The Kitchen – where all the fun happens. But with fun comes mess. The kitchen is probably the most popular place in any home for families to gather, chat, cook and eat. Keeping it clean can be almost impossible unless you have several hours in your day to focus on just one room. But have no fear, we are here to help. Below are some quick and easy tips from
allyou.com to keep your family hot-spot clean so you can focus more on what matters – have fun and making memories.
1. Oven
Instead of pressing the self-cleaning button – which can reach temperatures so high it could actually damage the oven – try using some cleaning products while you sleep. A good approach is to put 1/2 cup of ammonia in a bowl and set it inside the cool oven. Do not turn it on but let the bowl sit overnight. When you wake up in the morning take a few paper towels and wipe away any grime.
2. Backsplash
That annoying greasy film that accumulates on your backsplash is basically cooking oil that's been coated with dust and other particles that stick to grease. To get rid of it easily try wiping it down with a paper towel dipped with mineral oil. Oil clings to oil so after a few wipes you can take a clean paper towel over the surface and watch all the yucky gunk go away.
3. Microwave
You don't have to turn to chemicals to clean a lot of appliances in your kitchen. Try pouring white vinegar into a coffee cup, placing it in your microwave and turn it on for three minutes. Carefully dump the liquid down the drain and then use a damp cloth to wipe out the microwave. Voila – clean and chemical free!
4. Stainless Steel
These beautiful silver appliances may look nice but they show every fingerprint imaginable. To get rid of these annoying prints try using WD-40. All you have to do is spray it on the appliance and rub it away with a clean cloth for a spotless shine.
5. Blender
Ever think you could clean out a blender in just seconds? Well, you can. Once you are finished making that delicious morning smoothie fill your blender halfway with warm or hot water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Put the lid on and run the blender for 10 seconds. The suds will build up quickly. Then just pour out the soapy water and rinse.
6. Burnt Food
We've all been here – got distracted and left our dinner burning too long on the stove. Well, no worries. Before you start scrubbing for hours with rough pads, try filling the pot with warm water and tossing in a dryer sheet. By the time you're ready to do your dishes the solution in the laundry sheet will have created a few suds in the water. Use the sheet to wipe down the sides and bottom of the pot and watch as the burnt food disappears. For really tough cases you can leave the dryer sheet and water in the pot overnight.
7. Cheese Grater
This is perhaps one of the most annoying tools to clean. If your grater has taken a beating lately and isn't looking so new anymore try grating a potato or apple to freshen it up. It will also help to remove any bits of dried-on cheese.
8. Wooden Cutting Boards
It's not wise to clean a wooden board with soap and water. Instead, wipe it down with hydrogen peroxide or vinegar to disinfect it. Sprinkle some coarse salt across the surface and rub it into the wood using half a lemon. This trick will rid the board of any stains or odours. Once you're done cleaning it simply wipe it dry. Rub some mineral oil into the wood to keep it looking new and healthy.
9. Dishwasher
If you're looking for a great way to rid your dishwasher of lime deposits and iron stains look no further than the Kool-Aid aisle. That's right. Kool-Aid. After you've put the clean dishes away, sprinkle a package of lemonade Kool-Aid into the detergent cup – lemonade has citric acid, which is what you need so don't try other flavors. Run the empty dishwasher on a normal cycle. If you don't have any Kool-Aid you can try using a cup of vinegar.
10. Coffee-Maker
A simple and cheap way to clean your coffee-maker can be done with some vinegar. Pour equal parts of white vinegar and water into the coffee pot's water chamber and start brewing. Halfway through the cycle, turn the machine off and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before finishing the cycle. Run a few plain water cycles and wash the basket and pot with soapy water. Not only will you get a better tasting brew with your next cup of coffee but you will cut down on any germs lurking inside the maker.
11. Food Odours
Ever cook fish and have your entire house smell for days after? To get rid of any unwanted food odours try pouring two small caps of vanilla into a mug and placing it in the oven for an hour. Let it cool completely before removing the mug. Soon your whole house will smell like vanilla.
12. Under the Refrigerator
This is a place we rarely think of when cleaning so you can imagine how much dirt is actually under your refrigerator. To get to his hard-to-reach dirt try stretching an old pair of panty hose over a broom or mop handle and dragging the handle from one side of the fridge to the other, angling it toward you so it pushes the dirt out onto your kitchen floor.
