Clever Kitchen Cleaning Tricks

It’s been said the heart of a home is the kitchen. That’s a lovely sentiment, but kitchens are also a source of frustration for many: kitchens have an uncanny ability to collect clutter and create disorganization.

We collected reader tips for keeping the kitchen clean and organized, and here are some of the best ideas for making life in the kitchen easier!

What's for Dinner?
One great tip solves two common problems. Intriguing, right? A reader explained how family members were constantly asking, “What’s for dinner, Mom?” To combat this, she hangs a dry erase board on one side of the refrigerator that listed the weekly dinner menu.
This lets her family to check the board themselves instead of pester her. She also hangs a second dry erase board on the other side of the fridge  to keep track of leftovers. The family always knows what is in the fridge to eat, which results in less waste.

You try the salad dressing first
Speaking of leftovers and opened food in the fridge, here’s another great tip. Stop wondering when you opened that jar of mayo or spaghetti sauce. Write the date on newly opened items with a Sharpie. You’ll get a quick idea of whether something has been sitting in the fridge for too long or if it’s time to eat something before it goes bad.

Keep utensils from slipping through the dishwasher basket
If you have small kids, you likely have straws or tiny utensils that slip through the basket in your dishwasher. To avoid that, and avoid potentially melting plastic pieces, place large glass beads in the dishwasher basket to keep those items from slipping through.

Would you want your neighbor looking inside your microwave?
Everyone with a microwave knows that cleaning dried up food off the ceiling and walls of one can be time consuming. We received numerous tips about how to make this task quick and easy.
Try placing a damp sponge or rag in the microwave and heat it up for 3 to 5 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen whatever is caked onto your microwave walls. Use the damp sponge/rag to easily wipe it away! This can be modified in a variety of ways, such as using a bowl of water and vinegar and/or baking soda and letting that heat up and steam.

Use pantry ingredients to clean the kitchen, greenly
Green cleaning was quite a popular tip from readers, who showed plenty of love for basic items that are stocked in kitchens. Using vinegar, baking soda, water, lemons, and even kosher salt will get your kitchen sparkling, reduce the amount of money you spend on cleaners, and save you money.

Steam clean the sticky stuff
Another trick for getting your kitchen clean in a green way? Buy a handheld steamer! Once you put water in it, you’re good to go. The steam will remove food from ovens, oven-tops, microwaves, and sanitize counter tops and more.

The coffee filter:
These days it seems like everyone has a specialty coffee maker,  but maybe you’ve kept some of those “old-fashioned” coffee filters on hand. They make great snack holders for treats like crackers, chips, cookies, and popcorn. You can use them to clean counters and windows. They’re even great to use as a cover when you’re cooking or heating food in the microwave. They’re also great for kids’ art projects!

Stainless steel cleaner 
Everyone loves the look of stainless steel appliances but no one tells you until it’s too late that they show fingerprints and smudges within seconds of placing them in your kitchen. Keep your stainless steel looking brand new by using baby or olive oil. Just a small dab on a soft cloth will erase any marks and help prevent new ones from sticking.

Instant grocery list
There will always be days when you need to make an impromptu trip to the grocery store. Make these visits easier by creating a list of your family’s most commonly purchased items. Laminate it and then punch a hole in one corner. Use ribbon or some other method to attach it to your reusable grocery bags so you always have a reminder of what things you might need. (Of course, Cozi members know that our online grocery lists solve the same problem!)
When you bring the bag inside, make sure you remember to put it back in your car by putting your purse or keys in it.

Dish rags are the new paper towel
Save money and the environment by using dish rags to wipe up messes and clean counters instead of paper towels. Store several in a drawer so they’re convenient but not an eyesore and simply toss them into a hamper at the end of the day.

Wash them each week with other laundry (they don't take up much space!). Of course you should still keep paper towels on hand, but keep them out of the way so you’re not as tempted to grab one for a minor spill.
Clean kitchen accessories:

1)A Blender Cleaning Secret
Family physician and author Jill Grimes has a great tip to clean the blender. 'After you pour your drink, take the pitcher straight to the sink. Put in a little water and a drop of dish soap, put it back on the blender, and turn it on for 20 seconds. Rinse it out and you’re done.'

2) Microwave Cleaning Shortcuts
The quickest way to clean a microwave oven is to place a handful of wet paper towels inside and run it on High for 3-5 minutes. You don't need a science lesson to know that the steam from the towels will soften the grime. Once the paper towels cool down, use them to wipe the oven's interior.

3)A Quick Coffee Pot Tip
The glass jug that comes with a coffeemaker can quickly develop a brown, blotchy haze – especially when you leave it on for long periods of time. For the quickest cure, you will need some ice, salt and a lemon. Fill the empty jug a quarter full of ice. Cut the lemon into quarters and squeeze two of the quarters into the jug. Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Swirl the mixture in the jug for 2 minutes and the inside surface will quickly come clean. Rinse under the tap.

4)Clean a Cast-Iron Pan
Most cooks know that you should never use liquid soap on a cast-iron pan and never scrub it with anything abrasive if you want to maintain its well-oiled nonstick surface. So how do you clean it? Use salt. If the pan will not rinse clean with water and a soft dishcloth, rub it with a few tablespoons of salt and a paper towel, and rinse. Then replenish the oil film by coating the inside surface with a dab of cooking oil.

5)A Coffee Grinder Trick
Run a small handful of uncooked white rice through the coffee grinder, especially if you use it for grinding anything other than coffee beans. Most coffee experts advise against using your machine for grinding dry spices since the smells from grinding ingredients, such as cinnamon sticks and dried basil, are nearly always impossible to get out. How to Clean Just About Everything

6)Cheese Grater Tip
7. Keep a clean pastry brush handy for removing every last remnant of grated food left behind in the tiny grates. It works like a charm on both sides of the grater.

7)Disinfect the Garbage Disposal
Deep clean and deodorize a waste disposal unit by grinding ice cubes made with half vinegar, half water.

8)Coffee Cup Saver
9. Remove coffee stains from china cups by scrubbing them with equal parts vinegar and salt.