Mark your calendar: November’s kitchen crackdown
Keep your kitchen running by cracking down on routine maintenance.
The holidays are fast approaching, which means your kitchen will likely experience more wear-and-tear in order to prepare that delicious turkey and stuffing. Below are some tips and tricks to help keep your kitchen running as smooth as gravy.
Green Tip of the Month
While you are deep cleaning your refrigerator, consider composting as a way to get rid of those uneaten leftovers. Composting helps reduce greenhouse gases and enriches the soil, which will allow your garden to flourish.
Source: epa.gov
Save Energy
If the door to your refrigerator is kept open for extended periods while you are deep-cleaning the interior, turn off the power to avoid cooling the whole room.
Chore Chart
- Deep clean oven. (Every three months)
- Remove oven racks before running the self-cleaning cycle, as some models cannot withstand the self-cleaning process.
- Rinse dishwasher filter. (Every three months)
- Be sure to have a rinse agent in the dishwasher’s dispenser, so that the dishes are dried properly after cycling. In order to properly access the filter, check your owner’s manual.
- Clean out refrigerator. (Monthly) Clean up spills as they are made. Wipe down the doors if there is any residue. If your refrigerator has stainless steel doors, apply the cleaner with a soft cloth, then follow-up with a separate cloth to buff it dry.
- Wipe down cooktop/range. (Monthly) Use an appropriate cleaner for the cooktop: Windex, Simple Green and 409 can potentially damage certain surfaces.
Show Some Lovin’ for Your Oven
During the holiday season, baked goods tend to hold a monopoly over everything else cooked in the kitchen. That’s why it’s important to ensure your oven is in tip-top shape, so that it can handle the stress of roasting turkeys, warming casseroles, and baking dozens of batches of homemade cookies.
To keep your oven running properly, it is important to get your hands dirty and do some deep cleaning. “For most users, two to four times a year is plenty, but you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions contained in the Care & Use or Operating Manual,” says Randall Iwaishi from Servco Home & Appliance Distribution. “For the self-cleaning cycle, it should be run when the oven is especially dirty.”
It’s also important to use the appropriate cleaners for your oven, or else you can risk damage to the interior. “Users should always read the manufacturer’s warnings first,” Iwaishi cautions. A little elbow grease, some water, and a sponge can go a long way.
The advantage of regular oven maintenance will not only help keep your oven functioning properly, it will also help protect the flavor of your food, which you don’t want to compromise ever, but especially during the holidays.
