Ways you are ruining your nonstick kitchenware

Improper care and handling of the nonstick utensils can ruin them (Shutterstock)

Nonstick cookware provide healthier cooking as they need less oil when cooking. However, improper care and handling of the utensils can ruin them causing food to begin to stick as the finish chips off.

If you don’t want to head to the shop just yet to replace your nonstick pans and skillets, then you need to be proactive with care when handling them.

Here are some of the ways you could be destroying your nonstick kitchenware:

Using metal spoons to cut serving portions

When you use a metallic utensil such as a knife to cut desserts or any other food in your nonstick pan, you can end up scratching the coating thus leaving your pan ineffective.

Instead, use rubber or silicone spatulas to divide and serve food from your nonstick cookware. Also, you can consider removing the food entirely from the pan and cut it on a cutting board.

Improper storage of cookware

Storing your nonstick aimlessly together with other metallic kitchenware can result in scratches in the finish.

When storing your nonstick cookware, nest them carefully and ensure that nothing with sharp edges sits on the inside or touches your nonstick pans. When nesting them, you can also consider placing a napkin in between the pans of different sizes to reduce chances of scratching.

When storing your nonstick cookware ensure that nothing with sharp edges sits on their inside (Shutterstock)

Pouring cold water into very hot nonstick pan

Immediately after cooking, placing your hot nonstick pan in the sink and running tap water on it as you try to cool it can cause your pan to warp and this causes it to buckle and peel.

A warped pan doesn’t perform at optimum as it does not transfer heat evenly across its cooking surface.

Before immersing your pan in water, ensure it completely cools down.

Using metallic, sharp spatulas and tongs to cook

Don’t use metal utensils in your nonstick ware be it to stir, turn, blend, remove or scrape food residue from the pan. Even occasional fork-turning can scratch your pan.

The best utensils you should consider to use with your nonstick kitchenware are plastics, silicone and wood.

Using a scouring pad or steel-wire to clean your nonstick cookware

If you use scouring items that are metal based or those with harsh cleansers can wear off the coating on your nonstick pans. When cleaning your nonstick kitchenware, always use soft sponges and plastic scourers.

If some food residue on the pan is not coming off, you can allow the pan to soak for a moment.