Sounds like fun doesn’t it? No? With these Tips and Tricks, we can promise, it may not be fun, but it sure will be easier!
With our lives getting busier and busier, it is not hard to let things go for too long around the house, then find ourselves without the motivation to get started on projects that we know have to get done.
Step One – Plan!
If you are tackling a kitchen that has not been cleaned in a while, the first thing you want to do is plan out the steps you will take to achieve the goals you want to. For example, you might not want to be overwhelmed and only focus on getting the dishes done first, then focus on the refrigerator later.
Very important to planning is determining how much space you will need. If you are doing dishes that are stacked in a sink, you will need to start by making room on the counter. If the counter is covered in pizza boxes, then you will need to start by getting rid of them! Plan out your cleaning and organization projects!
Step Two – Begin!
After you have gotten to a position where you can start doing the dishes (i.e. made room on the counter for stacking dirty dishes, space for drying, etc…) the next step is to start.
Any dishes that have caked on food can be scraped, and if necessary, soaked in very hot water with the recommended amount of dish soap and …here’s the trick… half of a cup of baking soda. Do this for half an hour and then the food will come off as easily as it is ever going to.
When rinsing, a half of a cap of household bleach will sanitize the dishes, and I recommend drying them with a towel immediately. That way they can be taken care of to make more room for cleaning the rest of the kitchen.
When you are finished with the dishes, make sure to scrub out the sink. One thing often overlooked is the rubber around the garbage disposal, underneath it can trap grease and food. A toothbrush makes short work of this task! Ice and lemon will sharpen the blades and give it a fresh scent. When you are done with cleaning the sink, a quick polish with flour, yes, flour, will make it shine like new!
Step Three – Details!
Cleaning out your refrigerator and oven are often an overlooked part of kitchen cleaning.
Your refrigerator needs to be cleaned and old products discarded. An open baking soda box will help with food odors and keeping your food fresher. Just open the lid and leave it in the back of your refrigerator. Don’t forget to clean out your seal. The seal around the refrigerator door will trap food and debris and needs to be cleaned often, a damp cloth works fine for this.
When it comes to your oven you do not have to use harsh chemicals. Baking soda and peroxide will help with stovetop stains, and vinegar and baking soda work wonders in the oven. You can add a little dish soap to help with the oven interior as well.
Finally remember, as with any project the most important thing is to start. Continuing to put something off will not only make the project bigger, but it will also make you feel worse about doing it.
On the flip-side, making a dent in something you have been putting off will not only make your home cleaner, but it will also do wonders for your self-esteem!