing oranges, so you can try them the next time you go shopping.

1. Look at the Color

When you look at a pile of oranges, the first thing you notice is their shiny yellow color. However, if you observe carefully, you will see that the oranges have different shades. The darker the color, the more sunlight the orange received while growing, which means it has more sugar and is naturally sweeter and juicier. If the color is lighter, it could mean poor growth or that the orange has been stored for too long. Therefore, when choosing oranges, you should select the ones with the darkest color.

2. Look at the Shape

My neighbor told me that when buying oranges, you should choose the ones that are plump and full, as they will be sweet. If you observe carefully, you'll see that some oranges are round while others are slightly oval. Always choose the plump and round oranges.

3. Look at the Navel

Nowadays, many people prefer buying oranges with a large navel, believing that they are the sweetest. I think this is the only way to taste sweetness. However, my neighbor told me that the sweetness of an orange is unrelated to the size of the navel. In my experience, this is true, as oranges with small navels can also be very sweet.

When cutting an orange with a large navel, you’ll notice that the navel has a white membrane covering it, leaving less pulp inside, and the majority of it is just peel. The flavor is relatively lacking. During the growth period of the orange, the segments absorb all the nutrients from the whole fruit. So, if you try it, you'll notice that not only is the orange not as tasty, but the pulp of the other segments also contains less juice. So, it’s clear that you should choose oranges with smaller navels.

4. Feel the Weight with Your Hands

① Check the weight: After looking at the color, shape, and navel, you should feel the weight of the orange. If it feels heavy in your hand, it means the orange is relatively fresh and full of juice. If it looks large but feels light when you weigh it, it has likely been stored for a long time and isn't as fresh.

② Check the firmness and softness: After weighing, gently squeeze the orange to feel its firmness and elasticity. Fresh and ripe oranges should be firm and elastic when squeezed. If it’s difficult to squeeze, the peel might be thick, and the fruit may not be fully developed and might taste sour.

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The Magical Benefits of Orange Peels

Orange peels have a refreshing fragrance and are rich in nutrients, so we can make good use of them in our daily lives.

1. Eliminate Odd Odors: We often store various ingredients in the fridge, and despite wrapping them tightly in plastic or bags, some odors may still linger. In this case, you can place a little orange peel inside to help mask any unpleasant smells, leaving only the refreshing scent of the orange.

2. Remove Fishy Smells and Grease: You can peel off the orange peel, dry it, and store it. When cooking meat, add one or two slices of dried peel to the pot to help eliminate fishy odors, reduce grease, and enhance the aroma of the dish.