Sanitizing Carbon Steel Chefs Knife
I'm looking for information on sanitizing carbon steel blades. I have 2 high quality knives that my girlfriend wants me to spray with Clorox cleaner as I wont put them in the dishwasher, but my manual says that I shouldn't use corrosive agents like bleach and citrus. Is there anything comparable I can use to sanitize these knives after cutting meat that won't compromise the knives? The manual says soap and water but that doesn't really sanitize anything.
Best Answer
Hot water provides perfectly acceptable sanitizing without corrosive chemicals I'd not want in my food anyway...
Immerse in hot water that is 77C (171F) for 30 seconds. Reference here.
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Quick Answer about "Sanitizing Carbon Steel Chefs Knife"
- Never let it soak in water.
- Do not use soap of any kind.
- After cleaning the knife with a damp sponge dry the blade immediately with a clean, dry cloth.
- Never leave it to air dry.
- Store it in a dust-free drawer or knife block.
How do you disinfect a chef knife?
When you wash your carbon steel knife, you must do it gently. Use a soft sponge and soap. Once done, wipe your knife until it is completely dry. Condensation will damage your knife just as water does.Can you soap carbon steel knives?
A popular way to jumpstart a carbon steel patina is by soaking the blade in hot vinegar for several minutes. This process will give the blade a patina that may otherwise take weeks or months to develop, depending on how often you use your knife.Can you use vinegar on carbon steel?
Daily Care of Japanese KnifeKnife Knowledge: Oxidation of Carbon Steel
More answers regarding sanitizing Carbon Steel Chefs Knife
Answer 2
The manufacturer knows best what can and cannot damage the knife. If the manual says "no corrosive agents", then using any such agent is a risk, no matter what some person on the internet told you.
So, if you have to sanitize your knives, you can either
- Use whatever you like using for sanitizing and hope it does not damage them, or
- Buy different knives from another material.
There is no magical way for us to know when an aggressive cleaner will leave some specific knife undamaged.
Answer 3
Professional-style "quat" sanitizers used following instructions might be your best bet for a non-corrosive, food safe, "official" disinfectant. Failing that, high proof edible alcohol (~80%) would likely deal decisively with most things that could remain on a clean, albeit tarnished, blade.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Leef Parks, Lukas, Tim Mossholder, Luis Quintero