What are some general tips for cleaning my kitchen?
Answers: Have a place for everything. It's much easier to use a utensil or appliance, clean it and put it away when it has a home. I use foil as an example in my kitchen. I have a special drawer that is used just for foil, plastic wrap and parchment paper. Those items are always easy to find, and are put away after each use because they have a special home.
Don't mix ammonia and bleach because it will create toxic fumes.
Identify spots in your kitchen that accumulate clutter and take a few minutes every day to clear those spots and place objects in their correct homes.
Try to end each day with a clean, empty kitchen sink. Run the dishwasher before you go to bed and unload it first thing in the morning.
A sponge is actually a great way to spread germs. I prefer using paper towels, discarding them after cleaning each surface, to totally prevent cross-contamination.
nfd♥
A clean kitchen promotes a healthy and hygienic living environment for the entire family. Cleaning is considered an integral part of the cooking process. It is not just limited to the ingredients such as washing fresh produce but also maintaining equipment and gadgets, cleaning countertops, stove and other nooks and crannies of the kitchen.
*********
Things You’ll Need:
Washcloths
Broom
Cleansers
Scrubbers
Vacuum
Trashcan
Sponges
Dish soap
Basket
Mop
Step1
Collect things that do not belong in the kitchen such as newspapers, magazines, toys, etc. and put it in a laundry bag or basket and put it out of the kitchen.
Step2
Grab all the cleaning supplies such as cleansers, gloves, washcloths, sponges, scrubbers, dish soap, broom, mop, vacuum, basket and trashcan.
Step3Fill up your kitchen sink with water and mix a little dishwashing liquid in it. Put the dishes that are greasy and need cleaning to soak in warm, soapy water.
Step4
Start organizing everything while the dishes are soaking. Put things where they belong. The moment you cut down on clutter, you will notice that your kitchen look significantly cleaner. Ideally, make it a habit to put things in their original place right after using them to avoid wasting time organizing them later on.
Step5
Load the dishwasher. If you do not own a dishwasher, begin the dish-cleaning process by hand. If the dishes are too many, ask your family to help. Organize a wash, rinse, dry and store assembly line so that work can be shared.
Step6
Wipe the countertop, kitchen sink and stovetop. Use household de-greasing cleanser to clean the oil and grease stuck on stove. Form a habit to wipe sink and stovetop after every use to prevent grime buildup.
Step7
Wipe the cabinets and appliances. Use a cleanser to wipe fridge doors, microwave and other appliances that are in need of a little shine.
Step8
Sweep or vacuum the kitchen floor. Mix required amount of liquid disinfectant with water and use it to mop the floor.
Step9
Take out the trash and wipe the trashcan.
********
Tips :
Wash the dishes as soon as you can. Do not leave them sitting in a pile in the sink or in the dishwasher.
Designate one Saturday every month as a pantry-cleaning day. Remove all food from your pantry, wipe it with a clean damp cloth, check whether the food is spoilt and also check the expiry date before replacing the items where they belong.
Do not mix ammonia and bleach as they will create toxic fumes. Prefer to use good quality household cleansers available in the market. Dissolve 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart of warm water if you would rather make your own cleanser at home.
Be organized and keep up with it after every meal or at least everyday...
Get some antibacterial wipes from the store.. They are very, very handy and good to wipe down countertops and appliances.. There's nothing to spray or buckets to get out... Very handy.. Also, good in the bathroom!
Get a good mop with easy to find refills! I LOVE the libman wondermop.. It's been around forever and you can find it at TARGET, WALMART and even the grocery store! It's NOT expensive about $15 for the handle/mop head and then the "heads" can go into the wash or replaced every few weeks.
Get a good broom/dustpan. I also vacuum my kitchen.
A multipurpose cleaner- like Mr. Clean, Lysol kitchen/bathroom cleaner...MR Clean magic erasers...
That should at least get you started.
