I always prefer being safe. And when I clean a chef knife, being safe is not negotiable. Continue reading to learn what I do. If you prepare a meal, you will certainly want to know how to safely clean a chef knife. You could use several different methods. I use a technique I developed that adds safety to effectiveness. This method is particularly effective with larger knives like chef knives, Japanese Santoku knives, and serrated knives. When my kids were young, they expressed interest in cooking with my wife and I. I wanted to teach them knife safety, plus, I wanted to start them on dish duty as early as possible. My kids needed a stool at the sink, they weren’t strong, and they had not developed their dexterity yet. So controlling the handle with one hand, and the blade in the air gave me visions of trips to the E.R. I taught them to use the counter to stabilize the blade. Then, I added the towel to help eliminate any slipping on the counter. It doesn’t take much pressure to remove most food, and in the rare case that something dried on the blade, they could keep control with more pressure. Most importantly, the edge wasn’t exposed and dangerous. What you need to clean a knife: dish soap, sponge with scrubber backing, dish towel, clear space on the kitchen counter next to the sink How to clean a chef knife
- Fold towel twice (creating 4 layers)
- Add a couple of drops of soap to scrubber side of wet sponge
- Wet blade, and lay blade on towel while holding handle over sink
- Use sponge to clean first side, then flip knife over to clean other side
- Rinse, and let dry in a dish drying rack, or on a dry, clean towel
