January 4, 2018 by Mulberry Maids
A kitchen is one of the most essential rooms in a home. It fosters nourishment of your body and brings family and friends together. Having a clean and healthy kitchen is good for your soul. Read on for tips to keeping your kitchen clean while preparing a meal!
Make a plan and prep like the pros
Ever wonder how cooking shows make meal preparation seem so simple? They have a strategic cooking plan and complete much of the vegetable chopping and measuring prior to going on air. Be sure to do your dirty work prior to starting that stove!
Have you ever caught yourself tearing apart the kitchen as you scramble to peal and chop the next ingredients that go into the frying pan? The instructions told you it was time to add in fresh garlic to the sauteing onions, but your garlic wasn’t even cut yet! In addition to having over-cooked onions, you end up with a disaster zone of a kitchen and much more clean up work for you in the end.
Cook with a purpose. Cook with a plan. Slow down, read the whole recipe, and prep as much as possible prior to starting up those onions
Don’t over complicate
Not only do extra kitchen gadgets make your cupboards extra stuffed, many of them can be a headache to clean! While some gadgets can be extremely helpful, others can end up doubling your clean up work. Your new high powered electric carrot shredder is totally awesome if you are making a huge batch of carrot soup; however, it may be just as easy to pull out the hand shredder if your recipe only calls for one carrot. Evaluate each recipe and keep is as simple as possible!
Use only what you need
When you are reading through the recipe and making a plan, it is beneficial to consider what items you need and if there is an efficient order you can use to simplify the process. Use as little as possible to get the job done. It is far too easy to grab another clean spoon, cutting board, or bowl during the cooking process; however you should avoid that temptation. Be wise and use what you have already dirtied. You can do a quick rinse or wash of the current items if necessary, but avoid taking more things out of your cupboard. Remember, less is more when it comes to easy clean up. It is also beneficial to sort through your kitchen and discard or donate excess spatulas, baking sheets, mixing bowls, etc! The more dishes you have, the more dishes you use, the more cluttered your work space is, and the more you have to clean!
If your recipe calls for a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of cinnamon, always measure the cinnamon first so you can easily reuse the same tablespoon with the honey!
Active Cleanup
Although cleanup directions are not included in the recipe, you should imagine that they are. The cleanup process should not begin at the end of the cooking process; it should happen throughout. Be mindful of your kitchen space. Slow it down and take a few extra moments to wipe down the counter top, rinse items used, put away ingredients back in the cabinet or fridge before moving on to the next step. You can try out a “garbage bowl” (or hopefully a compost bowl!) to add all food scraps into that sits right next to your cutting board. This is one way to keep all scraps organized and is much easier than scraps getting all over your floor. Active cleanup not only reduces post meal clean up work, it also makes the entire cooking (and eating) process more enjoyable.
Staying Clean
Always start cooking with nothing piled up in the sink and wiped down counter tops. The best way to do this is to fully clean up after each time in the kitchen. Regular cleaning maintenance is much more efficient than trying to scrub counter tops that have been sticky for days. Be cautious of your kitchen sponge or wash rag. In order to reduce the spread of bacteria, replace your sponge frequently, store them in a dry environment, and don’t use them on counter tops.
Get in a routine that works for you and stick with it. It is good for the mental health and well being of you and your family!
If you need help keeping your kitchen clean, you know what to do! Book a house cleaning in Fort Collins with Mulberry Maids online!