If you’re like most of us, you just don’t have the time (or the inclination!) to scrub your kitchen day in and day out. Dealing with dirty dishes, a splattered backsplash and an oily cooktop seems to be way too much effort. And by the time you’ve finished one round of cleaning, it’s time for the next meal and your kitchen is messy again. Sigh!
All this is precious time that could be much better spent with your family. Which is why we’ve rounded up our most brilliant cleaning hacks to help you keep your kitchen clean and organised, in half the time and with a fraction of the effort. We can guarantee you’re going to love these ideas!
#1. Establish a Cleaning Routine
Clean-up is always easier when you have a set routine! A good way to do this is to start from the top and work your way down. Wipe the refrigerator, tiles, stove and countertops. Load the dishwasher and turn it on, and then clean the sink. Clean the floor last so that any spills can be mopped up. Also, when you’re cleaning the counters, start from one end and keep working till you wipe down every last inch of space on the other end.
#2. Clean Your Microwave Oven Like a Pro!
The easiest way to clean up splatters in your microwave oven is to place a lemon sliced in half inside a bowl of vinegar, and nuke it for a couple of minutes. The steam will loosen any grime and residue on the walls of the microwave, and you can quickly wipe clean with a sponge after five minutes. Don’t wait longer as the dirt will harden again.
#3. Unclog Faucets with Vinegar
Hard water causes mineral deposits to clog up the faucet head, reducing the water flow. Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and attach it to the faucet with a rubber band, letting it soak for an hour. Remove and allow the water to run —it will run clear. Easy peasy!
#4. Wipe the Cooktop with a Dab of Oil
This one may sound strange, but it works! If your cooktop has splatters and spills, use a cotton wad or a tissue dipped in coconut oil to loosen the dirt and make it easy to remove. You can then wipe down with soapy water. What’s more, if your cooktop is made of stainless steel, the oil will make it shine.
#5. Dunk Spoons and Ladles in Water While You Cook
Before you start to cook, fill a large bowl with soapy hot water and leave it in the sink. As you keep cooking, dunk used spoons, ladles and knives in the water. Cleaning up will be a breeze, as all you’ll have to do is simply rinse without additional scrubbing.
#6. Fight Odours Under the Sink
Garbage stinks, even when the lid is closed. It’s a good idea to place a lemon gel-based air freshener (the kind you use in your car) under the sink to neutralise those odours.
#7. Unclog the Sink Drain
Is the sink drain backed up? It could be clogged with grease, which can be removed by pouring in some boiling hot water with a capful of liquid dish soap. Leave for five minutes before letting the water run. Dish soap will cut through the grease, while the hot water will clear the pipes.
#8. Run the Dishwasher with a Bowl of Vinegar in It
Hard water causes scum and leaves your plates less-than-sparkling-clean. Put a bowl of vinegar with the dirty dishes when you run the dishwasher cycle. It will help to soften the water, so that your dishes come out shining!
#9. Baking Soda to the Rescue!
Burnt residue at the bottom of the pan? Boil some water in it and add a tablespoon of baking soda. A couple of minutes, and the residue will peel right off.
Baking soda works equally well on coffee stains in mugs. Make a paste with baking soda and water and scrub the rings in your coffee cups. Rinse when done.
#10. Get the Sink Smelling Lemony Fresh
Pour a mug of hot water down the drain and follow with a baking soda solution. Next, slowly pour a cup of lemon juice. The resulting fizz (remember your high school chemistry?) will clean the drain and leave your sink smelling lemony fresh.
#11. Deep Clean the Blender
This one is an easy fix, but we’ll bet you haven’t thought of it! If your blender is clogged with gloop, just fill it with a cup of water and dish soap, and run at high speed. All you need to do after that is rinse. A baking soda paste works just as well.
#12. Top Surface of Cabinets and the Refrigerator
It’s hard to climb up and dust the top of cabinets and the refrigerator, but these are the surfaces that inevitably gather sticky grime. An easy fix is to line these surfaces with wax paper or newspapers, and just swap them out every week for new ones.
#13. Deal with Pet Hair
Does your cat sit on the counter and watch while you cook? Use a slightly damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the spot where she was curled up. Soft pet fuzz will cling to the cloth, and your counter will be spotless again.
#14. Add lemon peels to your dish soap
Before you throw away the squeezed halves of lemons, add them to your dish soap for a day. All your dishes will smell of citrus and be squeaky clean.
#15. Deodorize the Fridge
If you’ve made the mistake of storing cut onions or garlic in the fridge, you’ll know that the smell doesn’t go away easily. Get rid of pungent odours with a large lemon that has a bunch of cloves stuck in it. Just leave it in for a bit and it will absorb all the odours. A bowl of lemon juice also works.
#16. Wipe Splatters off the Kitchen Hood
Is your kitchen hood spotted or splattered? While a deep clean requires a professional, you can take care of small spots by wiping with a cotton ball that’s dipped in cooking oil. All the splatters will come right off, and you can wipe again with a damp microfiber cloth.
#17. Make the Sink Sparkle
Over time, the sink starts looking dull and needs a pick-me-up. Baking soda will do the trick! Sprinkle baking soda over the surface, wait for 15 minutes and then scrub with a scouring pad. Rinse well with hot water, and then wipe with a dry cloth to make it gleam.
#18. Clean the Backsplash
Spray a 50:50 solution of white vinegar and water on the tiles and leave to sit for 10 minutes. It will cut through grease build up and remove spots, and you can easily wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Make sure that you pay careful attention to the grout between tiles, as that is where dirt can settle in. You can use a hard toothbrush to clean the crevices.
#19. Clean Your Silverware
Line a dish with aluminium foil and fill it with boiling water, a spoon of table salt and a spoon of baking soda. Let your silverware soak completely in this solution for half an hour to get any tarnish off.
#20. Clean Cast Iron with Potatoes or Onions
Has your dosa or pancake stuck to your cast iron pan? Simply rub the cut surface of a potato or onion over the pan to remove the residue. You can also use either a dab of oil, or baking soda paste if the marks are too stubborn.
Try these kitchen cleaning hacks at home, and you’ll find that you have more time for what’s really important in life. Things like playing horsie with your little one, catching up with friends, or even just reading a book! Which hack worked for you? Tell us in the comments below!
And for more cleaning tips and tricks, do keep reading the HomeLane blog.
