How Do I Prevent My Tongs From Rusting?
Rusting tongs can be a cooking nightmare–learn how to keep your tongs from rusting after repeated use.
Metal cooking utensils look great and can work even better. Of course, despite their strength, the fact remains that metal tongs can break down just like any other utensil in your kitchen. The only difference is their primary source of risk–rust.
There are few things more dangerous for metal than rust, and the last thing anyone wants is to cook with rusty metal tongs at home. If you’re tired of losing set after set of metal tongs, don’t worry–this quick guide can help you prevent your tongs from rusting.
Managing Rust on Your Tongs Caused by Regular Use
We’ve all seen it before–a favorite pair of tongs takes on an unpleasant and concerning orange hue. That is when we know the unmistakable truth that our beloved tongs have rusted.
Rusted tongs are an unpleasant side effect of cooking for many of us. However, rust isn’t always as inevitable as you might think. You can use plenty of steps and considerations to help keep your tongs from rusting, even after years of use.
Sometimes, it is just time for a pair of tongs to go–but the more preventative care you offer, the longer your home tongs will continue to be rust free.
Learn About Your Tongs and How to Care for Them
Tongs are a daily use item whether you are cooking for guests at a restaurant or just cooking meals at home. Many of us use them for everything–turning over brats, fetching chicken tenders from the air fryer, and even turning our vegetables while they cook.
Although many tongs look alike, it is important to remember that tongs are all made by individual companies. This means that the materials used to make them are all very different, so every pair of tongs you will ever own is likely to require different care.
To prepare for a long-term relationship with your tongs, you will want to start by learning about them–and how to care for them. Determining what kind of materials your tongs are made with is a great place to start. When you know the materials, it is much easier to find the appropriate ways to care for them.
Avoid Letting Tongs Soak in Water
Even though tongs are all made with different materials, there are some general rules that are always helpful when you are caring for metal tongs. The most important? Never leave your tongs to soak in water if you can avoid it!
When metal sits in water, rust is inevitable, and this can set in much sooner than you think, especially if you do it often. Every time you leave your tongs to soak in water, you are placing them at risk of rust. As each minute passes, your tongs’ protective barrier will continue to fade.
Everyone who cooks knows that sometimes soaking is inevitable, but it really should be avoided at all costs. Try scrubbing them as best you can without soaking them. If you do have to soak them, be sure to use very hot water to minimize the time they need to soak so you can clean them up as quickly as possible.
Rinse and Dry Tongs While Using Them
Tongs are used to make all kinds of exquisite meals, and this means they come into contact with all sorts of different foods and oils throughout the process. There is no doubt about it–tongs get dirty when we use them to cook, and it is important to keep this in mind. A great way to avoid buildup on your tongs and minimize the chance of needing to soak them is to rinse them and dry them while you actively use them.
Rinsing tongs and other utensils can be a great habit to get into while you cook. Choosing to do this means that food is unlikely to stick or dry onto the surface of your utensils. Ultimately, this means you won’t have nearly as much trouble getting them clean when you’re done making your meal. It minimizes scrubbing and soaking while increasing lifespan!
If you can, dry your tongs while you use them too. Leaving tongs wet can increase the speed at which they rust, and it may even impact your cooking process and the eventual outcome of your food.
Rinsing and drying is a good practice for tongs, spoons, spatulas, and other utensils. It can even help minimize staining!
Clean Your Tongs Up Quickly After You Are Done Cooking
Some dishes can wait while you eat dinner, but metal tongs are not one of them. There are certain types of utensils that benefit from immediate care, and this is one of them–even if you just do a quick initial rinse and dry. The faster you get your tongs cleaned up after use, the better. Doing so will help to preserve them by eliminating damaging materials.
Cleaning your tongs immediately after cooking is beneficial for a couple of reasons. In addition to minimizing the amount of food and grime on them, you also make it so they need less extreme care. For example, you can avoid scrubbing them as much because you managed to clean them up quickly–ultimately, this decision can help cut down on damage and help them last longer against external forces.
Drying is the single most important thing you can do with your tongs. While you can certainly let them air dry, it is always best to dry them by hand, especially if you live in a humid climate. Drying them quickly means there won’t be water sitting on them causing rust.
To make sure this process works well, be sure to dry all of the little nooks and crannies, including the parts that don’t actually touch food. Rust can happen on any metal found on your tongs!
Treat Your Tongs With Heated Cooking Oil
Most people simply try to care for their tongs and replace them when they are getting rusty, but others like to go the extra mile. To help cut back on rust potential, it helps to treat the metal of your tongs with heated oil, allowing it to remove any rust that may be building up.
There are several types of oil that can be used for this process, and what works best will depend on what kind of materials your tongs are made of. To be successful, be sure that the oil is food-safe and that you know how to heat it safely.
Remember: hot oil is very dangerous. Although this process can help tongs last longer, it can also be a challenge, so always exercise caution.
Always Follow the Instructions That Come With Your Tongs
If you are looking for a quick and easy approach to making a care plan for your tongs, it helps to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions. No one is more capable of putting together a care plan than the actual manufacturer of your tongs, so it is always good to listen to them if you can.
Your tongs may include care instructions on them. This information is sometimes included on the tags during a purchase. However, it really helps to go online and look for care instructions from the manufacturer. They will often include additional information to best care for their products.
Avoid Using Metal Tongs or Try Other Kinds Throughout the Week
Depending on your habits and how you cook, you may find that your metal tongs continuously end up rusting. This can be frustrating and even dangerous for your food. Of course, it is important to remember that it is also optional. There are many popular tongs on the market, and they are made with all kinds of materials.
What does this mean? Ultimately, using metal tongs is completely optional!
Some food preparation does strongly recommend the use of metal tongs, but there are more options now than there have ever been. If you’re really finding that metal tongs are too much work for you, don’t worry–you can explore other popular materials to get the most out of your cooking experience.
In today’s world, new materials enter the market every day–and some of them can perform just as well as metal, even when it comes to heat. Explore your options to find the best tongs for your needs!
Care for Your Tongs–and Watch Them Last!
Purchasing a nice pair of metal tongs is a treat, especially if you get yourself a nice pair of custom tongs! To keep your nice tongs nice, it is important to show them proper care and support throughout the years. Adding more work to cooking may not seem fun, but in this case, it is an investment that will last.
The more you care for your tongs, the longer they will support your cooking process!
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