How to Clean Things

How to Clean Stainless Steel

I confess that I like the look of my stainless steel kitchenware. It’s bright, it’s shiny, it sparkles! And it stays bright, shiny and sparkly until I decide to cook something in a stainless steel pot or pan.

I have a simple choice here. . Luckily, stainless steel is simple to clean and ridiculously easy to maintain.

You will need warm water and a soft cloth, a clean towel, detergent, glass cleaner.

Start by cleaning with warm water and soft cloth
Spray with glass cleaner to clean off fingerprints
Use detergent and warm water for tougher stains and dirt
Wipe in the direction of the grain to avoid leaving streaks
Dry with a towel. This not only prevents water spotting but gives you a shiny, polished result

Never clean stainless steel with ..

Steel wool or, quelle horreur, steel brushes. They will scratch the surface of your stainless steel and make it more susceptible to rusting and staining.
Abrasive cleaners. They will scratch the surface too
Bleach. It will stain and damage stainless steel. Don’t use cleaning sprays or solutions that contain bleach.
Remember that dirty water and cleaning solutions can leave a residue that will stain and damage the surface, so don’t forget to rinse and dry

Don’t forget the sink while we’re talking about stainless steel. The detergent and water that flows through the sink isn’t cleaning it. Soap deposits, food stains, rust, and water spots all build up if you don’t stay on top of them. Here’s a reminder in an earlier post How to clean your sink

How to Clean Crystal

I don’t why I still keep my crystal wine glasses. Nostalgia, I suppose. It’s been a long time since I actually used them but I take them out of the cupboard regularly and wash them, you never know when the Queen might drop over for a quick glass of vino.

Always wash crystal by hand

First line the bottom of the sink with a towel to wash.

Fill the sink with warm water and mild dishwashing liquid.

Wash one glass at a time. When washing wine glasses like my Galway Crystal, carefully hold the bowl in your hand, don’t hold them by the stem.

Rinse with a solution of 3 parts warm water and 1 part vinegar.

Dry with a soft cotton cloth and pop the glasses back in the cupboard.

How to Clean the Oven

Some people always have shiny clean ovens. My neighbour, Voula, who cooks meals for six, never seems to have a spot in her oven while I get splatters every time I turn mine on.
Cleaning is a tedious task and if you ever needed proof of that, have a look at cleaning the oven. Do you clean it after every cooked meal? There are far better things to do in life. But you have to get into the routine of cleaning your oven once a month, it keeps it respectable – and safe.

Start to clean your oven the night before

You need –

Spray bottle
Baking soda
Vinegar
A small bowl
Water
A cleaning rag

At Night

Remove the oven racks
Make a paste by by dropping a couple of spoons of baking soda into the bowl. Mix in water and keep stirring till you get a spreadable paste consistency
Spread the paste on the inside of the oven
Let it sit over night. The baking soda needs at least 12 hours to work

Next Morning

Wet a rag and wipe out as much of the baking soda as possible
Put some vinegar in the spray bottle and spritz it on the surfaces where you still see bits of baking soda left
Wipe over with a fresh wet rag
Put the racks back into the oven
Turn on the oven on a low temperature for 15-20 minutes to let it dry

How to Clean the Sink

My sink holds dirty dishes and standing rinsing water. I clean the cat’s bowls in there too. So, every day waste accumulates in and on the surface of my sink resulting in stains, odours, and creating a cozy little haven for germs.

The detergent and water that flows through the sink isn’t cleaning it. Soap deposits, food stains, rust, and water spots all build up if you don’t stay on top of them.

Stainless Steel Sinks

Stainless steel sinks should always be thoroughly rinsed after every use, not only to keep them clean, but also to prevent potential pitting. Acids and salts can damage the finish so don’t leave fruit, vinegar or salad dressing in the sink.

Use mild detergent and a nylon sponge .

Every day, rinse out your sink thoroughly
Then wash the sink using a squirt of dishwashing liquid in a bowl of warm water. Dip a sponge in the mixture, and scrub gently. If you want to give it a more thorough scrub, try an all-purpose cleaning spray or a nonabrasive cleaner.
For stubborn stains, wet the entire surface and sprinkle baking soda onto the surface. Use a nylon scrubbing sponge to work the baking soda in, and then rinse thoroughly clean
Always rinse the sink clean after using a cleaner or soap and dry it with a soft cloth. You can also finish with a glass cleaner for extra shine

Ceramic Sinks

Clean ceramic or porcelain sinks with a cleanser in a gel or creamy solution to avoid avoid scratches. Never use abrasive cleaners on ceramic sinks. For stubborn stains, repeat the cleaning with a bit more effort. Get the old elbow grease going!

