I tend to use Bon Ami but did use BKF when cleaning blackened burner plates in my rental apt. BKF was surprisingly more effective. I have hesitated to use it because it may be more likely to damage surfaces if used without care.

I use BKF, the one without bleach. I had forgotten that I used to buy Bon Ami. I don't know why I switched...availability probably. I cannot do a side-by-side comparison, unfortunately.

Bar Keepers Friend contains oxalic acid. It’s the only thing I’ve found that will remove the silverware marks from my dishes.

Am unable to copy the link but a good analysis in Karen’s Green Cleaning Minneapolis

Oh “it’s all that-and a bag of chips!” am i showing my age?

So...it's the oxalic acid that makes the difference. That stuff seems like it might be harsh (for the item being clean and for the user). ?

BKF cleans stainless easily. They have a special cookware item that supposedly cuts grease better, but I’ve never used it. Nor have I ever used Bon Ami so I can't speak to that.

I definitely don't like BKF on my skin, feels dry and irritated after. So if I'm doing heavy duty scrubbing I'll wear gloves. But for most day to day cleaning "heavy duty scrubbing" is not needed, just a light sprinkle and a quick couple of swirls around the pan. Minimal and brief contact here, so I skip the gloves. YMMV based on skin type.

I’ve never used Bob Ami but have used BKF for years. Simply wouldn’t be without it. It shines up my ss cookware beautifully. I’ve also used it to clean the interior of Le Creuset pots. I found the powdered BKF works better than the liquid.

From online…

Oxalic acid is the main ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend. Bar Keepers Friend says that oxalic acid is what gives the product its cleaning power. How does oxalic acid work?

• Oxalic acid is a primary ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend's powdered cleanser.
• It's effective on stainless steel.
• It can be used to clean bathtub grime.

Safety precautions

• Bar Keepers Friend warns that you should not ingest, inhale, or get oxalic acid in your eyes.
• If you accidentally ingest oxalic acid, you should drink milk or water and call a doctor.
• If oxalic acid gets in your eyes, you should remove contacts and flush your eyes with water for 15 minutes.

They are both good but for different things. BKF is definitely superior for stainless.

I thought it was citric acid, not oxalic? Whatever, it works really well removing rust and metal markings from dishware/cookware, and it takes off mineral deposits from hard water as well. I started using it on crusty pans with burnt-on food too and it works like a charm. My cookware is stainless, enamel and Pyrex.

Kleen King stainless steel cleaner used for cooking implements makes Barkeeper's Friend seem like baby shampoo. While it's a very strong cleaner, it's gentle on hands.

I just looked online - just under $10 from A, just over $5 from my local Ace Hardware. Try it, I promise you'll like it. PS - it works on copper too.

Yes$

I’ll try the Kleen King. I’m looking for a copper cleaner without much abrasive, as BKF dulls a high-polish copper pan.

I love BKF. I especially love it when I polish brass....no different than just washing them but all the tarnish comes off quickly and easily.

You use Kleen King like a normal cleanser. Put a small bit of water in the pot, sprinkle in some powder. Dampen a paper towel, dab it into the powder, and then lightly wipe/rub the dirty area (no pressure usually required). Rinse and you're done.

^^^ Thanks, Elmer. I will try to remember to get some from Ace.

oh, and look:

Cameo stainless cleaner works just as well on pots and pans. It's way overpriced online though. My grocery store sells it for about $2.

Yes it's really all that. I use mine to get the stove clean under the pans where a ring of ick tends to build up. It doesn't scratch the enamel of the stove top.

Hubby swears by BKF for cleaning his brass cymbals.

He swears by this old school metal polish as well:

Or you can just cook up a batch of rhubarb.

True story: Years ago I made my very first batch of Green Curry Paste. Lots of green Thai bird chilies and garlic and other pungeant ingredients. I put it all into an Oscar blender with a shiny chrome looking base.

