The kitchen is often the hub of the family home; a place where meals are lovingly prepared, a space to scoff and devour said meals, a gallery for hanging primary school art and often the place where clothes are washed and dried. With all of this activity it’s little wonder that kitchens need to be regularly cleaned to keep them looking great, smelling fresh and – of course – to keep them in a safe condition to cook from. Scrubbing and tidying a kitchen can often be a dirty and undesirable job, so we have put together a collection of our top tips to keep your kitchen clean, which don’t require a great deal of effort…just some forward thinking and planning.
The Kitchen Sink
Arguably the single most important utility in the kitchen is the sink and having the right type of sink is just as important as how you look after it. In a perfect world your sink would be large and deep enough to tackle all of your kitchen cleaning duties but in reality this is often not the case. If you are looking to have a new fitted kitchen installed, you should attempt to make space for a good sized sink and draining board. However, if you don’t have the luxury of such space you should at least keep the sink you have in tip top condition.
Your sink is the place where most bugs and bacteria can be found. In fact, there are typically over 18,000 bacteria per square inch in the plughole and draining system alone! Although, this doesn’t mean it can’t be kept clean and safe. Using a mild bleach solution will help to reduce and contain the nasty bugs, while hot, soapy water will always be a great way to reduce smells and odours.
Rubbish and Recycling
It goes without saying that how you manage your rubbish and recycling can also drastically effect the cleanliness of your kitchen. Of course bins need to be cleaned and disinfected but that’s not the end of it. Making sure that you have adequate space for your waste disposal is also key. These days most local authorities require us to separate general waste from the recycling, which means making space for at least two types of waste disposal. Unfortunately, older kitchens may not offer space for additional bins, which often leads to recycling bags hanging from door handles and other unsuitable places. The ideal solution for your waste management in the kitchen is to incorporate space for these separate bins but if you aren’t in a position to rip out the kitchen and rethink the layout don’t worry as there are alternative options available. Consider buying smaller bins that can stack on top of each other. Also make sure that your bins are easy to clean and are made from materials that will withstand household cleaning products.
Clean and Clear Counters
One way to ensure cleanliness in the kitchen is to have homes for smaller appliances and other items that would normally sit on top of your kitchen counters. Things such as juicers, coffee machines and blenders should be kept in drawers and cupboards for a number of reasons. The risk of cross contamination from spills and sprays of food and drink is hugely reduced when these items are neatly packed away and your kitchen worktops are far easier to clean effectively when they are clear and free of clutter.
Shelf and Cupboard Liners
Some people may think that shelf and cupboard liners are a little old fashioned but how many of you have had to wash your cupboards because of leaking bottles and jars? Cupboard liners can be quickly and hygienically removed and replaced with little fuss.
And Finally Some Motivation…
Keeping your kitchen clean can actually help you to lose weight! This may seem obvious, as cleaning your kitchen requires physical effort but that is not the only reason for the claim. According to a study carried out for The Independent newspaper, a chaotic environment actually spurs us to snack more. A study of one hundred people were split into two equal groups; one group was put into a pristine and organised kitchen while the other group was put into a messy kitchen filled with papers and dirty dishes. During the study participants were asked to taste and rate bowls of crackers, biscuits and carrots and it was the participants in the messy environment who consumed more…twice as much in fact. In conclusion Dr Lenny Vartanian, an associate professor of psychology at the University of New South Wales in Australia said that findings indicated that “Being in a chaotic environment and feeling out of control is bad for diets.”
So there you have it. Not only is keeping a clean kitchen vital for your family’s hygiene and health but it can also help you to achieve a summer beach body too!
