Spring Cleaning: Kitchen Edition

 

Spring Cleaning: Kitchen Edition

 

When the first bit of warm weather comes around, many find themselves eager to put away winter clothes and decorations and bring out spring items! In the meantime, cleaning and organizing to feel fresh and ready for the warm weather. A lot of people overlook one of the most important areas of the house to deep clean and organize: the kitchen!

 

Where to Start?

It may seem intimidating at first, but I promise if you tackle it one step at a time, it will be done quicker than you think! First, see all the parts of your kitchen you should clean: Fridge, Oven, Microwave, Pantry, Cabinets, Stove, and floor. That is a lot, right? However, it is so important to reorganize and take inventory or your dry goods, perishables, and cleaning supplies. My recommendation is to start with the cleaning supplies.

Cleaning Supplies:

Typically, these are stored under the sink. First, you need to take out all your products and check the expiration date. If there are any that are old, you will need to properly dispose of them. Just like food, chemicals have expiration dates! They are used to perform a certain task like disinfecting and if the solution is old, it cannot adequately do this. Make sure you are storing chemicals in a dry, cool environment. You do not want chemicals near a heat source as some can be highly flammable. Second, see what supplies you may need. Replacing old dish rags, used sponges, or brushes is important to ensure food safety! Finally, check your products for any leaks or corrosion. You want to have them properly stored standing up in a basin or bucket incase any leaking occurs. If something is leaking, transfer to a new container or dispose of the product and replace with new. To dispose of chemicals, you can simply dilute the chemicals with water, and they can go down the drain. If it is in a study container, you can just dispose in the trash.

Pantry and Cabinets:

Let us move on to the pantry. Here will be your dry goods, spices, canned products, baking ingredients, and snack foods. It is good practice to label your items when you purchase them with the date of opening. It can be easy to hold onto products for year after the expiration date when you do not use them frequently. Remove the items from the shelves/ cabinets and wipe down the storage area with soapy water or a multipurpose solution. It is important to disinfect this area and clean up any debris. Next, check the product. If you know it has been a prolonged period since the item has been used, it may be time to dispose of it. Ideally, replacing some items storage container to an airtight one would be preferred; especially for items such as sugar and flour. This will prolong shelf life and keep them fresh from humidity and bugs. Once all the items are dated, sorted, and the shelves are cleaned, you can begin to organize the pantry. It is good to put heavy items closer to the ground for easy reach and the lighter items up higher. Also, using the FIFO (first in, first out) method can ensure minimal food waste occurs.

The Fridge:

Of all things to clean, I feel like the fridge is the most important. This holds the most potential to be a food safety hazard and it is essential to clean it to be safe. Start by removing all the items from the fridge (just the cooler, not freezer) and dispose of any that are expired or moldy. Open jars of jam, pickles, olives, or other containers and examine for any odors or appearance changes. These kinds of items can be in our refrigerators the longest and are used the slowest. Sometimes they do go bad without realizing. Once everything has been removed, you need to remove the glass/plastic containers and shelves. Normally, they are removable but if they are not, just keep them in place. Take warm soapy water and a sponge or rag and clean off every surface of the fridge. Scrub off any residue and wipe away the excess moisture. Next, take a disinfecting solution and wipe down every surface in the fridge and let it dry. To replace the items in the fridge, it is necessary to organize according to food group! On the top shelf you should have your fresh fruits and vegetables, the lower shelf is where you can keep your prepared foods and your cooked meats, cheese, and dairy. On the bottom self is where you will keep your eggs and raw meat. Commonly, there are drawers below the bottom shelf. If this is how your fridge is set up and you put any of the items on the first two shelves in those drawers, you need to make sure your raw meats are properly stored in a bag and a container to catch any drippings. Raw meat contains many different pathogens that require heat to kill. So, any food that are not properly heated up would be a carrier of those pathogens if they came into contact with raw meat. What is best, is to store the raw meat in a plastic bag that seals and then placing that plastic bag into a container such as Tupperware before placing in the fridge. This layout of items should ensure food safety! It is important to regularly clean out your fridge to prevent contamination. To clean the freezer, all items need to be removed as well! Break away and clean off any ice on the sides of the freezer. Check items to see if freezer burn has occurred on any of them. Dispose of items if necessary. For storage, put raw meat on the bottom of the freezer in sealed bags and all other items above. There should be no loose items in the freezer! They should all be within a bag or container.

