There are few tools in your house that get more use than your kitchen knives. Yet, they are also the tools that receive the least amount of care and maintenance. We rely on our knives so much that it is a shame that they get neglected as much as they do.
Taking care of them doesn’t need to be time-consuming or expensive, but it does need to be done. Otherwise, we aren’t getting the most out of them and they end up being replaced before their lifespan should truly be over.
In this article, we will go over what it takes to get your knives in peak condition and keep them that way for years to come.
In This Article
Keep them sharp
The most dangerous thing in the kitchen is a dull knife. When a knife loses its edge and has difficulty cutting, you tend to use more force to do so. This extra force tends to have you lose control of the knife which can then end up cutting you very badly.
Keeping the knives sharp is actually going to make them safer to use since it takes less force to make the cut. The knife should be sharp enough that it does the work and not you.
There are electric knife sharpeners out there that are helpful, but they aren’t really doing much to get the knives as sharp as they should be. A small improvement will be seen, however.
The best way to sharpen a knife is to use a whetstone to get a razor-sharp edge on it. They aren’t intuitive to use and it takes learning from Youtube or taking a class locally. Once you learn it you will always have a set of the sharpest knives possible in your home.
Wash them by hand
Never put your knives in the dishwasher. The detergent used in a dishwasher is a harsh solvent and will dull your blades very quickly. If you have taken the time and effort to sharpen them then it would be a shame for it to be erased in an instant.
Instead, make sure that you wash them by hand with gentle dish soap and a sponge. Avoid using a scrubby or wire brush to wash them. Once they’ve been washed then dry them off with a towel right away so they are dry and won’t get corroded.
You should wash them as soon as you are done using them as well so the food you cut won’t dull the blade.
Store them well
Knives should be stored on a magnetic strip or in a wooden block. This will prevent them from getting banged up by other knives or silverware in a drawer. Your knife edge will last much longer this way and is also less likely to hurt you if you are fishing through a drawer with knives in them.
Keeping them on a magnetic strip also makes sure that you keep them in sight so you are likely to use the right knife every time.
