Your kitchen is the most important room in your family house. It’s where you cook, where you eat, and it’s culturally the room where people gather to talk about their days and their aspirations. Your kitchen sees a lot in a day and sometimes you can still guess what happened in there just by the clues that are left behind.
Fingerprints and crumbs on the countertop surface tell the tale of a peanut butter and jam sandwich, the unpleasant smell coming from the bin reminds you of last night fish stew, and the grease stains on the cooker seem like an archaeological discovery of all the dinners of the previous months.
It doesn’t matter what you see in interior decor magazines: An effortlessly spotless kitchen doesn’t exist. You need to make it happen with some smart tips.
Tip 1 – Smooth and Clean Countertop
Unless you’ve got a stone countertop such as granite and quartz that can withstand knife work, you should always use a cutting board to protect the smooth surface of your countertop. However, while knives may not scratch a stone surface, you might still damage it if you work without a cutting board. Indeed, cutting acidic food, such as citrus fruits, could degrade the surface, which can leave your marble countertop looking dull. Other surfaces, such as wood or laminate tend to scratch a lot more easily. If this happens, you can try to remove the scratch by using a laminate paste or a filler product to fill the fissure. Make sure to wax your laminate countertop regularly to smooth out the surface and hide the scratches.
Tip 2 – Spotless Countertops
Keeping your countertop clean can be incredibly challenging, especially as some materials tend to show marks and fingerprints more than others. Stone countertops, such as quartz, can show grease stains when cleaned with regular household products. You will need to use specialist cleaning products to protect your stone surface. Granite and marble tops require in comparison a simple maintenance routine as you can use a combination of water and soap for most stains. The secret to cleaning these surfaces is the drying process, so stay away from any abrasive detergents you would use on laminate countertops. Stainless countertop can be challenging if you’re looking for a streak-free finish. But the application of olive oil in the direction of the grain can prevent fingerprints!
Tip 3 – Your Cabinets Need Updating
Every day your kitchen cabinet doors are submitted to high pressures: Constant opening and shutting, steam, high temperature, the occasional splash of hot sauce and oil, dirty fingertips, etc. So there’s no need to act surprised when your doors begin to look a little dull. Does it mean you should replace your door or can you reface them?
Firstly, if you moved in with low-grade cabinet consisting of particle board, it’s likely that refacing will not be a viable option. Additionally, when the cabinet structure has been damaged beyond repair, it’s best to change the lot with high-quality products from RTA Depot cabinets than try to save costs with refacing.
Finally, if you can’t get rid of the musty smell in your cabinet, you need to know that refacing can’t help you: Your cabinet will look fresh, but it won’t eliminate the funk!
Tip 4 – Keep Your Fresh Produce For Longer
There’s nothing worth than buying fresh produce that gets moldy and bad in your kitchen drawers. Your spotless kitchen needs to protect the freshness of your fruits and vegetables for as long as possible. There’s no secret about it: You need to know where everything belongs. Find a list here. For instance, if you’re a guacamole aficionado, you need to know that you can’t keep your avocados fresh beyond 3 days in the fridge. You can keep bananas fresh for 5 days on the countertop or freeze ripe fruits for baking.
Tip 5 – Keep Your Bin Fresh and Safe
You need to be particularly careful about your bins and wastes as these can attract wildlife in your property. You should deep-clean your bin regularly with soapy water to remove the smell. For bins kept outside, you need to invest in a waste unit that deters wildlife animals, by using a bear-proof trash can for instance. Squirting lemon juice over the lid of an outdoor bin can help to keep wasps, flies and small animals at bay as they don’t like the smell.
Tip 6 – Get Everything to Smell Fresh
What’s that smell when you open the fridge? It’s your wake-up call for an in-depth sanitation day! You’re in luck as you can use natural products to clean the refrigerator and keep it hygienic without putting your health at risk. Baking soda can be used to remove stains and absorb bad odour. White vinegar is great for stainless steel elements such as the door. You need to remove all food from the fridge first, to avoid any contamination and to get better access to the entire surface. Remember never to use disinfectant inside your fridge as this might come in contact with your food.
Tip 7 – Say No to Greasy Marks
A stove hood is handy to attract and keep all dirty and greasy particles as you cook. But unfortunately, if you don’t clean your exhaust fan filters, you might find greasy stains appearing on the stove. When your filters are blocked with grease, they lose their effectiveness. It’s time to roll your sleeves back and clear those filters. You can do it directly in your sink using only boiling water, a degreasing dish soap and baking soda. As you can see, baking soda is essential for a spotless kitchen, so if it’s not in your kitchen pantry, it’s time to put it on the list for your next grocery shopping.
Tip 8 – Invest In a Storage Solution
Last, let’s talk about your storage solution. If you find that a variety of products accumulate on the countertops, it’s time for you to improve your storage facilities. Dried pasta, rice and cereals belong in the cupboard. You can keep dried baking ingredients in a drawer. Dedicate a drawer in your fridge to fresh fruits and vegetables, and another to fresh meat and fish products.
So now that you’ve got our Top 8 Tips, are you ready to scrub that kitchen spotless?