 

The Microwave:

Microwaves can be difficult to clean but it doesn’t take very long! My tip is to cut a lemon and place it in the microwave with a small bowl of water and heat for 3-5 minutes to help loosen stuck on debris. Remove the glass plate and wash with warm soapy water. Next, take a lightly damp sponge and scrub off remaining particles in the microwave. To disinfect, I recommend using white vinegar to wipe down! It will dry quickly and will leave the microwave without any greasy residue.

 

The Stove Top:

Stoves can be scary to clean! Especially if you are unfamiliar with the parts. However, it is easy and should not take too long! It is very important to keep your stove clean as food bits can stick to the bottom and burn creating a fire hazard! Make sure the stove is not hot. You can begin by filling the sink with warm soapy water, we will soak pieces in this to clean them. pull off the temperature knobs. They should pull off easily. Then, throw them in the soapy water to soak. Next, you will pull off the heat plates/ burner. Normally, there is a connection point, and you can just slide it out directly from there. Set these on the counter as they do not get washed. Remove the drip pans and put them in the soapy water to soak. These will be the messiest part. With all of the parts removed, start by wiping the surface and underneath the drip pans to remove any crumbs or grease. To add shine to the top, wipe down with vinegar or Windex! In the sink, scrub the knobs and drip pans with a firm brush. The burnt bits that are on the bottom may not be able to come off but try to remove as much as possible. When clean and dry, add the drip pans first, then slide the burner/hot plate back into the power slot. Reattach the knobs as well and your stove is all clean!

 

The Oven:

I do not clean my oven as often as a should. It can be time consuming, and it is not an easy task. This one will require a lot more time than the others! If you have a modern oven, it may have a “self-clean” feature. This is a setting where the oven turns on for an extended period at a very high heat and burn everything in the oven until it is just ash. Then, it can easily be swept up. This can be a big use of electricity and has been known to wear out ovens faster. The old-fashioned way, is to clean with oven cleaner and spray a heavy layer on all parts of the over, close the door, and let it sit for multiple hours typically 4-12. DO THIS WITH VENTILATION. These chemicals are toxic! You must wear gloves and it is recommended to wear a mask and open a window or have a fan running. Do NOT turn on the oven or open the door until the time is up! When it has sat for the right amount of time, you can start to wipe out the gunk. Use paper towels to remove the cleaner and the debris and dispose of them in the trash. Make sure to wear gloves. Go over it with a wet sponge or rag when all of the cleaner has been removed.

 

The Floor:

Finally, we can conquer the floor! When everything else has been cleaned and wiped down the floor can be done last to make sure it stays clean! Begin by sweeping up and lose dust or particles. Dispose of this in the trash. Next, take a mop and use hot water mixed with a cleaner of your choice depending on your type of flooring. I recommend vinegar or a diluted solution to disinfect and clean. Mop the floor well making sure to get under the edges of your appliances and counters. Remove and rugs, trashcans, or chairs to get all the floor. If you have tile, using some bleach or soapy water to scrub your grout can really take your cleanliness to the next level! It may take a couple passes to get all of the grime out of the floors, but it will be worth it! Allow it to dry before replacing the items or walking on it!

 

This is a lot of work, but it is important to take care of your appliances and kitchen for easy and safe food preparation. By tackling one or two tasks at a time, you can complete your whole kitchen in just a few days! You will feel so organized and clean, and it will be easier to maintain after.

-AC