Cleaning: Garbage Disposal

Whenever I need to juice or zest from lemons, limes or oranges, I take the leftovers - including juiced/zested fruit and cut them into little pieces maybe the size of a quarter. I  store them in a freezer storage bag (ziplock) in the freezer. Run the garbage disposal with a couple pieces of the frozen citrus fruit in it and it not only helps clean the blades, but it make the kitchen smell good.

Another thing I do with the garbage disposal to help clean it is pour some baking soda down it, let it sit for a bit and then add some vinegar that I boiled in the microwave.  You will hear it fizz.  Be careful after pulling the vinegar out of the microwave as the smell is extremely strong so don't put your face over it and breath in. After the fizzing dies down, I run hot water while the disposal is turned on.  It suppose to help clean as well as be good for keeping drain clear.

Organize Plastic Lids

You know back in the day when you had actual ice cube trays to twist and turn out into the bin to create a stock pile of ice. I have automatic ice maker now so I use that bin to store all my plastic lids.  I place the bin on the shelves next to the stacked glass and plastic containers making it easy to find the lid for the coordinating container. I don't keep any lid that doesn't have a container matching it in the bin. I might use it for craft projects to use as a paint palette several times and then throw it out. But I try to recycle them somewhat at least.

Cleaning the Kitchen Trash Can

Even with a trash bag in your trash can liquid and food particles can escape and cause nasty things to grow and create bacteria that not only smell nasty but produce things we don't want to touch or breath . Every time I change the trash bag out, I spray my normal all-purpose cleaner on the inside and outside.  It has disinfecting properties to it.  I let it air dry before putting in a new bag.

But every so often (about once a month to every 6 weeks), I wash and do a more thorough cleaning of the trash can. This will not only work for your kitchen trash can but all the other trash cans in your home. When cleaning the trash cans I bring to the curb, I just do this process but outside with the hose.

We have a shower that as detachable sprayer/hose so that it isn't fixed position. I use the sprayer on it to rinse off with hot water.  I  fill it up about 1/3 of the way with hot water and liquid dish soap and let it soak for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Then take a scrub brush to it and give it a good cleaning.   Making sure I get all the corners, around ridges and the lip of the trash can.

If you don't have a shower you can use, then use your tub and a pitcher to fill with water and pour over your trash can.   You can also use the outside hose even though it isn't hot water working with all purpose cleaner and soap will get it clean.  

After you have washed it in the shower (or tub or outside), let air dry or pat dry.  Then spray with an disinfecting all-purpose cleaner and either dry with a towel or allow to air dry.  You can also leave it to dry in the sun and the sun will help in destroying any other lingering bacteria.

Tuesday Tips

No Spattering

One way to keep frying food from spattering is to invert a metal colander over the pan, allowing steam to escape.

Hurry-Up Baked Potatoes

Boil potatoes in salted water for 10 minutes, then place in a very hot oven.

Easy Topping

A good topping for gingerbread, coffee cake, etc. can easily be made by freezing the syrup from canned fruit and adding 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 2 cups of syrup. Heat until bubbly, and thicken with 2 tablespoons of flour

Hurry-Up Hamburgers

Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done.

Shrink-less Links

Boil sausage for about 8 minutes before frying and they will shrink less and not break at all.

Removing Ham Rind

Before placing ham in the roasting pan, slit rind lengthwise on the underside. The rind will peel away as the ham cooks, and can be easily removed.

Grinding Nuts

It seems to me that the holiday baking season calls for bunches and bunches of ground nuts.  Generally I buy whole or broken nuts and do the grinding myself because it tends to be cheaper.  For a long time, I used a hand-crank, old-fashioned model and was pleased with it.  It took a long time to do several pounds, however; and the chop wasn't very uniform.

I found a meat grinder attachment for my mixer at a yard sale for $4.  I bought it thinking I would occasionally use it to grind meat.  Turns out, it's perfect for grinding nuts too.  It's much, much faster and the grind is perfectly uniform.

