Food Tastes Like Soap-Help!!!

[Afra]

Hey everyone...I really need help here (what I am about to post is no laughing matter-it really frustrates me so I hope no one laughs at what I say here) I have been washing my dishes by hand, but every time I want to cook with the pots and pans, the food always has the taste of soap in them! I usually make rice and every time I do this now it tastes terrible because of the soap and I have to throw it away to make another pot. I try to rinse the pot clean before I do this, but when I make the second pot of rice in the same pan, it STILL tastes like soap!! I am discouraged with this and on my wit's end on how to solve this. Can anyone pull me through this? I would greatly appriciate your help! (I made chicken noodle soup the other day, and part of the soup had the taste of soap in it-I was so mad!) [/list]

Wow...stuborn soap!!!! I was all of my pots by hand too, so I can tell you what I do, maybe it will help.
First I use seventh generation dish soap, apple scent. Put on those ever glamorus yellow rubber gloves, and use hot hot water, this steams your skin too, which is great for pores! I rinse until squeeky clean and then let air dry. (maybe your dish cloth has soap on it, if you are towel drying) If everything still tastes like soap, maybe do a final rinse in a vinegar bath?

[Afra]

Hey, thanks for your advice, Chef! How do you wash your dishes? Do you use a wash cloth or a sponge? I use the sponge. I try to rinse the sponge with clean water too when the stubborn soap taste won't come off the pan, but apparently it doesn't help. I remember almost throwing up that one time when I made rice and the whole pot had the taste of soap in it (and a STRONG taste too!) Where can I find the soap you recommended me to use? Is it in the regular grocery store? I have never heard of that type of soap. I have been afraid to cook with the pots and pans lately because everything I cooked in ALL OF THEM so far has the taste of soap. I try to find something else to use to cook. This soap taste really tries my temper at times when it refuses to go away. I greatly appriciate your help!

I use a sponge, and throw it in the dishwasher or microwave every once in a while to keep it clean! I get the soap in my local healthfood store, you can order it online too, just search for seventh generation on Yahoo. Also, could it be your pots? Are they all new? Maybe they have a non-stick coating that is giving them this taste? And, is there anything different about you physically? Have someone else taste the stuff! For example, when I was pregnant, even the thought of milk made me sick, and for about 3 weeks, everything reminded me of milk!!! I know that other conditions can effect your perception of taste! Also different medications can alter your tastes!

[Mezzaluna]

Could it be your water Afra? Maybe the city did a purge of the lines (or something infiltrated your well), or you have a plumbing problem at home. If it just popped up, that may be it. It would be worth calling the water utility in your area to see if anyone else has been complaining of similar problems.

[ 02-11-2001: Message edited by: Mezzaluna ]