Bar Keepers Good friend Overview

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 house owners 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 elements–rhubarb!–to thank for it.

As a recipe developer, I put my pots and pans via their paces. When my stainless-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 deliver again the luster and shine of tarnished pans because of 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 included oxalic acid, and Bar Keepers Good friend was born. Over 130 years later, BKF continues to be a vital kitchen cleaner for pots and pans, cooktops, grills, oven racks, serveware, and extra. If it’s non-porous and fabricated from stainless-steel, aluminum, or glass, you possibly can clear it with Bar Keepers Good friend.

Gentle Cleanser vs. Powder

Bar Keepers Good friend is available in two kinds: a comfortable cream cleanser and a extra abrasive powdered cleanser. I exploit the comfortable cleanser for average 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 stainless-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 kind a paste. How a lot or little water you utilize determines the power of the paste, and thus its cleansing energy. 

Although BKF isn’t strictly dangerous to pores and skin, I favor to pop on a pair of dishwashing gloves when utilizing it (in both kind), 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—somewhat bit goes a good 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 could cause discoloration and scratches. Then, I’m going to city with a sponge, microfiber cleansing fabric, or Swedish dishcloth and get scrubbing. It does take some elbow grease to wash off cooked-on messes, and it might require just a few rounds of software to work via layers of staining or tarnish, however persistence and persistence ought to repay with BKF at your aspect.

It Can Clear Plenty of Issues, however Not The whole lot

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, cloth, leather-based, or something painted. However for onerous, non-porous surfaces like stainless-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 quit 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 deliver 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 quite a lot of onerous, non-porous surfaces (like stainless-steel, glass, and enamel), it is going to 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 wash the partitions, racks, and door of your oven with BKF. Simply ensure that to rinse every thing 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 prepare dinner and editor at America’s Take a look at Kitchen earlier than changing into a contributor to Severe Eats in 2023. Her recipes and meals writing seem in award-winning and New York Instances bestselling cookbooks and on-line for America’s Take a look at Kitchen, Ten Velocity Press, King Arthur Baking Firm, Severe Eats, and different shops.
• All through her meals profession, she has washed so much of dishes and is obsessed with protecting cookware in tip-top situation. You’ll be able to see her meticulous method to product testing in motion in her opinions of fondue pots, liquid measuring cups, hand mixers, and strain canners.