Good luck
Sugar Candy said it all-almost,
I would add that white vinegar is a good swap for
bleach on killing germs w/o the harsh damage to
your clothing, towels & skin if spilled -
AND- regular rubbing alcohol with distilled
water 1/2 & 1/2. in a spray bottled clearly marked
ALCOHOL/GLASS CLEANER Is a great glass
and mirror cleaner. Use a lent free cloth to shine.
Baking Soda is a great cleanser too. Stubborn stains may need peroxide and baking soda mixed for scrubbing.
always use a clean cloth Never use the same cloth on your floors!to clean your work tops use half bleach and half luke warm water it kills all germs ! Clean and disinfect counters and other surfaces before, during, and after preparing food (especially meat and poultry). Follow all directions on the product label, which usually specifies letting the disinfectant stand on the surface for a few minutes. When cleaning surfaces, don't let germs hang around on cleaning cloths or towels; use either paper towels that can be thrown away, cloth towels that are later washed in hot water with detergent, or disposable sanitizing wipes that both clean and disinfect.
It's also important to know the steps you can take to prevent food poisoning.
1. Clean hands and surfaces often
Germs that cause foodborne illness can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands from cutting boards, utensils, counter tops, and food. Here's how to stop the spread of these germs:
* Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 15-20 seconds before and after handling food. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based wipe or hand gel.
* Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you prepare the next food.
* Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash them often using the hot cycle of your washing machine. If using a sponge to clean up, microwave it each evening for 30 seconds or place it in the dishwasher.
2. Don't cross-contaminate one food with another
Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria spread from a food to a surface, from a surface to another food, or from one food to another. You can prevent cross-contamination when you:
* Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery cart, grocery bags, and in your refrigerator. Be sure to use the plastic bags available in the meat and produce sections of the supermarket.
* Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a different one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
* Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
* Don't allow juices from meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs to drip on other foods in the refrigerator. Use containers to keep these foods from touching other foods.
* Never re-use marinades that were used on raw food, unless you bring them to a boil first.
3. Cook foods to proper temperatures
Foods are safely cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high-enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. The target temperature is different for different foods. The only way to know for sure that meat is cooked to a safe temperature is to use a food thermometer. Make sure it reaches the temperature recommended for each specific food item.
4. Refrigerate foods promptly
Cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria, so refrigerate foods quickly. Do not over-stuff the refrigerator, as cold air must circulate to help keep food safe.
* Keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40 degrees F or below is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
* The freezer temperature should be 0 degrees F or below.
* Plan when you shop: Buy perishable foods such as dairy products, fresh meat and hot cooked foods at the end of your shopping trip. Refrigerate foods as soon as possibly to extend their storage life. Don't leave perishable foods out for more than two hours.
* If preparing picnic foods, be sure to include an ice pack to keep cold foods cold.
* Store leftovers properly.
Related Articles
02/08/2008
* Advice from a Germ Expert: Don’t Overdo Spring Cleaning
Advice from a Saint LouisUniversity germ expert is music to the ears of those who dread the annual tradition of spring cleaning. Don’t go overboard, cautions Donna Duberg, assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at Saint LouisUniversity’s Doisy College of Health Sciences. “Ask yourself the question: How contaminated is my house?” Duberg says. “If it is just everyday dirt, then ...
10/29/2007
* Staph Infections Highlight the Need for Thorough, Consistent Cleaning Regimen at Home, at School and at Work
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The recent outbreak of staph infections in schools throughout the country serves as an important reminder of the importance of routine, thorough cleaning and targeted disinfection of buildings where a large number of people constantly live, work or play. This includes schools, office buildings and hospitals. Also, because bacteria and viruses such as salmonella, E. coli, influenza ...
10/12/2007
* Even Occasional Use of Spray Cleaners May Cause Asthma in Adults
Using household cleaning sprays and air fresheners as little as once a week can raise the risk of developing asthma in adults, say researchers in Europe. Such products have been associated with increased asthma rates in cleaning professionals, but a similar effect in nonprofessional users has never before been shown. “Frequent use of household cleaning sprays may be an important ...
