The food steamer that is made of bamboo is a bamboo steamer. A bamboo steamer allows you to cook healthy food easy way. It is a nice-looking kit for your kitchen and works beautifully. Because bamboo is a delicate and porous material, it is critical to clean it properly to avoid damage. So, how to clean bamboo steamer easily and properly? Here are some cleaning tips for your bamboo steamer.
What is a bamboo steamer?
A bamboo steamer is a kind of food steaming kit that is made of bamboo. It is like a rice cooker we use but somewhat organic in terms of its making and work style. It includes 2 or 3 steamer baskets that are placed on top of one another. The baskets’ bottoms are formed of a mesh of weaving bamboo strips that allows steam to pass through to cook the food inside. Bamboo steamers allow steam to quickly dissipate and circulate, preventing it from accumulating on the steamer’s lids.
A bamboo steamer is an excellent invention because its lids don’t gather condensation. It is an inexpensive cooking kit, whatever it allows you to cook healthy food easily. This kind of steamer allows you to cook different foods at the same time. You can steam not only buns and dumplings with a bamboo steamer but also bread, veggies, rice, cakes, and other delicacies.
How does a bamboo steamer work?
A bamboo steamer can use in cooking various kinds of recipes, including vegetables, rice, bread, dim sum, dumplings, etc. The steamer works in the steam system. This means that you can prepare food by placing a bamboo steamer filled with food in a container with water. Steaming is a healthier method of cooking than poaching or boiling. It keeps the food’s minerals, vitamins, tastes fresh.
Why do I need to clean my bamboo steamer?
It is ideal for cleaning your bamboo steamer before and also after use. This is because the tough food grime remains on the surface after use. Later on, those parts of the food can cause putrefaction. Moreover, these leftovers from food can slowly damage the steamer surface.
Also, the smell of food or food odors remains in the steamer after use. This odor can cause gas, and this gas can cause fungus on the steam box. So, it would be best if you kept your bamboo steamer clean before and after use. Follow this step-by-step guideline on how to clean bamboo steamer to clean your steamer properly.
How to Minimize the Need for Cleaning
We all support the word “prevention is better than cure.” So, is there any way to minimize the need to clean the bamboo steamer? Yes! You can minimize the need to clean your steamer by placing a waxed paper on the steamer’s surface.
If you place a waxed paper on the steamer’s surface and then place the food, the food will not come in direct contact with the steamer. As a result, there will be no possibility of food leftovers in the steamer. Moreover, this will reduce the smell of food in the steamer.
How to clean a bamboo steamer before use
Whether new or old, it is important to clean a bamboo steamer before each use. It could have leftover residue from the production process, or it could have taken up dust while being stored after usage. So, it is better to clean the steamer every time before use. How to clean bamboo steamer before use?
The easiest way to clean a bamboo steamer before use is to rinse the steamer in water. The water should be clean, and hot or warm water will work excellent. You can also use soapy water or baking soda to remove odors.
- Step-01: Turn on your water faucet and place the bamboo steamer under it.
- Step-02: After water splashes on the surface of the bamboo steamer, take it in your hand and soak the steamer in water with soap or soda and rub it with a brush.
- Step-03: After rubbing the steamer properly, rinse the steamer with clean water.
- Step-04: Before using, dry the steamer thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth and allow it to air dry fully.
How to clean bamboo steamer after use
It is very important to clean your bamboo steamer after every time of use. Cleaning the steamer as soon as possible bits of help prevent the bamboo from absorbing any leftover food or odors. So How to clean a bamboo steamer after use? Follow this step by step guideline_
Contents
Method-01: Soaking in warm or hot water
Soaking in hot or warm water is an efficient approach for gently cleaning bamboo steamers without the use of harsh chemicals. It is, nevertheless, recommended that you consult the instruction book in this regard. While certain bamboo steamers can be securely immersed overnight, this is not always the best option.
- Step-01: Soak the steamer in hot water for 30 minutes for a thorough wash. This will help to keep bamboo in excellent condition while also assisting with the heating process inside the steamer while in use.
- Step-02: Submerge your steamer in boiling water and place it there longer for a complete clean. Do not use detergent in this case. This is because the smell of detergent can be long-lasting as a result of soaking for a long time.
- Step-03: After soaking your bamboo steamer, rinse it in warm and clean water and then dry it first before storing it.
Method-02: Using Soapy water and nylon brush
This is a simple scrubbing approach for cleaning a bamboo steamer that works well. However, because bamboo steamers are built from thin bamboo strips, excessive scrubbing could harm them. As a result, a soft nylon brush is advised to use.
- Step-01: Fill a bowl or pot with warm soapy water and brush or scrub the steamer thoroughly in it with a delicate nylon brush. Even though the nylon bristles are gentle, they are firm enough to clean.
- Step-02: To steam cleanse, place the steamer over a pot of gently boiling water.
- Step-03: Finally, take the steamer out of the pan, rinse it thoroughly with cold water, and lay it down to dry.
Method-03: Using a teabag
Teabags can be used for more than simply preparing tea or beer; they can also be used to clean steamer. Tea includes a significant level of tannic acid, which aids in the cleaning and rejuvenation of bamboo steamers. As a result, passing a moistened teabag down the steamer’s surface can help you clean it faster.
- Step-01: Soak a black tea teabag for a few minutes in boiling water.
- Step-02: Rub the bag lightly over the steamer’s surfaces — don’t rub excessively hard, or the bag may split. Any food waste and bacteria will be removed by scrubbing gently. It is also very helpful to eliminate odors from the steamer.
- Step-03: After you’ve finished scrubbing, rinse the steamer using clean water to remove any residual tea.
Method-04: Using Fresh Lemon
Lemon is a natural cleansing agent that has a lovely fragrance. There are so many cleaning tasks with lemon that you can do. Lemon contains acid that works as a natural bleach, and it is antiseptic and antibacterial. It is one of the natural detergents and is not excessively harsh. It’s also simple to use lemon to clean the steamer.
- Step-01: Cut the lemon into slices and rub the exposed skin over the whole surface and the lid of the steamer.
- Step-02: Then, place the empty bamboo steamer with the cover over a pan of boiling water and steam it.
- Step-03: Rinse your steamer with hot and clean water after a few minutes of steaming and lay it down to dry.
Conclusion
Cleaning your bamboo steamer properly is the simplest method to ensure that it lasts as long as possible. Your bamboo steamer is easy to clean, and you can get the job done very easily. Here we have presented some easy tricks on how to clean a bamboo steamer. We hope this step-by-step guide will help you.