A homemaker, gourmet chef, or professional chef, chooses their kitchen knife with utmost care. Behind every clean and precise cut is a perfect kitchen knife. It is always a hassle to shop for an appropriate knife again and again. To keep your hands free of this task, learn the correct way of caring for your knives.

Follow the tips below to maintain your knives properly.

• Clean your knives immediately after use. If acidic extracts stay on the knife surface, they tend to discolor the knife blade.
• Use a mild detergent to wash your knives. Avoid using bleach, citrus extracts, and soap.
• Use a soft sponge to clean knives. A steel scrubber is abrasive and may cause corrosion of the knife blade.
• Do not soak knives for long. They will erode and become dull quickly.
• Use an absorbent towel/cloth to dry knives after washing. Ensure they are entirely dry before storage.
• Dishwashing may be easy, but it is advisable to take utmost care of your hands while washing the knife.
• Storage of knives is tedious. Use a knife block, knife holder, or wall-affixed magnetic bar to store them. 
• Different cutting, slicing, dicing, and mincing actions require a particular knife. If you use the regular knife to cut through bones, then it will be blunt soon. Instead, use a cleaver. Choose the appropriate type of knife for your culinary needs.
• Use a wooden chopping board for cutting. A sharp, thin knife blade can chip if it contacts a hard object like a ceramic plate or granite countertop.
• After prolonged use, every knife becomes dull. It is wise to sharpen your knife once in a while.

Cleaning, sharpening, and storing your knives well will keep them sharp, spot-free, rust-free for years.