8 DIY spring cleaning tips
June 08, 2018
Yes, spring is nearly over in the Northern Hemisphere — but it’s not too late for the deep clean your kitchen needs after a long winter. We’ve compiled some do-it-yourself cleaning tips to help prepare your food prep spaces for a great summer.
Refrigerator: With our busy lives, we rarely find the time to clean our refrigerator. Combine salt and soda water to create a bubbling abrasive substance that will act as a perfect solution to scrub away whatever has taken hold of your fridge, including drips and food matter that might harbor foodborne pathogens.
Grill: Prepare for summer BBQs by cleaning your grill. Start by heating it, then spray the grill grates with white vinegar to loosen the char, and finally scrub it with half of an onion. The acid in the onion will help remove the remaining char.
Faucets: Faucets often experience a lime buildup that can be difficult to remove. Soften the buildup on stainless steel faucets by placing paper towels soaked with vinegar on them for an hour, so the lime will be easier to scrub away. Add salt while scrubbing if you need a more aggressive mixture. Next, remove water stains by rubbing a piece of lemon on them.
Microwave: You can also use lemon to clean your microwave. Squeeze the lemon juice into a half cup of water in a microwavable container. Then cut the lemon into pieces, drop them in the lemon water mix and microwave it for three minutes. Let the hot mixture sit in the microwave for five minutes after heating before opening the door, and the steam enclosed will loosen the grime. This will make cleaning your microwave much easier.
Stovetop: If you have burnt residue on a ceramic stovetop, place a wet dryer sheet on top and let sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing it off. Dryer sheets are non-abrasive and will help soften the grime while protecting the stove.
Garbage disposal: To relieve your sink’s garbage disposal of its foul odor while also cleaning its grinding elements, place a handful of your favorite-smelling citrus peels (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit) in your disposal with ice cubes, pour vinegar over the top, and then run the disposal for 10 seconds with cold water running. The ice and vinegar will remove the sludge that builds up over time, and the citrus peels will deodorize the unit.
Cutting board: Take a good hard look at your cutting board. If there are deep knife grooves in the surface, pitch it out and get a new one. The grooves are difficult to clean and will act as harborage sites for bacteria.
Knives: If you are cutting on a solid surface such as ceramic or marble, take a moment to sharpen your knives, which can be dulled through repetitive cuts. If you don’t have a sharpener, you can use the unfinished bottom rim of a ceramic plate, bowl, or coffee cup by flipping it over and running each side of the knife over the coarse part of the dish.
The summer is also a great time to enjoy an educational read, so make sure to tune into the Neogen blog for more enlightening posts.
Refrigerator: With our busy lives, we rarely find the time to clean our refrigerator. Combine salt and soda water to create a bubbling abrasive substance that will act as a perfect solution to scrub away whatever has taken hold of your fridge, including drips and food matter that might harbor foodborne pathogens.
Grill: Prepare for summer BBQs by cleaning your grill. Start by heating it, then spray the grill grates with white vinegar to loosen the char, and finally scrub it with half of an onion. The acid in the onion will help remove the remaining char.
Faucets: Faucets often experience a lime buildup that can be difficult to remove. Soften the buildup on stainless steel faucets by placing paper towels soaked with vinegar on them for an hour, so the lime will be easier to scrub away. Add salt while scrubbing if you need a more aggressive mixture. Next, remove water stains by rubbing a piece of lemon on them.
Microwave: You can also use lemon to clean your microwave. Squeeze the lemon juice into a half cup of water in a microwavable container. Then cut the lemon into pieces, drop them in the lemon water mix and microwave it for three minutes. Let the hot mixture sit in the microwave for five minutes after heating before opening the door, and the steam enclosed will loosen the grime. This will make cleaning your microwave much easier.
Stovetop: If you have burnt residue on a ceramic stovetop, place a wet dryer sheet on top and let sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing it off. Dryer sheets are non-abrasive and will help soften the grime while protecting the stove.
Garbage disposal: To relieve your sink’s garbage disposal of its foul odor while also cleaning its grinding elements, place a handful of your favorite-smelling citrus peels (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit) in your disposal with ice cubes, pour vinegar over the top, and then run the disposal for 10 seconds with cold water running. The ice and vinegar will remove the sludge that builds up over time, and the citrus peels will deodorize the unit.
Cutting board: Take a good hard look at your cutting board. If there are deep knife grooves in the surface, pitch it out and get a new one. The grooves are difficult to clean and will act as harborage sites for bacteria.
Knives: If you are cutting on a solid surface such as ceramic or marble, take a moment to sharpen your knives, which can be dulled through repetitive cuts. If you don’t have a sharpener, you can use the unfinished bottom rim of a ceramic plate, bowl, or coffee cup by flipping it over and running each side of the knife over the coarse part of the dish.
The summer is also a great time to enjoy an educational read, so make sure to tune into the Neogen blog for more enlightening posts.
Category: Food Safety