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Post by OziRiS on Jul 19, 2013 23:28:04 GMT
Since we're already on the topic of washing stuff in this thread, I'll throw another one into the mix.
Myth: Soap destroys teflon on frying pans and the like
There isn't one person I know that doesn't think teflon is somehow allergic to soap. The stories range anywhere from the stuff losing its non-stick abilities to regular dish washing detergent stripping teflon right off the covered surface it's attatched to in less than fifty to a hundred washes. And don't even TRY to suggest putting a teflon covered pot or pan in the dishwasher or you'll be burned at the proverbial stake! I've actually been yelled at by my mother-in-law for putting my frying pan in the dishwasher!
Is it just me or does this sound rediculous? I mean, they cover bullets in this stuff and a little soap is going to kill it?
I've used soap on more than a dozen teflon covered pots and pans and I can't tell the difference. I've even thrown a couple of 'em in the dishwasher and as long as no one saw, they were none the wiser the next time they took it in use.
Personally, I think the myth came about when people back in the day were told that you don't NEED to use soap most of the time on a teflon covered pot or pan and somewhere along the way this became: "you're not supposed to put soap on it".
Thoughts?
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Post by GTCGreg on Jul 19, 2013 23:37:18 GMT
Have a number of Teflon skillets that I've been putting in the dishwasher for years and never really had a problem. Now using metal utensils will scratch the coating as will scrubbing them with Brillo or SOS pads.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 20, 2013 10:47:43 GMT
Metal utencils and the like will do that to a brand new skillet too. That has nothing to do with the dishwasher, although I've heard people claim that as well.
The funny thing about this is that no one seems to be able to put their finger on exactly what it is soap does to teflon that's so bad. They just "know" it is. Some of the claims I've heard:
- Soap destroys the non-stick capabilities of teflon
- Soap strips teflon off
- Soap makes the teflon easier to strip off over time
- Teflon soaks up some of the soap, making your food taste funny
- Teflon undergoes a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with soap, which releases chemicals into your food that are bad for you
- Teflon loses some of its heat resistance when exposed to soap
And this is hands down the dumbest one I've ever heard:
- A teflon covered pot/pan/skillet will be utterly destroyed by the hot water in a dishwasher (curtesy of my mother-in-law)
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Post by User Unavailable on Jul 20, 2013 16:53:37 GMT
We wash our Teflon coated skillets in the sink with soap and in the dishwasher with soap, never heard of not using soap on Teflon skillets.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 20, 2013 18:36:05 GMT
Well, you have now  |
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Post by GTCGreg on Jul 20, 2013 19:30:35 GMT
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 20, 2013 19:43:19 GMT
So according to the company that not only makes the stuff but invented it in the first place, it's actually recommended to use soap from time to time to maintain the non-stick properties of teflon. Thanks GTCGreg. I'm gonna have to translate this and read it to my mother-in-law  |
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Post by GTCGreg on Jul 20, 2013 20:21:00 GMT
While you may be right, arguing with a mother-in-law is never recommended.
Do so at your own peril. I'd just let it go.
Your signature tag line may be the best advice on this matter.
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Post by the light works on Jul 20, 2013 20:27:31 GMT
on the other side of the coin, my wife habitually runs our skillets through the dishwasher, and I feel I am doing good to get 6 months out of them. in my opinion, it is that the automatic dishwashing process etches the smooth surface of the finish, which allows sticky foods to get a toehold.
it is cast iron that you want to be cautious about soaping - but that is because the nonstick layer is made out of stuff the soap is specifically formulated to remove.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 20, 2013 22:07:52 GMT
Regarding dishwashers. I did a little extra research, trying to find an official Danish translation so my mother-in-law can't give me the "I don't speak English so for all I know you could be making that up" speech. I found a Danish translation of this FAQ at this site: www.tefal.co.ukQ & A number 14.: "Seasoning" means to coat the cookware with a little oil. Before the first use: - wash the cookware thoroughly and dry. Heat each pan on low for 30 seconds, - remove from heat and put one tablespoon of vegetable oil in each pan, - rub the oil over the entire surface with a paper towel. This process should be repeated if you use a dishwasher. This is from one of the most respected suppliers of Teflon covered cookware in Europe, so if this won't get her off my back about it, I don't know what will And GTCGreg, while you may be right that arguing with my mother-in-law is a bad idea, so is gritting my teeth and pushing down the rage every time this comes up. Stress isn't healthy, som I'm taking the risk on this one  |
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Post by the light works on Jul 20, 2013 22:55:09 GMT
I have done that with shortening on a couple occasions when I found Mrs TLW had run the pan I use every morning to cook my breakfast through the dishwasher and put it in the cabinet. it did work better. usually, she does it at night, so I wake up in the morning and my pan isn't where it belongs; and I have to pull it out and just splash oil into it.
