Maintenance

Maintenance cookware

Before use, clean the pots with a bit of water and detergent (without lemon). Don’t use any detergents based on citric acids to clean the products made of stainless steel (those damage the anti-oxidation layer, which can cause corrosive reactions) and especially don’t put them in the dishwasher! Corrosion can be easily removed by means of a good detergent (such as the BergHOFF detergent for stainless steel).

If remains of food stick to the base, you can easily remove them by pouring a bit of water in the casserole and then let them soak off at a low temperature. When it concerns burned remains of food… let the water boil for a while and scratch the remains of the surface by means of a wooden spoon. You can also use special detergents (such as the BergHOFF detergent for stainless steel).

Overheating can cause blue or auburn discolouration which has no influence on the cookware’s features and which can be easily removed by means of a good detergent (such as the BergHOFF detergent for stainless steel).

Never place the casseroles on heated hot plates when they are almost empty or when you’re cooking without water!

Never put casseroles with thermo knobs in the dishwasher! Don’t turn the knobs too hard, either, otherwise they will burst inside. They are good the way they are at purchase. They only have a long lifespan if they are well maintained.

 

Maintenance knives

Wash, rinse and dry your knives before using them for the first time.

Certain (food) acids (lemon, mustard, ketchup …) can stain even most knives made of stainless steel. Don’t let remains of food dry onto the blade, because the knife then becomes more difficult to clean. We suggest you make a habit of cleaning it right away. Simply lay the blade on a flat surface, carefully wipe one side with a wet cloth, then clean the other. Immediately dry it, from the back of the knife to the edge. You should, however, use soap and lukewarm water to clean the knife after it was used to cut poultry, meat or fish.

If chlorine and bleach come into contact with the blade, they must be washed off immediately, since they discolour and pit stainless and high carbon steel. In case of discolouration, a little silver polish will do. 

Do not cut through bone with knives (except cleavers). Do not use them for poking, prying, separating or cutting semi-frozen or frozen food. Do not use them as screwdrivers or can openers. The knives are not designed for those purposes and that kind of abuse may result in bending or breaking of the blade or edge.

Knives with synthetic or stainless steel handles are dishwasher-safe (even those with riveted handles). You take best care of your knives, however, by cleaning them by hand (high heat and detergents are not good for the handle, it will loosen over time)! The best and easiest way is to clean them directly after use under lukewarm running water – add a drop of dishwasher detergent if necessary – and dry thoroughly. If you prefer to put the knives in the dishwasher, please make sure that the blades do not touch anything (hitting other flatware or pots and pans will nick the edge) and we recommend the eco-programme running at 55 °C.

Regularly sharpen your knives!  A sharp knife is much safer than a blunt one as you need less strength for cutting. The knife easily cuts food into pieces and your hand won’t get tired that quickly. Here at BergHOFF, we have two different materials to keep your knives lastingly sharp: 

-chromium-plated stainless steel:
knife-sharpeners with a chromium-plated, grooved surface deliver a fine re-sharpened result and are relatively immune to damage

-diamond:
knife-sharpeners with a diamond coating achieve a specifically fine re-sharpened result. However, the average lifespan is shorter, because the coating tends to wear off after a while

This is how to sharpen your knives:

1) put the blade on top of the steel, in an angle of approximately 20°. Please make sure that the blade remains in a 20 degree angle from tip to handle over the complete length of the blade

2) now draw the knife in a slight curve down towards you. The speed of the process has no impact on the result

3) repeat this movement at the back of the steel, sharpen the other side of the blade as well

Repeat step 2 and 3 for about five to ten times, alternately sharpening the back or front of the blade

 

-Leave your knives within sight! Always place the knife on the worktop with the handle pointing towards you and make sure that it cannot accidentally fall. Never cover the knife with a dishcloth or something similar, to avoid accidents. Always be conscious that you pass on a knife with the handle first.

-Always use the correct knife. Vegetables, meat, fish, bread … they all have a different texture and size. That is the reason why a knife is especially designed for each of these purposes.

-Always cut something, with the knife pointing away from your body! That way, you avoid injuries, in case the knife accidentally slips.

-Never try to catch a falling knife! This could inflict extremely serious injuries.

-Wash sharp knives separately! Be conscious that you are washing sharp items. Never just throw a knife into the sink, it is best to clean them under running water and dry them directly after use.

-Keep sharp knives away from children!

-Never run your fingers across the cutting edge – not even to test how sharp it is.

-To avoid damage or burns, never leave your knife near the hotplate or in direct contact to any other source of heat.

Maintenance flatware

New stainless steel flatware should be washed by hand during the first few weeks of use. After the stainless steel is seasoned in the washing process, it can be cleaned in the dishwasher. But if you wish your flatware to keep its original shine and finish, we recommend that you wash it by hand (for example, plastic handles of flatware washed in the dishwasher may become dull and matt). If you wash your flatware by hand, use warm water, a mild soap and a soft sponge. Dry it immediately. Avoid concentrated acidic detergents such as dishwasher detergents based on lemon or other citrus fruit, as they can harm your flatware.

Always pre-rinse your flatware (e.g. before putting it into the dishwasher).

Do not let your flatware to soak for long periods of time; extended soaking can cause damage to the finish.

When using a dishwasher for cleaning (after you carefully read the manual!), keep the following instructions in mind:

• the operating instructions for the dishwasher should be strictly followed
• use a mild detergent, do not use lemon-scented detergent
• never use more than 1 teaspoon of detergent
• place the flatware in the flatware basket with the handles facing down
• do not arrange the articles (knives, forks and spoons) by type; the jets of water clean the flatware items most  efficiently when they are loosely placed in the flatware basket
• do not cram the flatware in the dishwasher
• use the delicate or economic cycle
• when the program is finished, immediately take the flatware out of the dishwasher. If that is not possible, then open the dishwasher so steam can escape, and disperse or wipe the flatware dry. Otherwise, the heat and high humidity may cause the flatware to corrode

To simplify the cleaning of your flatware and to reduce the risk of rust, discoloration and pitting, always immediately (after each use!) wash off the remains of food (like mayonnaise, eggs, salt or vinegar).

If rust appears, you are probably using too much detergent. The water is saturated with detergent and, through the heat cycle, the water evaporates, causing the detergent to stick on the surface in the form of fatty acids. To clean rusty spots, use a good all purpose metal polish cleaner and rub vigorously. The rings should disappear. If there was any pitting, the marks will be permanent.

Remove discoloured spots with a paste consisting of baking soda and water.

Stainless steel does not need to be polished. If you would like to bring back some of its original lustre, you can use a stainless steel cleaning agent (such as the BergHOFF detergent for stainless steel). This product particularly has a beneficial effect on cleaning of the blades.

Keep your flatware away from open flames or sources of extreme heat!

Do not store your flatware in plastic bags or other wrapping that trap moisture. To safely storage your flatware, remove it from the original packaging and wrap a soft cloth around each item.