If you have a lot of nuts to grind this holiday season, find a friend who hunts they most likely have a meat grinder and ask to borrow it.  Just a few minutes and you can grind several pounds and store the ground nuts in the freezer for future use.  I store the ground nuts in clearly marked bags with the amount pre-measured for ease during long baking sessions. 

Kitchen Essentials Part 2

This is a follow up post to the Kitchen Essentials with of some favorites along with just some notes about why I have certain things in my kitchen....

Pots and Pans - When first stocking the kitchen, I started out with a saucepan, skillet and stockpot. And then add others later because I could do most things in those in a pinch.

Bakeware - You will see in Dishware I have 1 or 2 casserole dishes, if you at least pick up 9x13 and 8x8/9x9 GLASS pans you can use those for double duty for baked goods or casseroles. I prefer glass baking pans because of rusting. When a knife is used to cut into the metal pan, eventually that cut will start to rust (The only metal pans I have that I like that haven't rusted are my Chicago Metallic aluminized steel.) I also like the way glass looks when I have to bring pan of bars or lasagna somewhere too. One more important thing when shopping for baking pan - get at least a 9 x13 with a lid. It makes it so much easier when transporting and also just for keeping things fresh as it seals it up tighter then you can with foil or plastic wrap. I have an 8x8 and a 9x9 and they both have lids also and I love that they do too. I have 2 9x13 and only 1 lid and wish I had 2 lids.

I have jelly roll pans and cookie sheets. And yes there are differences. A Jelly Roll pan has 4 sides. The sides are 1-inch high (if they aren't 1-inch high then they are a baking sheet not a jelly roll pan) and usually a heavy duty aluminized steel so it allows even distribution of heat, helps the pan not warp while heating and also resists rusting. A jelly roll pan can be used to bake cookies but what I find it great for is sheet cakes and roasting vegetables. Or just to prevent any food juices from spilling inside the oven. A cookie sheet usually has 1 or 2 sides that make it easier to slide the cookies off the tray with a spatula.


Utensils - I have 2 sets of measuring cups and spoons because when baking it seems that I always need multiples. You have a recipe that calls for 1/2 cup of peanut butter and then 1/2 cup of sugar. And no time to wash between use - it is nice to have 2 1/2 cups.



Silicone coated whisk because it doesn't rust and easier to clean.




Stainless and Silicone Tongs because they don't scratch pans. And have a solid grip to pick things up.







Silicon Pastry Brushes that I use for frosting cookies, cinnamon rolls, coating glazes on cakes and breads, brushing bbq sauce or marinade on meat and so many other uses I didn't ever think possible. They aren't like the old straw bristly type that broke off sometimes while brushing sauce on your food. I bought mine at the Dollar Tree about 5 years ago and love them.




A few other favorites cooling racks, kitchen scissors and something not on the master list but that I use quite a bit is pie shields as it is so much easier then tinfoil.


Dishware & Storage - I started going to all glass or BPA-free containers and really am glad I did. These pyrex ones are my favorite for left overs and heating up I love that they wash up so great and not only are good for storing left-overs, but good for the freezer, oven and microwave. Plastic ones just get stained and start peeling away after many uses in the microwave and these glass ones have been great in the microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher.



I have some quart jars and then a few of these OXO containers that I use to store rice, pasta, freshly ground coffee and beans. I would like a few more of the OXO containers for flour and sugar. They are BPA-free and I just like how they seal, but of course mason jars are cheaper.

I have everything on the kitchen essentials list, but as I said you might not need some things on the list. Find what works for you in the kitchen. Please feel free to ask me questions about anything on the list.

Kitchen Essentials

This is a list of what I would call basic kitchen essentials. Of course depending on the size of your family you possibly could go bigger or smaller. This list does not include any kitchen appliances big or small.








