According to a cleaning expert, now is the perfect time to get the kitchen spotless. While it may be tempting to quickly wipe down the space with a disinfectant wipe, it is important to clean it well, especially the often overlooked areas. According to Polly Shearer, cleaning expert at Tap Warehouse, it’s often sinks, faucets and appliances.
1. Sinks
The expert explained: ‘When a kitchen has a smelly sink, your nose notices it instantly. However, over time you can get used to the stench – that’s why it should be dealt with as soon as possible.
“Washing the dishes daily will inevitably cause small bits of food to fall down the drain and while that may not seem like much, the buildup builds up and is more than likely to be at the center of the smell.”
One way to clean the drain is to pour boiling water through it, which will break down any food that may have collected there.
If not, use white vinegar and pour a small cup down the drain followed by a hot flush 30 minutes later which should unclog it.
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However, if that still isn’t enough, mix white vinegar with baking soda and pour the solution down the drain, leaving it for a few hours to “do its magic”, followed by hot water.
2. Faucets
The cleaning expert said: “Faucets often develop stubborn limescale over time, especially if you live in an area with hard water.
“Lemons can work wonders when it comes to removing limescale due to their acidic nature and will leave your kitchen faucet sparkling clean.
“Just rub the flesh of citrus fruits on faucets or chrome faucets and rinse with clean water. Making sure to rinse the faucet afterward is a vital step, otherwise you risk eroding your faucet’s finish with lemon residue.
5. Exhaust fan
Once you’ve finished cooking, getting rid of lingering odors is essential to keeping the kitchen airy and fresh, and if the extractor fan has a buildup of dirt, it will hamper the job it’s supposed to do.
If your fan is equipped with filters, take them out and wash them one by one in hot soapy water, making sure they are completely dry before putting them back in place.
The expert said that a regularly used fan should be cleaned every three months to keep it in good condition.
6. Kettle
The cleaning professional explained: ‘When you think about the amount of kettle use, especially for us Brits, cleaning the kettle should be much higher on the priority list.
“If you live in an area with hard water, descaling your kettle is well worth your time to avoid floating bits in your tea.
“Fortunately, it’s quite simple to do: throw a few slices of lemon into the kettle and boil. Leave to stand for ten minutes before boiling again. The natural lime acids will break down the limescale in the kettle and can be rinsed away.
“If you have a fairly heavy build-up of limescale in your kettle, try filling it with a 50/50 mixture of white wine vinegar and water to about a third of the way up the kettle.
“Boil it and let it soak for five minutes before draining the solution while scrubbing the inside.
“A few clean water boils afterwards should wash away any leftover vinegar and, if not, pop in a few lemons to freshen it all up.”
7. Tray
A trash bag is probably changed a few times a week, but it’s important to think about how often the bin itself is cleaned.
Greasy foods and leftovers that have been thrown out quite often seep through the bag and inside the trash can, which can leave bad odors in the house.
Polly said: ‘A proper cleaning of your bin with warm soapy water will be more than enough to remove any leftover dirt. If your trash can regularly emits a foul odor, try putting ground coffee in the bottom which will neutralize unpleasant smells.
“As the temperature begins to gradually rise, it’s worth being aware of the effect hot weather has on your bin, it’s not uncommon for maggots to end up among the rubbish as flies are attracted to the trash. leftover waste that rots faster in the heat.
“During the warmer months, your bin should be cleaned more frequently. A solution of white vinegar and boiled water in the kettle is enough to extinguish the maggots and their eggs too.
Post source: Express