How best to care for your cookware

Your stoveware should give you many years of joy. It is therefore important and advantageous to look after it well. Here, you will find out how to do this:

Stainless steel cooking appliances

Always wash the cookware thoroughly and dry it well before and after each use. For cleaning, you should use hot water, a commercially available washing-up liquid, a soft cloth, a sponge or a gentle brush. Hard objects, steel wool or abrasive cleaning agents are not suitable. Stainless steel household articles can generally be cleaned in a dishwasher. However, in this connection, please follow the recommendations provided in the advice on use and maintenance.

Occasionally, blue or coloured staining may occur on the stainless steel surface. This is an optical phenomenon. These partly rainbow-coloured spots develop due to, during or after cooking or washing processes. To protect itself against external attacks, stainless steel tends to form a passive layer that is invisible to the human eye - it arises due to the combination of magnesium and silicate ions with oxygen (these elements exist naturally in food and mains water). Under certain conditions, this layer, which is neither detrimental to health nor affects the corrosion protection or usability of the cookware, becomes visible, in the form of a bluish stain. You can use a commercially available metal cleaning agent or a vinegar or lemon solution to remove the stain.

In regions with hard, calciferous water, lime spots or lime deposits may form on stainless steel surfaces more frequently. You can use a vinegar/water solution (1 part vinegar essence, 5 parts water) to remove them easily. Instead of vinegar, you can also use lemon juice. As a preventative measure, it is advisable always to rub the surfaces thoroughly clean after washing.

Rust spots may occasionally form on stainless cookware. This is generally so-called "extraneous rust". Small steel or iron particles settle on the stainless steel surface. As soon as they come into contact with water, the corrosion process sets in and extraneous rust occurs. It is generally difficult to determine where the iron particles that have settled on the stainless steel come from. It may be, for example, that water supply pipes still consist of iron or that the stainless steel ware has come into contact with other ferrous objects in the dishwasher. You can, however, use commercially available stainless steel cleaning agents to remove the rust.

Particularly stubborn dirt, e.g. deposited or burnt food remains, can be removed using a tablespoon of dishwasher cleaner. Boil with water and let it stand overnight before washing it out carefully with hot water.

Aluminium cookware

Always wash the cookware thoroughly and dry it well before and after each use. We recommend manual cleaning. For cleaning, you should use hot water, a commercially available washing-up liquid, a soft cloth, a sponge or a gentle brush. Hard objects, steel wool or abrasive cleaning agents are not suitable. In the case of coloured external coating, it is advisable to use hot water to remove food remnants on the outside immediately after the cooking process to prevent potential staining.


It is advisable to rub the interior of non-stick coated cookware/fryware down occasionally with a drop of oil. This will look after the material and spare the coating.

Cast-iron cooking appliances

Always wash the cookware thoroughly and dry it well before and after each use. Generally, cast-iron cookware should not be cleaned in a dishwasher. For cleaning, you should use hot water, a commercially available washing-up liquid, a soft cloth, a sponge or a gentle brush. Hard objects, steel wool or abrasive cleaning agents are not suitable. In the case of coloured external coating, it is advisable to use hot water to remove food remnants on the outside immediately after the cooking process to prevent potential staining.


Due to regular use, coupled with the added fats, a protective film forms, over the course of time, on the inside of the cast-iron ware, which ensures that nothing burns. Should a deposit nevertheless have been made, pour hot water together with washing-up liquid into the cookware. Or boil 2 to 3 teaspoonfuls of salt in water. Let this mixture stand for a short while in the cast-iron ware  - this will automatically remove any food remains. Then, wash and dry the cast-iron part. It is advisable to rub cast-iron ware down with a little oil after use.