Cleaning your kitchen can be an arduous and ongoing task.
But with these simple hacks, you can save time and money and have your kitchen in pristine condition.
1. Splashbacks.
You may have had your splashback installed by Australia’s leading glass splashback provider and it will
undoubtedly need maintenance and care to ensure it remains in tip top shape.
The first matter is not to use harsh cleaning chemicals.
Simple glass cleaner or a mixture of four parts water to one part vinegar in a spray bottle with a micro
fibre cloth will give that beautiful splash back a shining finish.
2. The dreaded oven.
No other job tends to get put of more than the dreaded oven clean.
Newer models have a self-cleaning mode, whilst the older style require hand cleaning to stop the build-
up of grease and grim.
There are many options for this.
Various brands of oven cleaner will do the trick, but they often have toxic fumes that are never fun to
inhale.
For a more chemical free approach, you can use a sponge with a dishwashing tablet on top with some
water and scrub away.
Another method is to make a paste with vinegar and bicarb soda and place this on your oven door and
other parts.
Spritz with vinegar and leave to soak for as long as possible before scrubbing.
Whilst the initial clean may require some elbow grease, further and regular maintenance won’t and you
don’t need to evacuate the house or kitchen due to harsh smells.
For those pesky oven racks, wrap them in alfoil with a dishwashing tablet.
Place an old towel in the bath to prevent the bath from getting rust stains.
Fill the bath with hot water and some dish washing liquid, just enough to cover the racks and leave
overnight.
When you take them out most of the dirt and grime just lifts of easily.
3. The dishwasher.
Not everyone knows that although your trust dishwasher cleans all your dirty dishes, it too needs a good
clean every now and then.
For a fast and efficient clean, place a cup of vinegar on the top rack, spread bicarb soda on the bottom
and put it on the longest, hottest setting.
Wallah! A sparkling clean dishwasher.
Don’t forget to take put the filter and clean that too.
Simply remove it, remove all the excess junk.
Then give it a scrub and leave it to soak in a bowl of dishwashing liquid and water.
4. Cabinets and drawers.
These suckers may often seem to attract dirty in a strange and mystical way.
A simple dishwashing tablet in a bucket of hot water with a microfibre cloth gets rid of all the grease,
tiny wee finger prints and kitchen spills effortlessly and without leaving those annoying streaks and filmy residue.
5. Counter tops
These are one of the most visible items in your kitchen and depending on what material you’ve used,
often quite expensive.
Simple dishwashing liquid, water and a damp cloth will take care of most stains.
It’s advisable not to use bleach on surfaces such as quartz or marble as they may dull the shine and
cause the end look to be dull and lack lustre.
If you’re wanting to go for a more natural remedy, some warm water and vinegar will also assist in
completing the job.
6. The kitchen sink.
Your kitchen sink may seem as though it’s lost its shine, even after cleaning it multiple times a day.
Simple spray your sink with water, sprinkle with some baking soda and rub it until its forma a paste.
Place some paper towels over the top, spritz with white vinegar and leave to soak for 20minutes.
Take the paper towels of, rinse with warm water. For those hard-to-reach areas, such as the drain and around the taps, use an old toothbrush to complete the job. For an extra sparkle, use a smidge of baby oil on a cotton pad or ball and there you go, a near new looking sink!
7. The microwave.
It’s amazing how dirty this little fellow gets, and how much splatter can be in your microwave, even with
a microwave cover.
For a fast and easy clean, put some water and a few tablespoons of white vinegar in the microwave.
Put the microwave on until you see the mixture in the bowl begin to boil and the window starts to steam
up. Then turn the microwave of, open the door and take the bowl out.
The steam from this combination softens all the build-up and makes it effortless to clean and also takes
away all those yucky smells.
8. The rangewood.
This is another dreaded job.Your range wood absorbs all manner of grease and grim. It can be a tremendous task to clean it if you don’t keep on top of it. Firstly, put some paper towels on the stove top so you don’t get that dirty whilst you dig into your rangewood. Wipe over the dust and grim you can with a cleaning brush and then take the cover of. (Side note here that having the rangewood manual nearby might help as some of them can be tricky). Put some boiling water in a container and then put your rangewood in it. Then spread a large amount of dishwashing liquid and approximately ¼ cup of baking soda in a large container. You can use your bath again if you don’t have a large enough container. Just remember to put an old towel on the bottom of the bath to prevent your bath from getting stained. Let it sit for 20 – 30 minutes.
This will help loosed up all the food particles and other debris. The get in there with a decent cleaning brush (don’t forget to wear your gloves) and scrub away. After this, you can put the filter in the dishwasher for a final clean to help remove the finer particles you might not have been able to get to. Dry your filter. A good idea is to let it sit out overnight to make sure it is well and truly dry.
Safety first! It needs to be totally dry before you put it back in.