Still got Bad Stains? Clean surfaces with lemon juice. Add half a cup of powdered borax to the juice of one-half lemon. Dab a sponge in the mixture, rub, and rinse with running water — it’ll work like a charm whether your sink is made of porcelain enamel, stainless steel, or any other material.

Put a dish mat in the bottom of your sink.

This will protect the sink’s surface from scratches and protects your dishes too.

Set of 2 Heavy Duty Deluxe Rubber Kitchen Sink Mat Liner 12 In. X 10 In.- Cream Color

How to Clean the Fridge

If there’s one thing that reveals your true self – it’s your fridge.

Mine is always higgledy-piggledy with heaven knows what in coloured containers or concealed in plastic wrap. But it’s almost clean.

The best thing about cleaning your fridge is getting, apart from a clean fridge, the opportunity to organise the contents.

Bur let’s start with a good clean-up.

Have your rubbish bag and compost bag ready. Some things may have to go out, either into the garbage or into the compost
Fill your sink 2/3 with hot soapy water. I often use my laundry sink for this, it’s bigger than the one in the kitchen.
Fill a bucket with warm, soapy water (mild dish detergent is fine)
Have some clean cloths, or tea-towels, ready

Now you’re set to start

Turn the temperature control knob to the “off” position. Your fridge will be open for a while once you start cleaning, so there’s no sense in having it running and using electricity.

Take everything out of the refrigerator and put it on the bench nearby.

Throw away spoiled food, anything that is mouldy, expired, or hasn’t been used in more than a month-6 weeks.

Take the shelves, wire racks and drawers out. Wash them in that in the sink full of hot water. Use an ordinary sponge or cloth unless you’ve found some caked, dried-on gunk. Leave them to dry.

Wipe away any residue from the bottom with a sponge before you begin the rest of the fridge

Starting at the top and working down, wipe all surfaces with the cleaning solution of your choice. Rinse using fresh warm water. Dry with a cloth

Using that bucket of warm, soapy water, wash the inside walls of the fridge. Wash inside all the compartments and inside the door racks. Use a soft scrubbing sponge for any dried spills.

Rinse the inside of the fridge with a clean sponge or dish cloth and clean warm water.

Replace all the shelves, wire racks and drawers.

Wash the outside. Don’t forget the rubber molding around the fridge door! Rinse with a clean cloth and wipe dry.

Organising your fridge

As you put the food back into your fridge, use your wash cloth to wipe off any sticky or messy jars, canisters, etc.

Turn the temperature knob back to the “on” position at the recommending temperature setting.

Remove Odour

If you need to control odour in your refrigerator, slightly squeeze half of a lemon and put it into a small bowl. Place it somewhere in your fridge

Clean the Coils

A few times a year, you should pull your refrigerator out and vacuum the condenser coils at the back. They have a tendency to get dusty and could cause a fire if there happened to be a spark.

Preserve the Lining

You should never use harsh abrasives, scouring pads or harsh cleaners in your refrigerator. Abrasives, scouring pads and harsh cleaners can damage the finish inside your refrigerator and compromise the integrity of the lining which could cost you more in energy to keep the refrigerator cool.

Cleaning Chopping Boards

Let’s face it your chopping board gets really grotty. And smelly!

No wonder your kitchen cutting board smells, you use it to chop onions, garlic, cut raw and cooked meat and chicken, and prepare fish. It’s going to end up a prime breeding ground for germs too.

Wooden Chopping Boards

To disinfect and clean your wood cutting board, wipe it with full-strength white vinegar after each use.

The acetic acid in the vinegar is a good disinfectant, effective against such harmful bugs as E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Never use water and dishwashing detergent, because it can weaken surface wood fibres.

When your wooden cutting surface needs deodorising as well as disinfecting, spread some baking soda over it and then spray on undiluted white vinegar. Let it foam and bubble for five to ten minutes, then rinse with a cloth dipped in clean cold water.

Plastic Chopping Boards

To clean your plastic cutting board, sprinkle salt on it.

Cut a lemon in half and squeeze half of the lemon onto the board.

Use warm water to rinse off the lemon/salt mixture.

Get some new chopping boards!These Vremi boards fit into drawers too!

Vremi 5 Piece Cutting Board Set in Holder – Small Thin Dishwasher Safe Chopping Boards in BPA Free Plastic with Colorful Food Icons for Meat Fish and Vegetables with Bamboo Index Storage Stand