DIY

Daily and Weekly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

November 10, 2020

There’s no denying that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we prepare hearty meals, making it easily one of the most used rooms in the house. Then again, it also happens to be one of the dirtiest areas of the home. Studies show that there are many contaminated parts of the kitchen, including sponges, towels, sinks, and refrigerators.

Given this information, your approach to keeping the kitchen clean needs to be strategic. In our post on ‘House Cleaning Tips’, we previously noted how it’s best to work in blocks, and while it still rings true, it’s also recommended to work in accordance with a schedule.

To help you out, here is a breakdown of tasks you can rely on to keep your kitchen spotless every day and every week.

Daily

Clear the clutter

It’s a fact universally acknowledged that no matter what you do, the clutter in the kitchen just keeps piling up. Make it a point to clear the counters of clutter and put back anything that is not in its proper place.

Wash dirty dishes

If at all possible, you should wash dirty dishes as they happen so you won’t be bombarded with a huge pile at the end of the day. If you’re using a dishwasher, it’s best to use a quality detergent, as that can save you some time and allow you to skip pre-washing.

Disinfecting the sink

Your sink is the place where you prepare most of your food, so it’s only right that you prioritize cleaning it. The best way to keep your sink clean is to naturally disinfect it every day. To naturally get rid of stains, grime, and bad smells, HomeServe recommends pouring boiling water, white vinegar, or baking soda down the drain. If you want to go the chemical route, you may also opt for bio-enzyme or ready-made drain cleaners. These will be more effective if there is a blockage causing the water to drain slowly.

Empty trash and recycle bins

Of course, you need to empty the trash and recycle bins at the end of every day. To make things easier, keep extra trash bags next to the bin so replacing the bag is quick and easy. You will also know when you are low and won’t have to overfill the last bag.

Weekly

Clean the coffee maker

According to an NSF International report in the New York Times, the coffee machine is the fifth item in kitchens and bathrooms in terms of the number of germs, less than the pet bowl but more than the bathroom faucet handle. You don’t want your beloved java maker to be plagued with bacteria, so even if it’s tedious, make sure that you hand wash all detachable components with hot water, dishwashing liquid, and a clean sponge every week.

Clean the microwave

As one of the most used appliances in the kitchen, it’s not surprising that the microwave is packed with all sorts of gunk every week. Consider cleaning it with white vinegar and water to get rid of the grime easily.

Sanitize sponges

A study published in Scientific Reports notes that while cleaning sponges don’t help get rid of bacteria, it does wonders killing germs in between replacements. Clean the sponge weekly by mixing bleach with water, soaking the sponge for five minutes, and then rinsing it. Don’t forget to replace your sponges every month too.

Sort out leftovers

The FDA Food Code notes that all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days. You’ll be surprised at just how much uneaten food is stuck in your fridge if you allow it to go unchecked for too long. Every week, ensure that old leftovers are thrown out, as well as any food that is past its “best by” date. The best way to do this is to label your food on the date it goes into the fridge. Much more accurate than the smell test.

Mop the floors

Since your kitchen is a high-traffic area, it should be wet mopped at least once a week. To make the process a tad bit easier, start at the far corner of the room and work backward towards the exit so you aren’t forced to walk on newly mopped surfaces.

Wash dish towels

Studies show that multipurpose towels used for wiping utensils, drying hands, holding hot utensils, and cleaning surfaces contained more pathogens than single-use towels. It would then benefit you and the rest of your household to wash them weekly, so as not to spread bacteria further.

How to Choose Different Room Flooring

November 2, 2020

It’s easy to spend more time choosing the color of your walls than different room flooring. But don’t ignore the importance of the right type of flooring.

Style, color, and material matter on your walls, but your floor is much more likely to be the victim of spills and stains. You want to choose flooring that works for your lifestyle and holds up in high traffic areas.

Choosing Colors

A room’s flooring can bring a room to life. When choosing different room flooring, the colors can trick your mind into thinking the space is larger or smaller than it is. It can also affect the room’s mood and how you feel when you spend time in it.