* 2 quart saucepan with lid
* 8 quart stock pot
* 8 inch skillet
* 12 inch skillet with lid
* 4 to 6 quart dutch oven
* roasting pan with rack
* broiler pan
* teakettle







* 13x9 baking dish
* 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish
* 2 cookie/baking sheet
* pizza pan or stone
* muffin pan(s) (enough for 12)
* 1 or 2 9x5x3 loaf pan
* 2 8" or 9" round cake pans
* 1 or 2 9" or 10" inch pie pans
* rolling pin
* set of 3 graduated-size mixing bowls (glass or stainless steel)
* springform cake pan (optional splurge)








* 2 sets of nesting measuring cups
* 2 sets of measuring spoons
* pint or quart glass measuring cup
* 4 wooden spoons assorted sizes
* 2 large stirring spoons
* slotted spoon
* soup ladle
* rubber spatulas/scrapers
* 2 pancake turners
* potato/vegetable peeler
* whisk
* potato masher
* meat mallet
* long handled fork
* tongs
* ice cream scoop
* silicon pastry brush
* corkscrew
* bottle/can opener
* manual can opener
* small & large strainer
* colander
* vegetable steamer
* kitchen scissors
* grater/shredder
* funnel
* baster
* zester
* cutting boards - at least 2
* meat thermometer
* candy themometer
* wire cooling rack
* kitchen timer








* 1 or 2 casserole dishes
* serving bowls and platters - assorted sizes
* storage containers with lids in assorted sizes
* canisters
* clear glass custard dishes or ramekins
* freezer wrap, foil, plastic wrap and large and small plastic bags
* plastic pitchers (for juice or iced tea)
* teapot








* paring knife
* serrated knife
* chef's knife
* carving knife
* sharpening steel




I will follow up this post on why I feel some of these are essentials with some photos and links to some favorite products.

Kitchen Counter

I don't like kitchen clutter but it often seems like it is something that just happens. But one thing that I think at least helps make my kitchen counters not look so cluttered is nicer containers for the things that need to be sitting out. Here are a few of my containers....



The olive oil bottle has dish soap in it. The small little shaker in the front on the right that you often see at pizza places with peppers in it - has baking soda in it. I clean with it quite a bit so I shaking it on to a surfaces with this bottle is quick and easy. The sugar pour bottle on the left is dishwasher detergent. I really like having it in this bottle because I don't use as much as it comes out more slowly then the box it comes in.

I got the 2 smaller bottles in the front from Dollar Tree. But I have seen smaller olive oil bottles at Dollar Tree and Big Lots.

* As pointed out in the comments that these could be mistaken for sugar. If you, have kids or those in your household that you feel would, easy solution would be to label them. We have a label maker that I use all the time to label shelves and such and I can see using that on these as well but in our house we both know what is in them and it wouldn't be mistaken for anything other then what is in them.

Kitchen Hygiene

Kitchen hygiene. How how I (sometimes) despiseth thou. Keeping a kitchen clean and hygenic can be quite the nightmare, sometimes. If it's not for you being sick, tired or overworked, there's little sticky hands looking for crackers and jam, or just Owners having midnight snacks. I know if I just look away for two seconds, it's suddenly full of packages, dishes, pots and pans, and I'm wondering where the heck they came from.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother. Then, just now, at school, we've gone through kitchen bacteria and food poisoning - suddenly I think I need to give my kitchen a good scrubdown. There are some main pointers to keep your kitchen hygenic and your food safe, and I'll try explain why they're important:

Heat everything to 70C (160F) - This will kill most bacteria, for example salmonella, campylobacter and staphylococus aureus. It's really important to know this if you have a poor immunesystem or children. Now, most greens and vegetables can be served cold and uncooked, but wash them carefully in that case. EHEC is a version of e. coli. which can in lead to a fatal disease in the elderly and in children. If you google "e. coli. child death", the 754.000 pages found are quite depressing.


