SAN ANTONIO – Former chef Kasey Hinckson loves to cook for his family, and he doesn't even mind the cleanup.
"I treat my cookware very well," he said. "It's the other people that I live with that do not."
Cleaning up isn't always as easy as using a little soap and water, Consumer Reports said in a recent report.
Overall, the sooner you tend to the mess, the easier it is to clean your cookware. However, different materials require different types of care.
For cast iron, a little effort after cooking goes a long way. You'll want to rinse with plain water and dry thoroughly.
For tough messes, you can add water to the pan, simmer for a minute and then wipe it clean. Or scrub the pan with some coarse salt and a little water.
Make sure your cookware is dry if you want to avoid rust. Once it's dry, rub the cooking surface with a little vegetable oil to keep the pan properly seasoned.
For stainless steel and porcelain-enamel coated cookware, Consumer Reports says to avoid abrasives and instead use a nylon sponge with a little dish detergent.
You have to keep all of the above in mind or else risk damaging your pots and pans. You want to keep your cookware in top condition.
Cleaning stainless steel immediately after you're done using it really does help reduce the chance of stains and water spots building up. You can use stainless steel cleaner to remove that rainbow discoloration.
Finally, for items that are nonstick, most are labeled dishwasher-safe, but it might be better to hand-wash these with hot, soapy water.
Hinckson said he cleans up as he cooks.
"So (that) when we finish cooking, not one person is stuck cleaning up the whole mess," he said.