Periodically I had to take the top off the blender to better combine the aromatic ingredients. I thought I was going to choke to death frome the fumes and my eyeballs were parched for years. After the blending was completed and I’d transfered the wildly spicy green curry paste to jars, I noticed that the dripped curry juice had dislodged every stubborn stain on the shiny chrome base of that blender! It probably was not that shiny when it was new.

The curry was fantastic. It was Thai curry PASTE, so concentrated. To make a curry sauce, you had to take a tablespoon or two and add to coconut cream with other ingredients such as shrimp paste* and fish sauce.

* Shrimp paste is another whole adventure for the uninitiated.

I don’t remember when I switched from Bon Ami to BKF but I love the powdered version. It has never damaged anything and it performs cleaning miracles.

Joan, definitely cleaning miracles!

Hmmmm, well...I guess I'll have to try the BKF if I find the Bon Ami isn't powerful enough for the stainless.

This seems like a good place to ask what might clean the small Corning pot I forgot on the stove while cooking broccoli. I've never burned anything the way this pot looks. I've gotten all of the black off with Bon Ami, but the bottom (inside) is still grey. This pot came in a set with the Corning cooktop I bought probably 40 years ago -- flat bottom for good contact on the cooktop.

^^ You might want to try dumping a bunch of regular baking soda into it, add water and boil for a few minutes. Let it cool down until warm-ish, then it should come off with some scrubbing (or may not require scrubbing, depends how bad it is).

I use Bon Ami on th bathroom counters and sinks. And BKF is all that but sometimes something needs more.

I don’t like the canisters they come in so I decant them into some old Kraft Parmesan shakers I had saved for … something … turns out this is why.

Am I supposed to scrub my stainless steel cookware? It never occurred to me - it goes in the dishwasher. Barkeeper's friend is terrific for getting stains off my countertop, though - even things like turmeric or berry juice.

BKF is my go-to cleanser and has been for many years. It’s the work horse of our kitchen for stubborn stains and baked on gunk. I’ll give the Kleen King a try next time I’m at Ace.

porkchop -- Thanks. I tried that twice...some success, but still discolored. I wonder if the BKF would help.

Elmer -- Would Kleen King be appropriate for glass?

I suppose I could try cooking something in this pot. Maybe the damage is only cosmetic.

chisue, you might try BKF or KK. Also try making a paste of baking soda, water and a little vinegar.

Found this online. I don’t think I’ve ever needed BKF for my Corningware.

Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) can be used to clean Corningware. BKF is safe for use on non-porous surfaces like ceramic, porcelain, and stainless steel. How to use BKF on Corningware

1. Sprinkle the powder or apply the cream cleanser to a damp sponge or scrub pad.
2. Spread the solution over the dish.
3. Let it sit for 10–15 seconds.
4. Scrub the surface lightly to moderately.
5. Rinse thoroughly.

I use BKF for removing metal marks and rust stains from utensils, ceramics and Pyrex.

And we've had a lot of items with rust stains after the saltwater flooding last year.

Toronto, my pots and pans go in the dishwasher but from time to time something needs a little BKF. And even if it’s not something that burned, a little BKF makes them look like new.

Most people would never cook eggs in a stainless steel pan for fear of sticking, but we do and they don't stick. The secret is you have to clean the pores of the stainless after every use with Cameo or BKF. If you forget, especially if you've cooked meat in it, eggs will stick. So we give it a little scrub first and then wash by hand. The paper towel we use to apply the paste always comes out black from the stainless.

"Most people would never cook eggs in a stainless steel pan for fear of sticking..."

The trick to getting eggs not to stick to stainless is to briefly pre-heat the pan, add the butter or oil, and when it's hot then add the eggs. No other special treatment needed.

Am I supposed to scrub my stainless steel cookware? It never occurred to me - it goes in the dishwasher.