Keep your kitchen dry and clean. - Bacteria thives on moist, warm surfaces. Normal room-temperature is plenty enough warmth for most bacteria to grow. Small flecks of soup or water on already dingy surfaces become a breeding ground, a nest, for all kinds of yucky stuff that we'd rather not think about. Tidy up, dry off and avoid the hazard.


Wash hands after cracking eggs or touching raw meat – with soap that you rub vigorously for 20 seconds. - Washing your hands is the one of the most important thing you can do while cooking. Properly washing you hands means removing all jewelry (which you shouldn't wear while cooking anyway - engravings on rings can be filled with gunk), wetting your hands and taking some soap. Then rubb vigorously while singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Remember between your fingers, under your nails and your cuticles - if you're baking, go up to your elbow. Rinse and dry off on a clean towel. If you touch raw meat, eggshells, your nose, sneeze, cough or accept something from your little one, you need to wash your hands again.


Wash all utensils promptly and always use fresh clean utensils between foods. - Don't touch cooked food with utensils that have just touched raw food. Don't use the same knife for all your ingredients. Wash and dry them in hot water with dishwashing liquid, dry and then go back. If one ingredient is contaminated, you will avoid contaminating the rest of them this way.


Never stick a finger in to taste, always use a fresh clean spoon. - I don't care how many spoons you have to wash. If you stick your finger in to have a taste, the food in the pot is contaminated. The end. Your mouth may carry Staphylocous aureus, and it may be on your skin. If whatever you're tasting is boiling, that's probably not a big problem, but for safety's sake - use a clean spoon every time and toss it in the sink after tasting.


Wash all cutting boards promply and buy new ones at least yearly. - Ah, yes. The cutting board issue. Wood or plastic? In my kitchen at school, we've one wood for vegetables and greens, and one plastic for meat, poultry and fish. That works out pretty well, since they won't contaminate each other. When your cutting board starts to get worn, get a new one. In one of those cracks, just as in your ring engraving, there may be hiding some nasty stuff that you can't get off. In the meanwhile, wash all cutting boards as soon as you're done. Hot, sudsy water works great, but do disenfect them from time to time, please?


Keep your fridge at 4C (39F) and your freezer at -18C (-1F). - 4C, or 40F, is the highest temperature allowed to store raw fish at (in Sweden). Fish should actually be stored at the point where ice starts melting, to keep the longest. But anyway, proper temperature in fridge and freezer will keep bacteria at a minimum. There are still bacteria that grow in fridge temperature, like Aeromonas Hydrophilas which is found in, among other things, freshwater fish, can grow in a fridge. When you take things out and the slowly heat up again, the bacteria growth increases. It does not, in anyway, decrease when the item is chilled again. It simply keeps growing, but slower.

Chill food rapidly, so that it reaces 4C (40F) within four hours. - A pot of beef stew can keep a core temp high for a long time, which is also oxygen free and clostridium perfringens mentioned above is having a field day. To avoid that window where bacteria can and does grow, you need to chill food rapidly. In winter, if you can, put it outside in snow and stirr ocationally. In summer, fill your sink with cold water and dump ice in it, then add the pot. Stirr about ever 15 minutes, so that it cools evenly. Add more ice and swap water as needed. Never EVER fall for the old custom of keeping a pot of soup or stew by the stove and reheating the entire thing when you want to eat, only to leave it to cool to room temperature on it's own.


Always reheat to 65C (150F), or serve at below 8C (46F). - Hot food is to be hot and cold food to be cold. That keeps you from that window where bacteria grows. Of course, eating food that's just cooled off on your plate is a rather low risk, but don't serve lukewarm food. Don't buy grilled chicken being kept warm, unless it's hot to the touch. Don't eat at a restaurant or buffé if you food is lukewarm.


Sanitize rags, dishcloths, sponges and brushes, knives and cuttingboards by submerging in bleach solution – two teaspoons of bleach to one quart of water for five minutes. - Or discard them, wash them or change them, as apprpriate. This keeps your utensils and cleaning tools ... well, clean. Sanitary. Hygenic. And all that good stuff. Weekly is a good idea, if not every few days.


