Caring for your Cutlery

What is Stainless Steel?

"Stainless" is a term given to stainless steel when it was invented in the 1920s to differentiate between ordinary steel. Stain resistant steel might be a better name, as it is the additives in the steel, which gives it its protection, and therefore makes it ideal steel for the purpose of manufacturing cutlery. It was adopted as a generic name and now covers a wide range of steel types and grades, used to make products that need to be resistant to corrosion or oxidation.

Why is Stainless Steel 'Stainless'?

Stainless steels are iron alloys with a percentage of chromium content. The steels are termed 'stainless' as chromium-rich, oxide film forms naturally on the surface of the steel. It is this protective film, which makes the stainless steel resistant to corrosion. Stainless steels cannot be considered indestructible, however under certain conditions the protective film can be broken down. This is why it is important to carefully select the appropriate grade of steel for a particular purpose.

18/8 is an "authentic" stainless steel type, and is one of the most commonly used. It contains 18% chromium, and the addition of 8% nickel makes it considerably more durable.

What is Silver Plate?

This is a method whereby a base metal such as copper is coated in silver usually by the process of electrolysis.

What is Aluminium?

Aluminium on its own is soft and lacks strength but the addition of alloys and other elements gives it the very useful properties necessary for making it suitable for tableware.

Caring for your Item

Follow the instructions below to keep your cutlery in prime condition. Rinse cutlery as soon as possible after use to remove food particles. If washing by hand use warm, soapy water, rinse immediately in hot water and wipe dry with a soft, clean cloth. When using a dishwasher, follow the manufacturer's instructions concerning the type and quantity of detergent used, and load cutlery in the compartment provided to reduce scratching. Wash cutlery as soon as possible after use and remove when the dishwasher has completed its cycle. Wipe dry with a soft, clean cloth. In some areas hard water may leave calcium spots, or certain foods and constant use of dishwasher may cause tarnishing. These stains may be removed using lemon juice, vinegar or a stainless steel cleaner.

Hand washing

Ensure the detergent is completely dissolved in the water before washing the cutlery. Rinse in clear water & dry with a soft cloth or tea towel. Store immediately. Do not soak your cutlery or leave unwashed overnight.

Right : Do not use a powder cleaner instead choose a cream or liquid detergent e.g. fairy liquid.
Right : Only choose a stainless steel cleaner for stubborn stains.
Right : Rinse cutlery after contact with acids or salt to prevent corrosion.
Right : Pay particular care to knife blades as these can be prone to increased corrosion due to a higher carbon content, used to achieve a sharper cutting edge.
Right : Hand made cutlery styles with more intricate handles need to be cared for by thorough drying. Soap deposits left from drip-drying around the handle area can cause rust deposits to form.
Wrong : Do not use wire wool or abrasive cleaners, this can cause scratching and will eventually remove the cutlery's shine.
Wrong : Do not continuously soak or leave in damp surroundings as this may cause staining and corrosion.

Common salt, vinegar, and acids present in some foods, bleaches & some harsh detergents can all seriously damage the cutlery if left without rinsing after use. Even mineral salts in tap water can cause pitting and staining.

Dishwashing

When washing cutlery in the dishwasher please take care to follow your dishwasher manufacturer's instructions and remove your cutlery immediately after the end of the drying cycle & polish with a soft cloth or tea towel. Misuse or a fault within your dishwasher can cause corrosion or staining to the highest grade of stainless steel. Rust marks are no indication of poor craftsmanship. Scratching can occur on knife blades if regularly dish washed. This is a direct result of the mechanical action of the dishwasher and salt concentrate remaining on the flat surface area of the blade. To prevent this, handwash the knife blades in soapy water. Surface discolouration in the form of a rainbow can also occur. This is due to detergent drying on the cutlery and is a fault within the dishwasher's rinsing cycle.