09/04/2007
* Banish Dust and Allergens With These Tips
An allergy to dust mites can show up as chronic congestion or even asthma. It’s worth the extra effort to minimize exposure to the allergens that'from these commonplace tiny critters. The September issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers tips to reduce exposure to these allergens: -- Focus on the bedroom: About 98 percent of dust allergens are ...
* Clean to Ease Allergy and Asthma Symptoms
OMAHA, Neb. – Every day we spend more than 90 percent of our time indoors getting bombarded by contaminants and allergens such as dust mites, animal dander, mold, mildew and insect debris. Homes today are built so airtight that any air that gets in -- good or bad -- has a difficult time getting out, making your housekeeping practices.
Mopping a kitchen floor. See our Floor Cleaning Guide for the proper way to care for your kitchen, bath or any hard surface flooring.
Knowing a few speed cleaning tips helps you clobber kitchen problems before they become disasters. Let's take a look at a few of them.
* Apply my number one speed cleaning rule: Give your product time to work to all of your areas that may need a little extra cleaning boose like food burned onto the top of your stove. Spray CleanEz on the surface, wait 3 or 4 minutes while you clear the dishes. Then go back and wipe it off. You'll be amazed how much easier it is to clean stains, dirt, grit and grime just by giving your product time to do its job.
* Smelly disposals: Rid the disposal of lingering odors by dampening a round toilet bowl brush with TerraPlus then sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the brush. Scrub the inside of the disposal to remove food particles that may be clinging to the sides. Now head to a pet store, marine store or RV store for a powdered enzyme product. Nature's Miracle is at the pet stores or try our Eco Save. Pour half the recommended amount into both kitchen drains. On the disposal side pour the Eco Save on a brush and wipe around the sides of the disposal. The enzymes "eat" away at any food particles removing the offending odors from the drains. It will keep your entire drain clear except for tree roots. Those enzymes eat away at all the bacteria on their way down the drain keeping them clear. Then toss the toxic drain openers.
Eco Save prevents drains from clogging. Pour it down bathroom sinks and shower or tub drains monthly to prevent the clogs. The enzymes are healthy for municipal systems, septic systems and holding tanks.
Removing Grout Stains: Stains in tile grout without a doubt are the toughest area in the kitchen to clean. Grout is porous so liquid cleaners seep right through making it difficult to remove the stain. Prepare yourself for a pleasant surprise when you see how quickly and easily our Stain Eraser removes those stains. It will not take the color out of colored grout like most liquid cleaners.
* Do not forget to clean the Refrigerator coils: Keep the motor of your refrigerator humming along by cleaning the coils at least twice yearly. A curved brush made for cleaning drains does an excellent job cleaning around the bends of the coils - do be careful not to puncture them. Some refrigerator manufacturers makes getting to the coils impossible. The cheapest way to clean these is to rent an air compressor, around $25, and blow the dust off the coils. Even though I was cleaning what I could reach with the bottle brush, the coils needed added attention. AFter using the air compressor our motor went back to running normally once again saving us a huge $150 to $200 service bill. This added attention to your refrigerator adds years to the motor.
* Clean and Condition Kitchen cabinets twice a year to prevent cooking oils from penetrating the wood, which will dry and crack the wood. Our one step Wood Cleaner and Conditioner will keep them in top shape if used regularly.Then dilute it 5 parts water to one part Wood Care to use as a regular cabinet cleaner. Discover what it does for your furniture as well. It removes scratch marks on furniture and restores the greying to bathroom cabinets.
* Establish the good habit of never setting a used cup, dish, plate etc on the kitchen sink. Rinse and place the plate etc in the dishwasher. If your hands are your dishwasher then keep a small spray bottle filled with water and dish soap on the counter. Rinse the plate etc, spray with the detergent water and you are finished in less than a minute. Let them build up and you now have a 30 minute job on your hands.
* Microwave: Oh, the number of times you
More Related Questions & Answers...