Use rubbing alcohol on counter tops, in the fridge, on doors, door knobs, handles and lightfixtures. - ... and anywhere else you touch a lot, like the side of that door that you tend to swing shut behind you. You don't need to go crazy with the sanitizing - it's a home, not a hospital, after all. I'd suggest doing it ever once in a while or when spring and/or fall cleaning, anyway. Or after someone has had a flu or stomach bug. It's so easy to touch these places and not think about it when you return to cooking.

Of course, after writing about this, studying and breathing it for the past fourteen days, I'm a bit obsessive. However, I consider the above to be commonsense, normal guidelines for kitchen hygiene. So, being a good (pompous) example, I'm now off to clean the kitchen. Without a black-light or petry-dish, thank good God.


Bio: I'm Daphne, and I'm a service-oriented submissive. I'm from Sweden, which is not to be confused with Switzerland - we don't make clocks or chocolate, nor do we wear leatherhosen. I've been in service for the past four years, to my Owner Mephisto. I love cooking, cleaning and organizing. My passion lies in making my Owner's life as pleasant and smooth as possible. I'm also a strong advocate for organic food without additives and cooking from scratch. I recycle, buy used and don't own a car, to minimize my carbon footprint. I'm studying for a Bachelor's in Culinary Arts and Meal Science

Pantry: Snacks

I have went to the pantry and found a box of open crackers that are now stale or even an empty box sitting on the shelf. I have found multiple boxes of the same thing open or I can't find the snacks that were just purchased the day before because they are now buried under other things in the pantry. Or the thing I bought for that specific recipe I was going to make to take to the potluck is now gone because someone ate it. Yes I admit it I have had all of the above happen.

So here are my tips I have learned so that those things don't happen.

* Organize the pantry and have a specific area for snacks. I have a basket with a label hanging off the it that says snacks. So that family members know this is the area to snack from and help take away confusion of anything I bought for specific recipes.

* Get rid of things that come in boxes and bags you can't see through (make sure to try to recycle those wrappings). If you can see through it, you know if you are getting low with just one glance.

* Have chip clips, ziplocks or see-thru air-tight containers to keep things fresh.

* Keep stock up/backup items on a higher shelf or in another area of the house all together. So that you don't get more than one of the same item open.

* Sometimes it is hard to get that last little bit of crackers or raisins eaten. I am not sure why we don't like taking the last bit but what I have found works is taking those last bits and pieces and mixing them together into a trail mix. Maybe add some chocolate chips or nuts to give some extra flavor.

* Some times something that works for me is on stale items such as crackers and tortilla chip is to crisp them in the oven. Spread them on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 300 degree oven. Keep a close watch on them - bake approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool and then place back into an air-tight container or ziplock.

* And if that doesn't work then I throw all those bits in pieces in ziplock that I keep in the freezer. When it gets full or at least half way full, I run them through the food processor and use them as a replacement to bread crumbs. Often they have a lot of flavor, without adding a lot of spices. If you don't have a food processor, keep them in the ziplock and crush them with a rolling pin.

Back to the Basics: Cleaning the Toaster

I have been really busy the last several months. And so my usual cleaning lagged behind which created bigger cleaning issues. And the toaster was one of those issues. Also - I let it go a while because I knew I wanted to take a really bad before picture as every other time I tried it didn't show the crumbs that well.

If possible, consult your owner’s manual for tips to clean your specific toaster make and model.

1) Make sure toaster is cool. Unplug it.

2) Open up or pull out crumb tray, empty over trash can, giving it gentle taps or shakes to get all the crumbs out.

 Not all units will have a tray so you will move down to the next step.



3) There always seem to be some crumbs that just stick in the toaster or you might not have a crumb tray. Tip toaster upside down over trash can - give a gentle but firm shake. If there are still some crumbs, use a blow dryer set on low or use some canned air to spray into the spots and hopefully one of those 2 methods will dislodge any crumbs in tight spots. .

