# Is there a trick to get rid of turmeric / curcuma stains on steel / iron?



## miggus (Oct 21, 2022)

Hi guys,

I cook a lot of asian foods and have to say that fresh turmeric is criminally underrated. It's aroma is so delicious and complex that the dried stuff really puts it to shame imho. Think dried garlic or dried basil compared to fresh produce - huge difference.

But the thing is that this stuff is stickier than anything I have ever encountered. It attach to the smallest impurity in a surface and I haven't found a way to remove it except with abrasives.

Especially if you cut it as a cross-section, there will be some build-up on your blade that is virtually impossible to remove if you let it get dry. So that's my strategy now: clean it away immediately after cutting the turmeric in order to remove as much as you can and ideally cut everything else afterwards to remove some more. 

Is there any special trick to deal with this?

I can post some pics soon if there is interest.


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## superworrier (Oct 21, 2022)

I wonder if Goo Gone (this is a citrus oil used for removing glue) would work?


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## M1k3 (Oct 21, 2022)

I haven't tried on this specific type of staining, but, lemon or other citrus juice mixed with baking soda to form a paste would probably work. And isn't abrasive.


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## superworrier (Oct 21, 2022)

FWIW I've had luck with goo gone on fig residue which is sticky and sappy. Never cut fresh turmeric though


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## Pisau (Oct 22, 2022)

I'd use flitz, but these are the stuff that I instinctively use a stainless knife to cut or a spoon to skin. 

Re: fresh or not, it depends. Fresh turmeric is great for herbal beverage (called "jamu" in indonesian), but the flavour is more concentrated dried. Otoh fresh grated galangal is preferable in our savoury recipes, the same as ginger. Dried _temulawak_ (javanese ginger) tend to be used as is and discarded and so on. Again, it depends. We cook (and drink) curcumin derivatives a lot. Can't live without them.


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## btbyrd (Oct 23, 2022)

superworrier said:


> I wonder if Goo Gone (this is a citrus oil used for removing glue) would work?



Just an FYI about Goo Gone... it's actually mostly composed of industrial solvents in the form of petroleum distillates. They added a dash of citrus and marketed it so that everyone thought they were buying a magical new gentle orange/lemon based "natural" adhesive remover when it's just tarted up solvents. 

The good news is that it works (on many things, maybe not turmeric). I use it all the time to clean tape residue off my pocket knives. But I wear a glove when I use the stuff because my hands end up smelling like VOCs afterwards. I can only vouch for the original formula because the kind in the spray bottle was totally useless.


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## miggus (Oct 23, 2022)

That's intense stuff! I don't think it's available in Europe, at least not under that brand name. Good to have the info here if someone has an extreme case that it might help them with. I personally will try less intensive methods first. Baking soda + lemon sounds like a good candidate. I'll report back on this


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## Choppin (Oct 23, 2022)

Flitz indeed gets rid of it… did it last week. But next time I want to try the lemon + baking soda combo. 

BTW I love turmeric but it’s a PITA to deal with the sticky residue… probably best to grate it or something


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## miggus (Oct 23, 2022)

Then you have to get the stuff off the grater  I think the knife is easier to clean after all since it's an even surface.


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## simona (Oct 24, 2022)

miggus said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I cook a lot of asian foods and have to say that fresh turmeric is criminally underrated. It's aroma is so delicious and complex that the dried stuff really puts it to shame imho. Think dried garlic or dried basil compared to fresh produce - huge difference.
> 
> ...


Lemon juice (read acetic acid) gets the stains off skin.....


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## mengwong (Oct 24, 2022)

Have you tried isopropyl alcohol? I keep a box of single-serving towels for Sharpie removal. I bet that would work on turmeric.

And if you can’t get it off, we can start a separate thread “my favorite color is … yellow”


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## Choppin (Oct 24, 2022)

simona said:


> Lemon juice (read acetic acid) gets the stains off skin.....


ah yes, totally forgot about this... 3 days with orange fingers. Will try!


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## miggus (Nov 4, 2022)

M1k3 said:


> I haven't tried on this specific type of staining, but, lemon or other citrus juice mixed with baking soda to form a paste would probably work. And isn't abrasive.


Tried this today. I have a Ashi Ginga that had Turmeric to it for several weeks, it's well dried and just sooo sticky. The reactive blade makes the surface slightly rough and the turmeric basically fused to it. I couldn't get it off with other methods even though I really tried.

I sprinkled some baking powder on it, added a few drops of lemon juice to make a paste. Let this soak for 2-3 minutes and then took a cosmetics pad to rub it down and it came right off! It works like a charm, thanks for the tip. And it's food safe, too!

It does take most of the patina with it, but that will come back quickly enough. It's kinda nice to see the Ginga all blank again.









Choppin said:


> Flitz indeed gets rid of it… did it last week. But next time I want to try the lemon + baking soda combo.


Don't know flitz, but it isn't required here 



simona said:


> Lemon juice (read acetic acid) gets the stains off skin.....


Jup  Especially if you add the soda.


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## M1k3 (Nov 4, 2022)

Glad it worked. Yeah, it'll reset your patina but no more turmeric coloring..


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## Qapla' (Nov 5, 2022)

simona said:


> Lemon juice (read acetic acid) gets the stains off skin.....


I think that's citric acid. Acetic acid is the acid content of vinegar.


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## mengwong (Nov 11, 2022)

mengwong said:


> Have you tried isopropyl alcohol? I keep a box of single-serving towels for Sharpie removal. I bet that would work on turmeric.


Report: rubbing alcohol worked.


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