If you have a room that feels too large, try using darker colors and warmer tones. These colors can make the room seem smaller and cozier. Conversely, lighter tones can make a smaller space feel more open.

If you’re looking to impact a room’s mood rather than its size, start with colors here, too. Different colors make people feel different things.

Whites and beiges feel open and clean, while yellow feels bright and optimistic. Browns create a rustic atmosphere. Blues make people feel calm, and red brings energy into the room.

Matching and Coordinating

If you don’t know the difference between matching and coordinating, you may want to when considering your room’s flooring.

Matching your flooring means keeping the same type throughout your home. However, coordinating means using complimenting colours and styles that work with the aesthetic of each room. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

The Right Flooring for the Right Room

Choosing your flooring shouldn’t only be about color and style. You also need to think about the practicalities. Consider how you’ll use the room, and even who will use it.

Your children might love the idea of carpet in their bedrooms, but a hard surface that’s easy to clean may work better. The same goes for the kitchen where you have a high chance of spillage. A floor that you can easily mop rather than scrub functions better in these spaces.

If you’re stuck on whether to go for style or practicality, think about how much traffic each room sees. Rooms everyone in your home uses daily would benefit from harder surfaces like tile cork or slate. Consider carpet for rooms you use less often, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning them.

Transitioning Between Floors

When deciding on different room flooring, consider when and how to transition between the different types from room to room. You can ruin your home’s aesthetic with an awkward change in flooring.

You usually see floor transitions between different rooms. But you can get more creative than that. You can have one kind of floor surrounding another, like tiles surrounded by hardwood. Try switching your flooring around a corner, too.

If you’re choosing different room flooring for each room of your home, remember that the rooms may not be level with each other. In these cases, use a transition strip to even them out. This will make the transition look better, but also makes you less likely to trip.

House Cleaning Tips: Four Ways to Get it Done Fast

October 12, 2020

Most people hate cleaning and want to get through it as fast as they can. In an ideal world, you would keep up with cleaning your home every day. Still, even if you enjoy cleaning, sometimes you don’t have the time.

Whether you love breaking out the dusters or not, use these house cleaning tips to make tidying your home a breeze.

Before You Start

Before you even start cleaning, clear away all the clutter. While this may seem like a tedious task to, it will save you time when you get into the soap and scrubbing. It means you won’t have stop in the middle of cleaning to move clutter out of the way.

Move from room to room and decide what should stay and what needs to go. Throwing away trash and putting miscellaneous items in their places will also leave you with less to clean as you go.

Plan your route around your home before you dive into cleaning it. Knowing which room you’re cleaning next will keep you focused on the task at hand. A plan creates an efficient system so you won’t be wondering what to do next. This plan doesn’t need to be complicated—you can make it as simple as working from the top left of a wall to the bottom right.

Work in Blocks

One of the best house cleaning tips you can learn is to not focus on finishing all cleaning tasks in one room at a time. This process might sound counterintuitive to some, as moving all over the house seems like it would take longer. But by working on one task at a time, you can clean more efficiently.

If you decide to clean the kitchen or the bathroom in one go, you could find yourself stuck in there all day. Instead, work your way around your home doing the same task in each room.

Wipe down all the surfaces in each room first. Then move on to another task like mopping the floor. This process is called task cleaning and it helps keep you motivated rather than continuously switching tasks in the same room.

Tools of the Trade

As declutter the house, try to take stock of everything you might need to clean. Then when you start, gather all the tools you’ll need and take them with you as you move from room to room. Keeping your tools on hand will keep you organized, which can only increase efficiency.

Remember to keep your tools clean as you go. There’s no point to wiping down a surface with a cloth that’s covered in grime from a previous room.

Get Everyone Involved

This house cleaning tip might be easier said than done but try making cleaning a team effort. The more people involved, the quicker the job gets done.

Organize a group and schedule a time for everyone to clean. When you’re done, make sure there’s a treat you can all enjoy. Order a pizza or find a movie everyone loves. Finding something that makes cleaning worth it gives everyone incentive to complete the task.