Right : Check that the design of cutlery you have purchased is suitable for dishwashing, note unpolished designs requires extra care.
Right : Follow the instructions that come with your dishwasher and remove and hand dry the cutlery as soon as the dishwasher has finished.
Right : Knife blades should be placed facing downwards to prevent injury.
Wrong : Do not mix stainless steel and silver plated items in the same wash as contamination of metals may occur.
Wrong : Do not use a rinse and hold cycle as cutlery left damp can stain or be damaged.
Wrong : Do not stack the cutlery in the dishwasher for any period prior to washing. The damp environment within the dishwasher can damage the cutlery

It is important to remember that although stainless steel is a highly durable & stain resistant material, cutlery may suffer from rusting, pitting & staining if it is not cared for properly.

Unpolished cutlery

Handwash the cutlery before use in warm soapy water to remove excess black oxide, which may remain. The oxide can be present for up to a possible 10 washes, however the black "iron looking" finish will soon become permanent. Continuous scrubbing will eventually remove the oxidised finish, therefore the cutlery need only be washed a few times to remove the black residue. If hand washing or using a dishwasher, season the cutlery occasionally by rubbing vegetable oil into the black handles to remove oxidisation which may occur especially from deposits of dishwater salt. Always towel dry thoroughly before storing, as this will remove excess water which may remain from the dishwasher and which may cause oxidisation to occur.

Cast aluminium

The composition makes this item suitable as a serving platter or charger but unlike stainless steel it is not food safe and will stain if left in direct contact with food for long periods of time especially acids and alkaline. To clean wipe with a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately.

Silver Plate

Silver-plated items should be washed independently from stainless steel. If they touch when they are wet the silver may become damaged by a chemical reaction. Whilst silver-plated articles are resistant to corrosion they do inevitably become tarnished from sulphides in the atmosphere and from certain foods such as eggs. Use silver dip or a silver polish, carefully following the manufacturers instructions to clean tarnished silver. Store the item after use in one of our fabric bags. Never place silver-plated items in the dishwasher, as this will cause serious damage to the items.

If you have any questions regarding the care of your Culinary Concepts product or would like to know more information please contact Customer Services at Culinary Concepts on 0870 2411689 Option 1.

Lantern Care and Use

To care for your lantern and keep it looking fabulous, ensure the lantern is cold and wipe with a damp, soft cloth. Ensure nothing abrasive is used on the metal or glass surafce of the lantern. Dry thoroughly after cleaning.

Our lanterns are designed to be free standing and not to be hung unless otherwise specified. They are designed for indoor and outdoor use. When using outdoors we recommend that lanterns are stored inside after us and not left out for long periods of time.

Remove all packaging and follow instructions given with the lantern.

Always examine product before use, and do not use if item is damaged in any way.

Never leave a lantern unattended and extinguish all candles when leaving a room.

Beware as the glass and handle may become hot when burning a candle.

Keep lanterns out of reach of children and pets.

Do not burn candles near flammable materials.

Protect the surface the lantern stands on as the base may become hot and do not stand on an uneven surface.

Do not carry a lantern with a candle inside - lit or unlit.

Do not put anything else inside the lantern, other than a candle, when lit.

If you have any questions regarding the care of your Culinary Concepts product or would like to know more information please contact Customer Services at Culinary Concepts on 0870 2411689

Candle Care and Use

Never leave candles burning unattended, and never leave children alone with lighted candles.
Do not let candles burn in a draught or close to a heat source.
Trim the wick down to a maximum of 1 cm (1/3 – 1/2").
If the candle gives off sooty smoke, extinguish it and trim the wick before lighting it again.
Each time the candle is extinguished, remove charred pieces of wick, remains of matches, and other impurities like traces of lacquer, from the melted wax round the wick.
Use a candle extinguisher instead of blowing candles out.
When you light a pillar candle, make sure it is allowed to burn out to the edge before extinguishing it for the first time. If it only burns for a short while, it will be spoilt by burning downwards and not outwards.
Always place candles on a level surface, and never less than 10cm (4") apart.
The raw material used for candles is intended to give best results at normal room temperature. If the wick is too long, or if a candle is placed inside a hurricane, it may run down the sides.
If melted wax spills onto textiles, allow the wax to harden (in the freezer if possible), before removing it. The remaining stain can be reduced by ironing: place the spot between two layers of kitchen paper, place a cloth over the paper, and iron the spot with a hot iron to melt the wax, which will be absorbed by the kitchen paper. Then wash the textile normally.