Before we delve into the many ways Bar Keepers Friend can help around your home, let’s look at its humble beginnings—it all started with rhubarb. That’s right, those red fleshy stalks that resemble celery.
The discovery took place in 1882 after chemist George William Hoffman cooked a batch of rhubarb in an old pot. He noticed the pot was shiner than when he started. Ultimately, he discovered that oxalic acid— found in vegetables like rhubarb, spinach and parsley — could remove rust, tarnish and lime stains from metallic surfaces.
Hoffman formulated an oxalic acid-based cleaning powder that he sold to taverns for use as a brass rail polish. Tavern owners were so happy with the results, they dubbed the product “Bar Keepers Friend.”
1. Pots And Pans
Bring the shine back to your pots, pans and bakeware with Bar Keepers Friend. It also works well on enameled cast iron cookware and ceramic bakeware. Even though the cleaning product has plenty of uses in your kitchen, it should not be used on polished granite or marble countertops. It also shouldn’t be used on porous materials like concrete or wood.
2. Dishes
Knife marks and scuffs can ruin the appearances of your dishes. Sprinkle your marred dish with a bit of the powder cleanser and use a damp sponge to gently rub the offending marks away.
3. Grill
Food cooked on a grill can be tasty! But, the your grill can become grimy with caked-on food. With a little Bar Keepers Friend, water, scrub brush and elbow grease, your grill will be clean in no time! Be sure to rinse your grill thoroughly with cold water, or your next grilled meal might have a not so nice taste.
4. Tools
Bar Keepers Friend is excellent at removing rust and grime. Use it to clean saws, sockets, crescent wrenches or any other tool you have that has a coating of rust. Don’t forget our article 17 Ways WD-40 Can Help Around Your Home has a tip on helping to keep rust from returning.
5. Musical Equipment
Do you have a drummer in your family with dingy cymbals? How about a dull trumpet? Use a bit of the multipurpose cleaner to bring back the shine!
6. Sports Equipment
Brighten old sports equipment with Bar Keepers Friend. It’s great at restoring the shine to things like golf clubs, metal baseball bats, skates and more. Dampen a cloth or cotton ball and dip it into the powdered formula. Scrub the affected area, rinse and marvel at the shine.
7. Sneakers
When the light-colored, rubber parts of your sneakers become scuffed or dingy, create a paste with the multi-purpose cleaner and use a toothbrush or sponge to scrub the area. Rinse with water and give yourself a thumbs up for making your sneakers look new again.
8. Bathrooms
Not only will Bar Keepers friend help make cleaning bathroom surfaces like sinks, bathtubs and shower stalls a breeze, it works on other areas too. Make your metallic surfaces gleam by removing water spots and smudges with the solution. You can even use it to clean tile and grout.
There are many more ways Bar Keepers Friend can help clean around your home. The items on this list will get you started.
