Spring Cleaning Your Problems Away

As spring is quickly approaching, there is one thing you probably forgot about – spring cleaning.

You might scoff at the idea and think that it is completely unnecessary, however, its benefits outweigh the hard work required. One of which is increasing your productivity and boost your morale within the space. It is guaranteed that any room would look better after a spring clean, but which room should you start with?

Between all the rooms in the house, the one place that needs desperate attention is the kitchen. Not only are there many utensils and appliances that need organising, grease marks that have accumulated over the months need cleaning as well. You are not the only person who needs some quick hacks on how to clean and declutter your kitchen. Keep reading below for some tips provided by Worktop Express on how to create a more productive space to cook your meals.

Making things look new again

The Oven

Throughout the year you would probably have used the oven a lot, the mess that it leaves builds up each time. Whether it be meat juice or burnt pieces off foods, it only looks more and more gross over time.

Not everyone has a self cleaning oven, so here’s a quick tip for you to fix your dirty oven: Mix a paste of baking soda and water and cover the oven surface with the paste (avoiding bare metal and heating elements) and let it stand overnight. Wait till the next morning and remove the paste with a plastic spatula, wear gloves to prevent it from getting onto your hands. If there are any residue left, wipe it off with a wet cloth.

Pans, Pots and Baking Trays

Over time your pans, pots and baking tray will have taken its toll and the stains from your cooking will have built up leaving dark marks all over. While it does look unpleasant, it doesn’t mean you have to buy a new set of pots and pans each year.

Instead you can try these quick cleaning tips. For tough pots and pans, like cast iron, try creating a salt scrub with a sponge, it will absorb any excess oil and lift bits of food while preserving its polish. For delicate kitchenware, like stainless steel pots, rub the surface with a cloth soaked in white vinegar instead. For both, rinse and wipe dry afterwards.

Silver Utensils

Silver oxidises over time and loses its shine after a while, it is expensive to buy new silverware everytime it goes dull. All you really need is silver polish to restore its glimmer, to reach between the tines as well, simply dip a length of cotton twine and gently floss your fork till its shine is restored.  

Organising and tidying your space

Sink Organizer

It is normal to have sponges, brushes, dish and hand soap by your sink, but it can get very disorganised especially after you have done the dishes. To keep things organised, get a sink organiser which can be bought from a supermarket or a flea market. These can be in a form of a small tray that can hold everything in place and keep it clutter free.

No Slip Drawers

If you are a fan of cooking, chances are you would want to keep your set of knives where it is easily accessible. You might want to put it into a drawer clearly laid out rather than with all of your other utensils. To fix this, all you need is a papyroboard which is a soft, foamy lining that has a rubbery surface fitted into an empty drawer, this will keep your knives in place rather than sliding around.

Cupboard Dividers

Do you have the problem of storing baking sheets, cutting boards and sturdy platters effectively? Rather than resorting to having a heavy stack, wouldn’t it be much easier if they were placed upright? Try creating makeshift kitchen dividers by buying tension curtain rods. Align a pair of curtain rods per row, and slide your heavy kitchenware in between. This way your heavy stack will be fixed and ready to be used simply by sliding them out.

The kitchen is where we do our everyday cooking, which is why it gets so messy and so dirty. Now that you have all the hacks and tips, you can do a proper #KitchenSpringClean for a more productive cooking time. Start the new season with a clean kitchen and some fresh looking pots, pans and utensils.

from Finance Girl http://www.financegirl.co.uk/spring-cleaning-your-problems-away/