Bar Keepers Good friend Evaluation

There’s a motive that the motto of Bar Keepers Good friend is “As soon as Tried, All the time Used.” Initially marketed to tavern homeowners within the late 1800s (therefore the “bar keepers” moniker), this powerhouse cleanser is one in every of my favourite secret weapons within the kitchen. And one of the best half? We have now one in every of my favourite substances–rhubarb!–to thank for it.

As a recipe developer, I put my pots and pans by way of their paces. When my chrome steel skillets or enameled Dutch ovens have taken a beating with burnt-on messes, scorched undersides, or cussed stains, I attain for my trusty bottle of BKF to revive them. Bar Keepers Good friend can carry again the luster and shine of tarnished pans due to its key ingredient: oxalic acid. 

And that’s the place the rhubarb is available in. In accordance with the lore of Bar Keepers Good friend, in 1882, chemist George William Hoffman cooked a batch of rhubarb in a tarnished metallic pan. To his shock, after cooking, the pan turned glowing clear! He quickly realized that oxalic acid, discovered naturally in greens like rhubarb and spinach, was chargeable for this magic trick. In accordance with BKF, oxalic acid “assaults cussed rust, tarnish, and lime stains on the molecular degree, breaking the bonds that maintain them collectively.” Hoffman went on to create a powdered cleanser that integrated oxalic acid, and Bar Keepers Good friend was born. Over 130 years later, BKF remains to be a necessary kitchen cleaner for pots and pans, cooktops, grills, oven racks, serveware, and extra. If it’s non-porous and made from chrome steel, aluminum, or glass, you possibly can clear it with Bar Keepers Good friend.

Tender Cleanser vs. Powder

Bar Keepers Good friend is available in two types: a comfortable cream cleanser and a extra abrasive powdered cleanser. I exploit the comfortable cleanser for reasonable messes, and the powder for extra severe jobs like stripping a rusty carbon metal pan earlier than reseasoning it, scrubbing out burnt-on spills within the oven, or deep cleansing my chrome steel sink. The comfortable cleanser is pre-mixed and able to go proper out of the bottle, whereas the powder must be combined with water to type a paste. How a lot or little water you employ determines the power of the paste, and thus its cleansing energy. 

Although BKF isn’t strictly dangerous to pores and skin, I want to pop on a pair of dishwashing gloves when utilizing it (in both type), particularly since I’ve delicate pores and skin (observe: BKF recommends this too). After wetting the floor of no matter I’m cleansing, I add some cleanser—slightly bit goes a great distance, so use a small quantity to start out. For cussed stains, BKF recommends letting the cleanser sit and penetrate for as much as one minute, however not longer than that, as extended publicity may cause discoloration and scratches. Then, I am going to city with a sponge, microfiber cleansing material, or Swedish dishcloth and get scrubbing. It does take some elbow grease to wash off cooked-on messes, and it could require a number of rounds of software to work by way of layers of staining or tarnish, however persistence and persistence ought to repay with BKF at your facet.

It Can Clear A lot of Issues, however Not All the things

Bar Keepers Good friend is flexible, however not a magic bullet for each cleansing want in your kitchen. You’ll be able to’t apply it to porous surfaces like forged iron, granite, marble, wooden, material, leather-based, or something painted. However for exhausting, non-porous surfaces like chrome steel, porcelain, ceramic, or glass, go for it! Along with pots and pans, you should utilize Bar Keepers Good friend to shine up your cutlery or serveware, your copper mugs for Moscow Mules, and even the within of your microwave! So earlier than you hand over on a scorched pan or tarnished piece of serveware, give it a scrub with Bar Keepers Good friend—you’ll be amazed at what you possibly can carry again to a sparkle.

FAQs

Can I exploit Bar Keepers Good friend on nonstick cookware?

No. Although Bar Keepers Good friend can be utilized on a wide range of exhausting, non-porous surfaces (like chrome steel, glass, and enamel), it should strip the coating on nonstick pots and pans. The identical goes for forged iron with out an enamel coating.

Are you able to clear an oven with Bar Keepers Good friend?

Sure! The Barkeepers Good friend web site has detailed directions for utilizing the powdered cleanser to scrub the partitions, racks, and door of your oven with BKF. Simply be sure that to rinse all the things properly earlier than turning on the warmth to keep away from any chemical smells.

Why We’re the Specialists 

• Afton Cyrus is a meals blogger, recipe developer, culinary teacher, and freelance meals author and editor. She spent eight years as a check cook dinner and editor at America’s Check Kitchen earlier than changing into a contributor to Critical Eats in 2023. Her recipes and meals writing seem in award-winning and New York Instances bestselling cookbooks and on-line for America’s Check Kitchen, Ten Velocity Press, King Arthur Baking Firm, Critical Eats, and different shops.
• All through her meals profession, she has washed so much of dishes and is enthusiastic about conserving cookware in tip-top situation. You’ll be able to see her meticulous method to product testing in motion in her evaluations of fondue pots, liquid measuring cups, hand mixers, and stress canners.