The following post originally appeared in The Practical Kitchen weekly newsletter. It was so popular that I decided to update + republish it here in its entirety along with some new before and after pics for ya. For early access to exclusive newsletter content like this, sign up for my newsletter here. This post is not sponsored, I just really like this product.
You know those moments where youre sure theres a better, more efficient way to do something but youre just not sure what it is?
Thats how I used to feel about getting my pots and pans (particularly the stainless steel All-clad ones) clean after cooking with them.
I spent what felt like hours scrubbing them with the rough side of a sponge. I tried soaking them. And those pesky grease and oil stains just. wouldnt. budge.
I was scrolling through a foodie facebook group when I saw someone recommend something called “Bar Keepers Friend.” (Yes, the lack of apostrophe bothers me too). Another user had uploaded a photo of a deeply tarnished, blackened Le Creuset dutch oven asking if there was any way to return it to its former glory.
And when I say “someone” recommended Bar Keepers Friend, I mean a literal tidal wave of people were in the comments shouting about how great this product was and sharing their own successful before and after photos.
I immediately ordered a container and as soon as it arrived, I dropped everything and got to scrubbing our most tarnished pan. Lo and behold — it worked like a charm.
For really blackened pans you still need to put some elbow grease to it, but within a few minutes the pan looked almost brand new.
Yes – when properly used, BKF is safe to use on food preparation and serving surfaces. In fact, BKF carries an NSF registration and can be found in many commercial kitchens. Make sure any surface that will come in contact with food is properly rinsed to remove any residue and abrasive prior to use.
So what is Bar Keepers Friend, and how do you use it?
- Bar Keepers Friend is a bleach-free, oxalic-acid based powdered cleaning product, ideal for stainless steel items (though it can be used on lots of other things too — its great for cleaning enameled cast iron!). It can easily remove rust, tarnish, mineral deposits, and tough stains from most surfaces. It also protects the surfaces of your pans, helping prevent them from tarnishing and rusting in the future.
- To use: Wet the surface of whatever youre cleaning, then scrub. Unlike dish soap, Bar Keepers Friend doesnt work up a lather — youll want to scrub with your faucet off, using just the moisture on the surface of the pan to turn the powder into a paste. If you need to add a splash more water to hydrate the powder, thats fine.
- For a very tarnished or greasy pan, you may want to start scrubbing with steel wool. Once youve mostly cleared the surface of the pan, switch to your usual soft sponge or rag.
- Rinse well once you finish cleaning (they recommend not letting it sit on the surface to sit for longer than a minute, but you can definitely scrub for longer than that).
- If youve got particularly sensitive skin or are scrubbing a lot of pots, wear kitchen gloves to protect your skin. This stuff is abrasive!
(UPDATE — before and after pics below!) I wish I had remembered to take before and after pictures from when I used it on my pans when they were really grimy — now I use Bar Keepers Friend regularly enough that they stay nice and shiny. But if youre interested in a visual, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt has a great video showing how it works.
p.s. Dont get the liquid version of Bar Keepers Friend. Its not nearly as good. p.p.s. Regular Bar Keepers Friend is totally safe to use on pots and pans, but if youre interested, they do make a cookware-specific version of Bar Keepers Friend.
This Is The Biggest Mistake You’re Making With Bar Keepers Friend
FAQ
Can I use Bar Keepers Friend on pans?
Can you use Bar Keepers Friend on baking pans?
Is Bar Keepers Friend safe for ceramic cookware?
Can Bar Keepers Friend be used on cookware?
The good news is Bar Keepers Friend is safe to use on cookware. It’s 100% water-soluble, meaning it washes away completely as long as you rinse the surface thoroughly. Rinse the cookware or food prep surface immediately after cleaning and ensure all residue is completely gone.
Is it safe to use a bar keeper’s friend?
Yes it is completely safe. It is even recommended by the manufacturer. • To get rid of stuck-on food or discoloration, and stains from using too high of a heat, we recommend cleaning your All-Clad with a product called Bar Keeper’s Friend. Bar Keeper’s Friend even has a cookware specific cleanser, Bar Keeper’s Friend Cookware.
Can Bar Keepers Friend® clean stainless steel cookware?
Don’t know if any of this will help your case or not, but good luck in any case. Since 1882, Bar Keepers Friend® has been used safely as a household cleanser and is safe and effective for cleaning stainless steel cookware when used as directed.
Is Bar Keepers Friend a good cleaning product?
A product for the kitchen, and effective in many other household areas that need cleaning, is Bar Keepers Friend. Despite its name, this line of cleaning products is not just for bar keepers. The different types of hard surface cleansers tackle rust, food, mineral deposits and other stubborn stains.