Demeyere says its stainless can go in the dishwasher but it's not recommended. IDK why this is, but I spent way too much $$$$ to even chance it. I used to put my old stainless set in the dishwasher, and they never came out as clean as if I would have washed by hand, I found food still stuck on the cookware all the time and the bottom of the insides of the pans just looked dingy, like everything wasn't throroughly cleaned off.

If food doesn't get terribly stuck onto the stainless, hard scrubbing shouldn't be necessary. Soaking helps if there is something stuck on; once in a while yes a good scrub is necessary, it just depends.

You can use BKF on the corningware for sure. I have used it on my dishes which I think are porcelain.

I remember when I researched the Demeyere and the dishwasher the answer was that dishwashers themselves are harmless. The new chemicals and rinsing agents are possibly damaging to the finishes is what I found out. I wash them by hand anyway since I had never put pans in the dishwasher.

Bio Cleaner cleaning clay has been the best for my stainless sink. I’ve tried Bon Ami and BF and the clay does a much better job. I use it on stainless cookware and Le Creuset.

@chisue I have some vintage corningware that has always gone in the dishwasher and never has stained, but recently I broke the last remaining lid for my 3 dishes. I shopped ebay to get a new one and found a place selling a vintage dish and lid for cheaper than the places selling replacement lids. When it arrived, the pan looked like you described yours, it wasn't really dirty but wasn't shiny white like my originals. After trying every cleaner I own and putting thru the DW a few times, I finally just poured some clorox into the bottom and let it sit overnight. All the stains were gone, it looks good as new. Put it through the dishwasher again and used it recently. You'd never know.

My so-called "granite" sink is actually a piece o' cr*p plastic composite that stains like crazy. (But I wanted a white sink and the size is perfect.) BKF is second only to Clorox when it comes to cleaning it. Bon Ami doesn't do anything.

People always mention Bon Ami but I cannot find it at any store here in Ohio. Is it regional? I use the BKF mostly for my white sink as it takes all the stains right off of it. I've also found it works to remove the black staining that Aluminum cookware can get on it. I made the mistake of soaking a pot with dish liquid and water and it turned it black. I've found that soaking it with cream or tartar also removes the black stain.

Bon Ami is harder to find where I live.

Another use for BKF which i used yesterday…Your garden pruners. My much loved Felco pruners had gotten a little gunky even though I usually wipe them after every use. I sprinkled a bit of BKF on a damp paper towel and carefully scrubbed the blades, the wiped them with a clean damp end of the paper towel. I then gave them a quick sharpening and they looked new.

I’m going to do the same with my long handled pruners also.

The trick to getting eggs not to stick to stainless is to briefly pre-heat the pan, add the butter or oil, and when it's hot then add the eggs. No other special treatment needed.

Yes, that's what we do and they stick sometimes. They never stick if washed with Cameo or BKF.

Thanks, all. I'm putting BKF on my shopping list.

Olychick -- I'll try bleach again.

porkchop -- Could the problem be your dishwasher or the detergent you use? When my second set of Fisher Paykel dishdrawers died and I bought a bottom-line Bosch, I was sick to see what a poor job the dishdrawers had been doing. I use Cascade Complete or the Platinum variety -- capsules, not the granular in a box. We only scrape plates before putting them in. I put aluminum frying pans in -- come out like new. The Bosch rinse aid failed early on so I can't use it; everything still comes out like new.

I put everything in dishwasher, except aluminum cake pans and cast iron. I used to hand wash my stainless skillets, but they come out better from the dishwasher than hand. I do hit with BK if I have a residue inside or burnt oil on the bottom.

I have Whirlpool dishwasher and use Cascade complete with Dawn pods

This was all fun to read. The only thing I have ever used BKF for is cleaning my white Kohler sink. Recently I couldn’t find BKF and bought Ajax. It works just as well.

"Bon Ami is harder to find where I live."

It's gotten very hard to find locally, if not impossible. I now have to order off A*n.

This thread inspired me to try BKF on my drip pans. I keep replacing them because I can't get them clean. Worked like a charm. My pans have never looked so good sine I purchased them!!