I've also found - and this is a bit off the soap topic - that the oil is an essential part of getting the food to have the right "feel" - so I tend to cook with oil even when the pan is brand new.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 21, 2013 13:01:33 GMT
Which they also mention in the FAQ at Tefal:
"9 - With TEFAL utensils, is it possible to cook without oil or fat?
Yes. Cooking without oil or fat is fine, in fact it is an advantage for people on a special diet.
However, many dishes look and taste better when cooked with a little oil. – the choice is yours."
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Post by GTCGreg on Jul 21, 2013 15:02:26 GMT
While you may not need the oil to prevent sticking, the oil gives you a better heat transfer between the pan and the food. This will affect the look of a fried item as well as the taste. Without the oil, the food appears more baked than fried.
I tried making french toast without the oil (I use butter.) It just wasn't "right"
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 21, 2013 16:29:22 GMT
Even though we've effectively busted this myth right now, I still think a lot of people believe it, so here's yet another chance for the MythBusters to get back to basics, testing and busting beliefs that are erroneously thought true and acted upon by people around the world every day.
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Post by the light works on Jul 21, 2013 22:52:06 GMT
simple test process:
3 pans
cook a scrambled egg
wash the pans (one with water only, one with dishwashing detergent, and one with a dishwasher)
repeat ad nauseum (trans: until you are sick of it.)
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Post by GTCGreg on Jul 22, 2013 1:01:28 GMT
And if hand washing with soap and washing in a dishwasher doesn't cause the Teflon to come off, what does? That's where the C-4 could come in.
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Post by the light works on Jul 22, 2013 4:06:53 GMT
scrambling the eggs in the pan with a fork does a pretty good job.
interestingly, the thing teflon sticks best to is more teflon. so the finishes are a multi layer application of adhesive and teflon - starting with mostly adhesive and a little teflon, and working up to the last coat of 100% teflon.
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Post by blindleader on Jul 23, 2013 6:01:53 GMT
"Myths" such as this one can be a result of valid information becoming outdated. For a time in the early seventies, I was a short order cook. Teflon cookware was pretty new then, and the Teflon coatings did not resemble the non-stick coatings you see today. The Teflon was like a soft paint the color of milk chocolate and did not adhere to the pans very well. The pans were used only for eggs and wore out within a couple of months. We never washed them or even touched the interior of the pans with any utensil. I can easily believe that the caution against soap and dishwashers was valid then.
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 23, 2013 10:11:13 GMT
Thanks for the background on the myth there blindleader. This may not be as much a myth as it's just an outdated truth then. Which I think still makes it valid for testing, since a lot of people don't seem to think the product has been improved since then. And TLW, I like your test method. I was thinking something along the same lines. In light of this new info it might be fun if they tried to find some old Teflon cookware to see if blindleader is right. Might not be so easy to find mint condition Teflon cookware from the 70's, but they've got good researchers |
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Post by the light works on Jul 23, 2013 13:52:46 GMT
Thanks for the background on the myth there blindleader. This may not be as much a myth as it's just an outdated truth then. Which I think still makes it valid for testing, since a lot of people don't seem to think the product has been improved since then. And TLW, I like your test method. I was thinking something along the same lines. In light of this new info it might be fun if they tried to find some old Teflon cookware to see if blindleader is right. Might not be so easy to find mint condition Teflon cookware from the 70's, but they've got good researchers The teflon coated pans I grew up with had a hard surface lining in them. it wasn't until silverstone came out that you had to be careful with them. - but the older teflon was just to make them easier to clean. |
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