4) Wipe the outside of the toaster and the crumb tray. Spray cloth with soap and water or vinegar and water solution and wipe clean.  If there are crumbs that are burnt on or really stuck and are not loosening, use a toothbrush on them. After wiping down, dry and buff to shine with a microfiber cloth.


The crumb tray photo above is obviously clean I forgot to take a picture of it when it was dirty.

Fall Cleaning: Kitchen and Dining Room

KITCHEN
* Dust above cabinets, baseboards, door and door frame
* Dust and vacuum all moderately dirty curtains and window treatments.Start by dusting from top to bottom using the upholstery or brush attachment for the vacuum. For blinds take a dampened microfiber cloth to them wiping them top to bottom.
* Very dirty curtains and window treatments - Wash or clean according to labels.
* Wash all windows - Using vinegar and water solution with a microfiber cloth. Remember to clean window sill and on top of window sill as well as the tracts and screen. Use toothbrush for hard to reach areas
* Take heating vent cover off - scrub heating vent cover and then using vacuum hose vacuum in the shaft and surrounding area.
* Clean ceiling-mounted light fixtures and ceiling fans.
* Dust, wash and dry all walls and baseboards. Dust Wallpapered walls.
* Cupboards and pantry - 1) remove all canned goods and spices - toss expired items. Non-perishables that you don't feel you will use before they expire donate. 2) empty cupboards of dishes, pots and pans. Things that are not needed - give to charity. Things that are broken - throw out. 3) Wipe down the inside and outside of cupboards and pantry - shelves and doors. 4) replace and reorganize - place like items with like items. 5) Holiday baking is coming up so remember to pull items used for that upfront - a special cake pan, cookie cutters, food coloring and such.
* Drawers and counters - 1) empty 2) wipe down inside and outside of drawers and tops of counters 3) replace and reorganize - clipped recipes, coupons, silverware, the "junk" drawer - organize to be useful.
* Wipe and clean all kitchen appliances from coffee maker, microwave, stand mixers, oven and so on - Use a magic eraser on small and large appliances (it makes them look brand new)
* Run dishwasher empty with vinegar - wipe down
* Clean garbage disposal - Sprinkle baking powder down garbage disposal - heat 1 to 2 cups vinegar to boiling and pour into garbage disposal. After fizzing has died down, run hot water while disposal is turned on. Then add some lemons slices and ice cubes (or just frozen lemon slices) and run the garbage disposal.
* Clean out and reorganize fridge and freezer - 1) throw out expired items or left overs that are too old to eat 2) Wipe inside of fridge and freezer 3) put items back in - organizing like items with like items and putting items that are going to expire first front 4) Clean outside of fridge - top, door, handle, back coils and behind front vent
* Clean inside and outside of trash can
* Clean all door handles, cupboard knobs, light switches and phones
* Wipe down table and chairs
* Wash dishes and clean sink
* Sweep and wash floor

DINING ROOM
* Declutter and reorganize - Make piles for charity items, trash and mend/repair - Get out holiday dishes and linens - clean and repair
* Polish silverware
* Dust furniture, baseboards, door and door frame
* Dust and vacuum all moderately dirty curtains and window treatments. Start by dusting from top to bottom using the upholstery or brush attachment for the vacuum. For blinds take a dampened microfiber cloth to them wiping them top to bottom.
* Very dirty curtains and window treatments - Wash or clean according to labels.
* Wash all windows - Using vinegar and water solution with a microfiber cloth. Remember to clean window sill and on top of window sill as well as the tracts and screen. Use toothbrush for hard to reach areas
* Take heating vent cover off - scrub heating vent cover and then using vacuum hose vacuum in the shaft and surrounding area.
* Clean ceiling-mounted light fixtures and ceiling fans.
* Dust, wash and dry all walls. Dust Wallpapered walls.
* Vacuum and spot clean upholstery
* Sweep/Vacuum and wash floors
* Decorate - replace summer table linens with fall/winter warmer colors


Download and Print: Fall Cleaning List - Kitchen and Fall Cleaning List - Dinging Room

Eco-chic

25 Eco-chic Ideas for Your Home via Whole Living

There are a couple of my favorite ideas they have...

