From dishes to dirt, kitchens seem to always get filthy. Would not it be amazing if we could cook without having to clean? Maybe that is why going out to eat or getting take out some nights sounds so much better than cooking yourself. There is no need to dread cleaning your kitchen anymore because you can now clean your kitchen in an hour.

 

One-Hour Clean for Your Kitchen: 

Preparation: Set aside an hour on your day off to tackle your kitchen. In doing so, you will have more motivation than just trying to squeeze it in one random day. 

 

0:00-15:00- The Fridge & The Pantry. 

Start your one-hour clean off by cleaning out your refrigerator and pantry. Take these 15 minutes to throw away any old or expired food. You may find some empty cereal boxes and jars that you can recycle. If you have non-perishable food items that you do not plan on using, consider donating them to your local food pantry. 

 

15:00-30:00- Dishes. 

This time will be spent organizing your cupboards and moving around items. Sort through your dishes and discard any that are chipped or cracked. If you do not like the current layout, use this time to rearrange some items in your kitchen. Remember that you can recycle your glasses and donate your unused, good condition dishes. Put everything back into its proper place then you are ready to move onto the next step.

 

30:00-45:00- Small Kitchen Appliances. 

Take into consideration the use and importance of each small appliance. If you never use it and it continues to gather dust, donate it. If you use it only seasonally, store it on one of the higher shelves. Now, sort through all of your pots and pans to determine their quality. Throw them out if they are no longer in good shape. 

 

45:00-60:00- Sanitize & Clean. Now that you have probably broken a sweat, it is time to wipe down all the counters and appliances. Remove fingerprints from your large appliances and stains for your countertops. If you have time, you can polish your cabinets with some wood cleaner. 

 

Yay!! You did it! Now you can reward yourself after all your hard work. 

 

Notes for the future: Maximize your kitchen to work for you, rather than the opposite.  Make sure surfaces are easy to clean and choose a material that doesn’t harbor mold or bacteria.  Tile is the most popular material in the kitchen for a reason!  It will not absorb odors, it can be easily sanitized, and clean up is a breeze.  Tile is perfect for the floor, counters, and backsplash in your kitchen! 

With owning a home, there comes a lot of responsibility. Keeping up with your home’s maintenance should eventually become a routine. But first, you must know what things need maintaining. 

 

Checklist: 

1. Siding. Your home’s siding should be inspected annually. It is important to look for any deterioration or separation in your home’s siding. The benefit of checking your siding will help prevent the growth of mildew/rotting. 
2. Floors. Keeping your floors clean is extremely important to its overall lifespan. You should be regularly vacuuming your carpet, but you will need to get your carpet professional cleaned at least once a year. 
3. Gutters & Drainage. Especially during the spring and fall, you will need to clean out your gutters and outdoor drain system. There will be leftover leaves and dirt from the previous seasons that you will want to remove. 
4. Air Conditioning Filters. Inspect your air conditioning filters and look for dirt. Your filters should be checked monthly and should be replaced at the minimum every three months. 
5. Smoke/Carbon Dioxide Detectors. It is important to check that your detectors are fully functioning. You will be able to check your detectors by pressing “test” and the alarm will sound. 
6. Clean your kitchen disposal & dishwasher. Both your disposal and dishwasher can contain leftover food and residue. To clean your dishwasher, you will need to clean out its drain, do a vinegar rinse and a baking soda rinse. In order to clean your sink’s disposal, pour your vinegar in ice cube tray then place it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, put the vinegar ice cubes down your disposal while the disposal is running. 
7. Inspect your roof. This can be done annually, but it is important to check for any leaks. If you do find something wrong, contact a repairman immediately to attend to the problem. 

 

The maintenance of your house will help in the lifespan of your home. Make a checklist and consistently stick to it so that your home is always in great shape. Things will break and need to be fixed, but it is better to know as soon as possible and attend to it.

Mold in your home is a serious issue requiring immediate attention. It can pop up anywhere in your house, but the most likely place you will find it is in your bathroom.

 

Some of the conditions needed for mold to grow are damp and steamy areas, poorly ventilated rooms and from moisture on exposed plumbing . Sound familiar? Not to mention the environment created in your shower stall right after a shower or bath.  Wet tile and shower liner, water beneath your shampoo and body wash, as well as an exposed soap bar make for a perfect storm in your bathroom.

 

Mold almost seems impossible to prevent, unless you want to remove your soap and other shower items daily. Fortunately, with a few smart choices in material and design, there will be no need to simulate your last camping trip.

 

If a bathroom has not yet been installed, make sure the design includes waterproof material, which will prevent moisture from reaching difficult to access areas that can create a breeding ground for bacteria and mold to develop. Proper ventilation is also key to stopping this issue before it starts. Whether a window is present or not in the room, consider installing a bathroom fan that can be run during hot showers and baths to prevent steam from rising and causing mold in the wall tiles and ceiling.

 

Existing bathrooms do not have the benefit of newer materials that would make it easier to keep the environment mold-free, so a little more hand-on work is required.  If a ventilation fan is not currently installed in the room, adding one would go a long way in keeping the area dry. Use it during shower or bath time and for 30 minutes afterwards to keep moisture away.  Consider minimizing bath products in the shower to ensure that there are less dark, wet spaces for bacteria to grow under.  Before exiting the shower, use a towel or squeegee to wipe or scrape away as much moisture from the walls as possible. Finally, make sure to clean all exposed tile at least once a week.