As a Japanese knife is highly essential in the making of culinary delicacies, specifically authentic dishes like sashimi and sushi, learning upon how to properly care for them and clean them is important to all users. Even for knife collectors, caring for these traditionally forged knives is indeed a must.
Before we go about how to cleaning your knife set the right way, let’s talk about the WRONGS– or what NOT to do…
DO NOT WASH YOUR KNIVES IN THE DISHWASHER.
Do you like your knives? Did you pay a lot of money for them? Do you like their clean, sharp edge? Do you like the way your knives reflect the light while you use them? The way their blades cut through food with hardly any effort? If you like any or all of those things, don’t put your knives in the dishwasher! If you like rusty, dull, ugly, useless knives then toss in your dishwasher. No dishwashers!
DON’T SOAK YOUR KNIVES IN HOT WATER.
Don’t fill up your sink with soapy water and dump your knives in. This is a good way to damage the edges (knives banging into other knives, into the sink, etc…) It’s also a good way to cut yourself (reaching into a soapy sink and grabbing for incredibly sharp knives is probably only slightly dumber than stinking your hand into a bucket of piranhas) If your knives have wooden handles, the water can warp the wood and make handle have a wobbly hold on the blade.
Ok, enough with the don’t, on to the do’s…
Immediately after you’re done using your knife rinse the blade with warm soapy water. Do not soak, but make that the soapy water gets on every part of the blade that could have come in contact with food. Any food residue left on the blade could damage the knife, and if you have been cutting foods like raw meat or fish, your knife could be carrying dangerous germs if not cleaned properly.
Rinse all the soap off with more warm water – soapy food does not taste good! Soap residue could damage your knife if left on the blade!
Get a Soft bristle brush – not a brillo pad, not a sponge, not a washcloth. Put your freshly washed knife down on the counter, and use that brush to brush your blade clean. If necessary, wash in warm soapy water again.
Hand-dry your knives. The faster you dry them, there is a less chance for rust or corrosion to take place. Fold a towel several times so that you’re sure you won’t cut yourself and then use that to dry the knife.
Store your knives in a dry, secure area where they won’t get splashed with anything, and can’t be knocked over by accident.
Now you have no more excuses! Keep those knives clean and rust free!