The Clean Kitchen

Sorry about the lateness of this post. Life certainly got busy for the past few days! As I mentioned in my last post, I wanted to share some ideas for keeping a clean kitchen.

In my August 27th "This & That" post, I talked about how there were certain blogs that intimidated me with their high standards of how to do things "right". All kinds of cleaning schedules, from master schedules to daily and sometimes hourly schedules set my brain spinning! That's certainly not my intention for this post. I won't even begin to pretend that I'm setting "the" standard for being a Christian homemaker!

"This is the way, walk ye in it" is not my intention for this post ~ I just want to share some ideas I've read about and applied to my life for the past 20 years.

1. The Kitchen Sink Like I mentioned in one of my last posts, the kitchen sink can be one of the filthiest places in your home! When you're ready to close shop for the night, put an inch or so of hot water & 1/4 cup bleach in your sink for 5 minutes. Then, take a soft scrubbing pad or brush to really scour out your sink. Drain & rinse with hot water. If it floats your boat, dry it out & buff the faucet & knobs with the damp towel. The result? A sanitized, sparkly sink! (Try to say that 5 times fast!) If you have a garbage disposal, a great way to keep it clean is to dump some baking soda down the drain with a slosh of white vinegar. Yes, I know what I said earlier about white vinegar ~ pickle smell. Bear with me for a sec. First of all, it's cool because it bubbles up violently! When it has calmed down, I then turn on the hot water and the disposal. I tear off about a 2-inch square piece of aluminum foil and toss it in. The foil keeps the blades sharp. Also, to make it smell good, you can toss in an orange or lemon rind as the disposal does its thing.

2. The Kitchen Floor Ah, the kitchen floor! The place that gets all the action ~ from muddy shoes and doggie paws to dropped food and spilled milk. Like I mentioned earlier, I absolutely love my Swiffer cleaning tools! I personally believe that the Swiffer Vac and the Wet-Jet are 2 of the most amazing products on the earth! The vac has enough suction to pick up everything from cheerios to dried grass clippings. The little duster pads lift up dust, crumbs, and dog hair. The Wet-Jet is great for spills as well as a quick mop. For deep cleaning, though, I do the old-fashioned Mr. Clean with a gallon of hot water, sponge mop and scrub brush. I do that about once a month. The kiddos take turns with the Vac after the evening meals ~ and, if it really needs it, I do a quick mop afterwards. I usually Wet-Jet my floors around 3 times a week.

3. The Counter tops Counter tops can also carry germs. I keep them wiped off (usually with a soapy dishrag) as much as possible. When I really clean them ~ about once a week ~ I remove everything and use my good old Mr. Clean mixed with water I keep in a spray bottle. If any raw egg or meat has come in contact with my counters, I use my Mr. Clean. Formula 409 is good, too.

4. The Stove I absolutely despised my old stove with the electric burner coils! One boil over, and the reflector pan was trashed! I hated to clean them, but I didn't like putting foil over them, either. I was so ecstatic when the hubs bought me my dream stove ~ a smooth top, with a convection oven! Boil overs aren't quite so dramatic now. They are easy to clean up, but you have to have a special cleaner for the smooth top. I clean my stove top every day with the cleaner and a soft-scrubbing pad. I did try a cheaper one that came with pre-moistened pads, but it didn't do as well as the cleaner I got with my stove.

5. The Oven Okay, I'll be honest. The oven is the most neglected space I clean. Even though I have a self-cleaning oven, I don't do it nearly enough. It seems as soon as I clean it, something spills over! However, I've found that the inside glass doesn't get cleaned very thoroughly with the self-cleaning function. I still have to use Easy-Off for that. Hate those fumes, too ~ I think that's the real reason I put it off like I do!

6. The Refrigerator Also one of the most neglected spaces. How often do those well intended leftovers get shoved to the back of the fridge? You notice them a few days later, growing a science experiment on top! Bottles of salad dressing, mayo, ketchup & mustard with just a squirt or two left sit in the door. Spills coagulate on the shelves. The bottom of the veggie bin littered with tiny onion skins, a sadly wrinkled carrot or molding fruit. I try (note the keyword) to wipe out the shelves weekly with my Mr. Clean concoction. If any leftovers haven't been consumed within 3 days, I toss. I don't let stuff accumulate on the door, either. Any condiments are tossed if there's only a squirt left. I also don't put my eggs on the door. I heard that the best place for eggs is the carton they're sold in, on a shelf in the fridge.

7. The Dishwasher I do clean out my dishwasher once a month. In the past, I've used the regular dishwasher soap, set it on the highest temperature and ran it empty. I do like the new cleaning products, however. They really refresh the dishwasher. If you're a non-rinser like I am, sometimes food can accumulate at the bottom. I clean it weekly.

8. The Microwave I try to wipe up spills as they occur. I've read that if you've really got serious, stuck-on food, soak a regular sponge with water and place in the center of the microwave. Nuke it for 45 seconds or so. Apparently, the water in the sponge turns to steam and softens the gunk. Clean it with 409 or Mr. Clean solution.

9. The Backsplash, Cabinet Doors, Dusty Chandeliers, and the Top of the Refrigerator Are you like me and notice them only when they're absolutely gross? My cabinets and backsplashes are white, but I don't seem to notice the spill dribbling down the front. I totally forget about the top of the fridge and the chandelier over the kitchen table. I notice when it looks like it's growing fur! These are 4 areas I really need to work on!

10. Organization Try to put things in the cabinets and drawers that are kept handy as you work in the kitchen. Try to store silverware, glasses and place settings in cabinets and drawers that are nearest to your table. Create a baking station by storing mixing bowls, measuring spoons and cups near your flour & sugar canisters. Have pots & pan near the stove, as well as spatulas, wooden spoons, etc. This will save you a lot of extra steps as you work. I keep all my cooking utensils in a big ceramic jar. My measuring stuff, apple corer, veggie peeler, etc. are kept in different little tray compartments in a big drawer. (You can buy several of these for a dollar at Walmart.) Make your kitchen efficient for you!