Chefs Reveal 7 Genius Kitchen Cleaning Tricks That Slash Your Cleaning Time! Discover Them Now!
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For many of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home, a place where we whip up delicious meals and create memories with loved ones. But let's face it: the aftermath of culinary adventures can often leave us with a daunting mess. Fear not, dear members of the Seniors Discount Club, because we've gathered some ingenious kitchen cleaning hacks straight from the pros that will help you keep your kitchen sparkling with minimal effort. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to transform your cleaning routine!
1. Embrace the Art of Batch Cooking
Jem Mantiri, a seasoned food blogger and recipe developer, swears by batch-cooking to save time and reduce mess. By preparing meals or individual ingredients in larger quantities, you'll have fewer pots and pans to clean and streamline your daily kitchen duties. Do you prefer to eat different meals multiple times? No problem! Batch-cook versatile ingredients that can be mixed and matched to create various dishes throughout the week.
2. Pre-Soak Dishes to Make Scrubbing a Breeze
Imagine finishing your meal and facing a sink full of easy-to-clean dishes. Mantiri recommends pre-soaking your dishes in hot, soapy water while you dine. When you're ready to tackle the washing up, stubborn food particles will have loosened, making them much easier to remove. If you're pressed for time, leave the dishes to soak overnight and wake up to a hassle-free clean.
3. Master the Technique of Deglazing
Scott Groth, a professional chef and food blogger, introduces us to the culinary trick of deglazing—not just for enhancing flavours in cooking but also for cleaning. When faced with burnt-on food, remove any loose solids from the pan, add a splash of water, and use a wooden spatula to lift the residue gently. This method saves you from the dreaded scrubbing marathon and keeps your pans in top condition.
4. Clean as You Go for a Spotless Kitchen
Nickenford Joseph, co-executive chef at NYC’s Vinyl Steakhouse, emphasises the importance of maintaining a clean cooking station throughout the cooking process. Not only does this practice prevent bacterial growth, but it also significantly cuts down on post-meal cleaning. Utilise any downtime in your cooking routine to wash a few dishes or load the dishwasher, and you'll thank yourself later.
5. Get Creative with Your Dishwasher
Marcela Valladolid, a celebrity chef and cleaning expert, encourages us to think outside the box regarding our dishwashers. Items like stove knobs, range hood filters, and refrigerator shelves can all take a spin in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning. Valladolid also suggests sanitising your dish sponge by soaking it in vinegar and water solution overnight or placing it on the top rack of the dishwasher.
6. Use Liners to Keep Baking Pans Spotless
If you're a fan of one-pan meals or love to bake, lining your baking sheets with parchment paper, aluminium foil, or silicone mats can save you from the tedious task of scrubbing. Groth and Valladolid both recommend this hack for effortless cleanup: Simply remove the liner and dispose of it, leaving your pans nearly as clean as before you started cooking.
7. Organize for Efficiency and Food Safety
According to Joseph, a well-organized kitchen is a more efficient and safer kitchen. Properly organizing your fridge and pantry ensures that you always know where things are, which simplifies tasks like unloading groceries and storing leftovers. Joseph also stresses the importance of arranging food in the fridge according to safety guidelines, with ready-to-eat foods at the top and raw meats at the bottom. Labelling leftovers with dry-erase markers on airtight containers can help reduce food waste and keep your fridge tidy.
Incorporating these chef-approved hacks into your routine means keeping your kitchen clean is no longer a chore but a simple extension of your cooking process. And remember, a clean kitchen is not just about appearances—it's about creating a safe and pleasant environment where you can continue to make those cherished meals and memories.
We'd love to hear from you, members! Have you tried any of these hacks, or do you have any of your own to share? Let us know in the comments below, and let's keep our kitchens the joyful centres of our homes with a little less effort and a lot more sparkle.
1. Embrace the Art of Batch Cooking
Jem Mantiri, a seasoned food blogger and recipe developer, swears by batch-cooking to save time and reduce mess. By preparing meals or individual ingredients in larger quantities, you'll have fewer pots and pans to clean and streamline your daily kitchen duties. Do you prefer to eat different meals multiple times? No problem! Batch-cook versatile ingredients that can be mixed and matched to create various dishes throughout the week.
Chefs recommend batch cooking and ingredient preparation to minimise pot use and daily cleaning time. Credit: Shutterstock
2. Pre-Soak Dishes to Make Scrubbing a Breeze
Imagine finishing your meal and facing a sink full of easy-to-clean dishes. Mantiri recommends pre-soaking your dishes in hot, soapy water while you dine. When you're ready to tackle the washing up, stubborn food particles will have loosened, making them much easier to remove. If you're pressed for time, leave the dishes to soak overnight and wake up to a hassle-free clean.
3. Master the Technique of Deglazing
Scott Groth, a professional chef and food blogger, introduces us to the culinary trick of deglazing—not just for enhancing flavours in cooking but also for cleaning. When faced with burnt-on food, remove any loose solids from the pan, add a splash of water, and use a wooden spatula to lift the residue gently. This method saves you from the dreaded scrubbing marathon and keeps your pans in top condition.
4. Clean as You Go for a Spotless Kitchen
Nickenford Joseph, co-executive chef at NYC’s Vinyl Steakhouse, emphasises the importance of maintaining a clean cooking station throughout the cooking process. Not only does this practice prevent bacterial growth, but it also significantly cuts down on post-meal cleaning. Utilise any downtime in your cooking routine to wash a few dishes or load the dishwasher, and you'll thank yourself later.
5. Get Creative with Your Dishwasher
Marcela Valladolid, a celebrity chef and cleaning expert, encourages us to think outside the box regarding our dishwashers. Items like stove knobs, range hood filters, and refrigerator shelves can all take a spin in the dishwasher for a thorough cleaning. Valladolid also suggests sanitising your dish sponge by soaking it in vinegar and water solution overnight or placing it on the top rack of the dishwasher.
6. Use Liners to Keep Baking Pans Spotless
If you're a fan of one-pan meals or love to bake, lining your baking sheets with parchment paper, aluminium foil, or silicone mats can save you from the tedious task of scrubbing. Groth and Valladolid both recommend this hack for effortless cleanup: Simply remove the liner and dispose of it, leaving your pans nearly as clean as before you started cooking.
7. Organize for Efficiency and Food Safety
According to Joseph, a well-organized kitchen is a more efficient and safer kitchen. Properly organizing your fridge and pantry ensures that you always know where things are, which simplifies tasks like unloading groceries and storing leftovers. Joseph also stresses the importance of arranging food in the fridge according to safety guidelines, with ready-to-eat foods at the top and raw meats at the bottom. Labelling leftovers with dry-erase markers on airtight containers can help reduce food waste and keep your fridge tidy.
Incorporating these chef-approved hacks into your routine means keeping your kitchen clean is no longer a chore but a simple extension of your cooking process. And remember, a clean kitchen is not just about appearances—it's about creating a safe and pleasant environment where you can continue to make those cherished meals and memories.
