We spend a lot of time in the kitchen not only for meal preparation, but also potentially for eating, family meetings and more. It, along with the living room, is the major hub of the house. It’s easy to let the room get disorganized. We’re constantly taking things in and out of drawers and cupboards and they don’t always make it back to the proper place. Here are some ways to keep the kitchen tidy.

The silverware caddy

Silverware is so easy to misplace. How many times have you gone to grab a spoon or a fork and found them all in the sink or disappeared into the black hole along with socks from the dryer. We’re getting up over and over again during dinner because someone drops their fork or you need a big spoon for the green beans, etc. What you need is a silverware caddy.

The caddy itself can be wooden or metal and they can be found at most craft stores. The design is up to you, but it needs a handle, cubbies for the forks and is tall enough that the silverware stays in it. The most common configuration is one side is a single long area and the other is split into three. The long section is perfect for napkins. For the cubbies, you’ll need glass jars small enough to fit in the holes. If you want to keep the knives away from sticky little hands, use two of the holes for spoons and forks and the other for something like straws. Place it on the kitchen table and the silverware is at your fingertips. The handle lets you easily take it outside for picnics, barbecues and more.

Get rid of those paper towels

Paper Towels are pretty standard. The downside is they don’t look great. They’re basically military grade toilet paper. While they clean up spills, they’re also wasteful. We’re throwing away a ton of paper towels every day. Instead, think about using bar mop clothes. They’re thin, attractive and sturdy. Buy a few dozen and place them inside a container such as a mason jar. When you need to clean spills, then take one out. Toss them on a rack to dry and then put them in the laundry. They can last hundreds of washings.

You’re not only helping the environment, but also brightening up your kitchen.  They don’t streak and clean better than paper towels.

Cleaning isn’t fun. If it was, then people like me would be out of a job. It’s hard work and time consuming, so when you’re doing a home cleaning, make sure you’re doing it right. There are many common mistakes people make that end up making cleaning less effective.

Vacuum Smart, Not Often

We know people that vacuum every day. It’s part of their daily routine, but vacuuming only really needs to be done once a week if done correctly. Start by vacuuming first horizontally and then vertically in each room. This gets the carpet lifted so you get as much dirt as possible. This is especially imperative if you have pets. Ugh, who hates cleaning out cat and dog hair?

Careful of Cross Contamination

When you clean the kitchen, the goal is to make it clean enough that it’s not considered a level 4 biohazard. Nothing makes you lose your appetite faster than people in plastic suits spray painting “Quarantined” on your front door. What’s that an outbreak monkey? Nope, just a cat. The reality is that many people actually end up cross contaminating when they clean.

When you clean a surface, people generally wipe over the same spots over and over again. If you’re cleaning up a spill or going over an area that had raw chicken or meat, then you could be spreading the bacteria rather than cleaning. Instead, start at the top and cleaning left to right. This keeps you from going over the same spot. Also, it’s important to change out microfiber and dish clothes to keep bacteria from growing on it. You’re not cleaning anything if your cleaning instrument is covered in bacteria.

Let Cleaners Sit for a Bit

How many people out there are the spray and wipe kind of people? That may be fine on windows, but let cleaning agents sit for a little while in the kitchen and bathroom. Soap scum and other cleaning nightmares can be tough to get out, but letting cleaners sit and work their magic can break them down. They might just wipe away or come off with a little elbow grease.

Clean Your Garbage Cans

When was the last time you cleaned out your kitchen garbage can? We’re not talking about just taking out the bag and replacing it. Garbage cans need occasional cleaning as well. They can build up odors and bacteria and that translates to a stinky kitchen and the biohazard suits…see above.  An easy way to stop this is to take the trash can out and spray it an all-purpose cleaner. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and then spray with a hose.

If you are looking for some help with home cleaning, then feel free to give us a call at 815-228-5273 or visit here to get a quote.

Are you tired of spending a long time hand washing dishes? Would you rather spend that time with your family or getting a little “me” time? A dishwasher might be the answer for you. It’s an investment that gives you more time and saves your hands from dish soap and dry skin. Here are some tips and tricks when using your dishwasher.

To Pre-rinse or Not to Pre-rinse

Your mom or grandmother may mention that your dishes need to be rinsed before they’re put into the dishwasher. Others argue that it’s not necessary and they only need to be scraped of chunks i.e. don’t stick half a meatloaf into the dishwasher and expect it to get clean.  The first few generations of dishwashers did require a pre-rinse, but people got annoyed of washing their dishes before washing their dishes. Manufacturers heard this and designed better dishwashers. With modern dishwashers, just scrap them off and put them in the dishwasher. They’ll be clean as a whistle.

Loading the Dishwasher

Some people believe loading a dishwasher is part art and part science. It’s like playing Jenga while dodging blocks from Tetris. Thankfully, it’s not as complex as that. The key is to make sure the dirty parts of the dishes aren’t blocked from the dishwasher jets. Look at your jets and see where they are. The dirty parts of the dishes should always be pointed in those directions.

The bottom rack is where the bad boys go. Put your dirtiest dishes here. Keep the taller items on the edges to keep blocking the jets. The top rack is more for more fragile items such as glasses, etc. Don’t let glass touch other glass. Try to put a plastic cup between them just to be on the safe side. When it comes to the silverware tray, it’s best to keep knives pointed down just for safety. Forks and spoons can be put in right side up.

Caution

Dishwashers are great for many dishes, but not everything. Wooden utensils, softer metals and cookware should be done by hand. The detergents used in dishwashing can be pretty abrasive, so don’t ruin your finest flatware because you didn’t want to wash them.

We hope you enjoyed this little guide to dishwashing. If you’re in the need of a good deep cleaning in your home, contact us or get a free quote.