Kitchen Tips- Cleaning Appliances and more

This post was originally going to be my last post of the week so if you already read here that it was going to be my last post, it was a mistake...I forgot to take that off. So, without further delay....

One of the best and safest cleaning agents for kitchens is white distilled vinegar.

-Use straight vinegar to run through your coffee maker, tea maker, and other appliances that may have calcium build up.
-Use straight vinegar on your sink for hard water marks and build up.
-Mix vinegar and a little water in a spray bottle to use to wipe down walls, cabinets, fronts of appliances, and inside your fridge.
-I put 1 cup vinegar into my dishwasher and run it to remove hard water build up.
-I recommend this site for a very long list of ways to clean with vinegar with recipes included.

I recommend Barkeeper's Friend for cleaning your sink. It works well for all finishes.

If you have a stainless steel sink, consider using a cleaner made for buffing and polishing it. I use Cameo for mine from time to time to help restore the luster of my sink. Look at your local grocery store for similar products.

Don't forget to clean under your facet...sometimes that gets missed. An old toothbrush works great for around the facet and around the sink edge itself.

There also products out there for polishing different types of counter tops and porcelain. Check your local Home Depot or Lowe's type stores for these products.

Now is a good time to oil all your woods as well. Mineral oil works best .... massage it into your wooden utensils (spoons), your wood knife handles, wood cutting boards, wood serving trays, wood knife block, wood rolling pin, and any other wooden dishes (salad bowls and tongs) or utensils that you may have. I like to use a paper towel to rub the oil onto every thing. Let them soak up all the oil. Laying the utensils on a paper towel on the counter for several hours works well. Then go back to washing them and using them like you normally do.

Got mold? Grapefruit juice is a natural mold killer. Cut it in half to rub on molded areas or squeeze it and put it in a spray bottle. Been breathing mold in your house? Drink fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for your own health.

It's a good time to sharpen all your knives too. Dull knives can ruin the cooking experience! Consider investing in an electric knife sharpener. Known for being expensive, yes. I do know that you can purchase one for around $30 at Target these days. So, if you don't have one, do some research to find a good price. They are well worth the investment!

Don't forget to wipe off the top of your fridge, clean under your oven hood, clean out and organizing under your sink, and clean inside your microwave.

Tomorrow's post: cleaning the dreaded oven....