"Usually used once and tossed, plastic baggies can actually hold up to washing, drying, and reuse. 1. Insert chopsticks or wooden dowels into the holes of an unused toothbrush holder. 2. Hand-wash bags with warm, soapy water. 3. Hang bags upside-down on the chopstick prongs to let water run out and air flow in. Cost: about $7"

I love this idea because I have seen those toothbrush holders on clearance, in dollar stores and at garage sales for CHEAP. And then a piece of dowel is not that expensive. Or even a set of chopsticks you can get the dollar store too.



"At some point, a cotton button-down wears out its welcome on a hanger. Turn it into cloth napkins or dishcloths, reducing your need for paper products. "The softer and more worn, the better," says Seo. "Faded plaids and check patterns look especially great." How to: 1. Wash the shirts well and cut the fabric into uniformly sized pieces, about 12 inches square. 2. Either leave edges frayed or sew a hem for a cleaner look. Cost: $0"

Another great idea! Plus again you can find oxford shirts at thrift stores all the time for cheap. Much cheaper then probably going out and getting a set of 4 cloth napkins.


* pictures from Whole Living

Knobs for Hanging Towels

Marthastewart.com has several newsletter type emails available. One is an organizational tip a day sent to your inbox. I really liked today's tip not just for the kitchen but I think in our bathroom it would be great too.

Also in reading the comments someone suggested using knobs to hang a framed pictures from - using ribbon or chain to loop around the knob. I think that is a cute decorating idea that I want to file away for future use.


**credit: photo is from Marthastewart.com

Make Washing Dishes Fun

....okay not exactly Fun but easier

1. Prep work -- Make it easier on yourself by doing as much as you can while you cook and then scraping and soaking so that you can get through them faster
2. Turn on Music
3. Listen to Podcasts -- don't have an ipod - burn podcasts to cd and pop it in a cd player
4. Listen to books on cd (remember the library has many so it won't even cost you anything but the trip to the library -- most library's have websites too so you can put things on hold so just have to run in and pick up)
5. Talk on the phone -- bluetooth capabilities with a cellphone make this easier
6. It is a good time to just have a conversation with someone in the household...I often talk to Master while taking care of dishes after dinner. If you have kids recruit them to dry while you wash and have a conversation
7. Have dessert after dishes as a "reward" for doing dishes or ask your owner if you can have a "reward" of free time after washing dishes -- use it for a bubble bath or 30 minutes of reading a book. Knowing there is a cookie at the end of a task that is not liked helps get through it.

Really nothing will make this job it so fun that we forget it is washing dishes but maybe some of these suggestions will help make it not as painful to go through.

Anyone else have tips on how to make washing dishes a little bit easier?

Back to the Basics: Hand Washing Dishes

Wash While Cooking -- While cooking wash as many dishes as you go, of course there are last minute things that won't be possible to wash but at least give them a scrap and get some water into them to soak while you have dinner.

Scrape and Stack -- To ready things for washing and to avoid dirtying your the water for washing right away, begin by scraping the dishes of excess food. Stack the dishes in preparation for washing. Food that is stuck on may need to be soaked first before washing. I use one of these little handy plastic scrapers. (I got it our local kitchen specialty shop in the mall for 95 cents. But here is one that is similar. They are also great at getting gummy labels off such as price tags on the glass of picture frames.)

Stack similar dishes with each other and in the order they will be washed. Such as glasses, cups, silverware and then plates, bowls, serving dishes and finally pots and pans. You are placing them from lightly soiled to heavily soiled and those soaking.

Prepare the area and water for washing dishes -- After dinner, make sure you start by cleaning area - the sink where they will be washed, the sink that they are rinsed (if you have a double sink), the dishrack and mat under it all should be clean. If you don't have a dishrack just place a thick dish towel down to catch drips.

Gather clean a dishcloth, sponge, bottle brushes or anything else that you use when washing the dishes. Then fill the sink 2/3 with with water. Make sure it is hot. I think I read in Home Comforts that the water should be hot enough that your hands are slightly uncomfortable if you were to leave your hands in the water. Wearing gloves will help you deal with the heat of the water as well protect your skin. Add your suds at anytime when filling your sink.

Washing Dishes -- As I stated in scrapping and stacking, start washing the lightly soiled items first. Usually this includes flatware, glasses and cups. By doing in order from lightly soiled to heavily soiled it helps keep your water fresh longer. Put a few dishes into the water at time so that they have some time soaking while washing another dish. Now move on to the washing the plates, bowls and serving dishes. Keep an eye out for when you should change the dish washing water. Usually I change mine right before starting the next group of dirty dishes which is pots and pans. If I had them soaking, draining the sink to prepare it with new water also allows me to scrap any more bits of food down the garbage disposal before starting to refill with clean water.

Scrub all dishes with slight pressure under the water. Food lifts off easier if you wash them under the water. Life them out to check if they are clean every so often. To find out of your dishes are clean you will need to touch them as well as look at them. When you touch them you are more likely to catch residue or oiliness. Also as soon as your water feels oily, looks unclean or doesn't have suds - drain and refill.

Rinse dishes -- If you have a double sink, use it to rinse the dishes. If you don't a double sink, then you can use a dish pan filled with hot water to rinse/dip your dishes clean. Hot water rinse not only gets suds off but kills microorganisms/bacteria and speeds drying. Rinse dishes before they have a chance to dry after washing.

Hand Dry Dishes or Air Dry Dishes - When hand drying dishes use a fresh clean towel and change the towel when it becomes damp or soiled. You might go through several towels in hand drying dishes. You should never use the towel for your hands or to wipe counters off and then go back to drying dishes. Use the fresh clean towel only for drying the dishes. Towel dry until the dish feels dry and shows no spots or lint.

Draining is important for air drying dishes. You don't want water trapped under a cup or bowl as it can cause bacteria to grow. So makes sure that all your dishes are tilted slightly so that water is not trapped under them or doesn't pool in them also.


Put away dishes and clean supplies and area -- Put dishes away as soon as possible as leaving them out puts them at risk of dust, germs and breakage. Wipe down the sink and dish rack/drainer. Wash and dry the dishpan. Make sure to remove rags, dish cloths, or sponges from the kitchen area as someone might be tempted to use them and they need to be replaced. I leave them in a laundry room to air dry or throw them directly into the washer.

Now you can go and relax!

Cleaning the Microwave

After food has splattered in the microwave, it can be hard to clean up. Just heat 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water in a cup or bowl in the microwave. This will loosen splattered on food and deodorize. I let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes letting the steam loosen the splatters but also allows for the water to cool down. I then take the vinegar/water mixture and moisten a rag or sponge to wipe the inside down.

Also if you have had burnt popcorn smell in the microwave doing, microwaving the same mixture will remove the odor.

Cleaning Tip: Garbage Disposal

Whenever I need to juice or zest from lemons, limes or oranges, I take the leftover juiced/zested fruit and cut them into little pieces maybe the size a quarter. I then put them in a zip lock and put them in the freezer. I pull a couple out pieces every once in a while to put in the garbage disposal as it makes it smell good. Plus helps clean it.

Another thing I do with the garbage disposal to help clean it is pour some baking soda down it and then let it sit for a bit. I then take some vinegar that I warmed up in the microwave and I pour that in and you can hear it fizz. I let it sit for a little bit and then run hot water while the disposal is turned on. It suppose to help clean as well as be good for keeping drain clear.