Expert Interior Design Secrets to Styling Shelves

September 14, 2020

Styling shelves is a great way to give your unique items the attention they deserve. Framed photos, books, and decorative pieces that you might otherwise keep stored away find a place at the forefront of the room, where they catch the eye.

Decorating marries style with substance. You can take something that seems purely practical and make it a stylish part of your room’s design. Shelving makes it easy to create a striking atmosphere in a room.

However, shoving everything you own onto some shelves doesn’t always work. You have think about what you want to see when you look at your shelves—and the answer isn’t a wall full of junk. Follow these simple rules to create stunning shelves.

Clear Everything Out

Shelving units are the perfect way to show off your favorite items, but you still have limited space. Choose carefully what you want on display. That doesn’t mean you need to throw everything else out, but tidying the space goes a long way.

After spending so much time curating your shelving, you don’t want to ruin the effect with unnecessary clutter.

Start with Empty Space

Before you start filling your shelves, look ahead and imagine how it might look when you’ve finished.

There will almost always be some empty space exposing the back of the shelves. Consider painting this space or filling it with a fabric or wallpaper. These finishing touches can add new layers of depth and contrast to the shelving unit.

Choosing Books

Start with the books when you’re styling shelves. If you’re a collector, try grouping them by color. If you have a limited book selection, add bits of color throughout the shelf. Using colors sparingly will make the books you have stand out.

You can stack the books or line them up on the shelf, but never have less than three together or they’ll look sparse. At the other end of the spectrum, avoid putting more than twelve or fifteen books together, or you risk making your shelves look too crowded.

Don’t be ashamed of buying a book for looks alone. Sometimes beautiful book covers can really make your shelving unit pop, and that’s what you want.

Add Sculptures and Vignettes

Sculptures and vignettes can add a lot of character to shelving units, but only if you use them correctly. While pairing smaller sculptures with books will draw the eye, larger sculptures should stand on their own. Putting large pieces in with books or other items can make the space look cramped.

It’s easy to fine unique bits and pieces to add to your shelves. They add personality to your shelves and function as conversation pieces when you have guests.

Balance is key when you’re choosing what to put on a new shelving unit. It’s tempting to fill them with everything you own, but attractive shelves take some thought. Make sure that everything on them has a purpose. By styling shelves with carefully selected items, your room can become its own piece of art.

Choosing the Right Appliances for Your Kitchen

August 17, 2020

Kitchen appliances can make or break a kitchen remodel. There are so many styles, features, and technology options available it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Then, there are always budgetary concerns—picking the right appliances would be easy if money were no object. Even so, it is possible to design the perfect kitchen with a little forethought and your priorities firm in mind.

choosing the right appliances for your kitchen

Here are some things to consider when choosing kitchen appliances to ensure you fall in love with the heart of your home.

Ovens & Cooktops

A high-performing, quality oven is crucial. Because ovens can have many features, it is best to focus on those you’ll actually use and the food you want to cook. A good oven will have a fan to cook food faster and more evenly. You’ll also want an oven with bake, roast, and broil features for all your baking needs.

Picking a suitable cooktop is important for both the practical purposes of remodeling your kitchen as well as aesthetic purposes. Just like your oven, you need a cooktop that gets the job done, but it certainly doesn’t hurt if it looks good, too. Try to pick a cooktop that takes up appropriate space and fits your overall color scheme.

Most cooktops have four burners, which is pretty standard for home cooking. However, if you like to entertain guests and large crowds, you may want to pick a cooktop with more burners. Then, you have to consider how easy it is to maintain. Whether you’re a clean-as-you-cook or cook-at-the-end type, you’ll most likely want clean-up to be easy.

Refrigerators

There are three fridge installation types:

Built-in
Freestanding
Fully integrated

These three options all come in a range of sizes and styles to suit your needs. You will also want to consider performance and configuration. Performance-wise, you need to choose between a single-compressor or a double-compressor unit. A single-compressor unit works twice as hard to maintain both the fridge and freezer. While double-compressor refrigerators cost more, they allow you to keep food fresher for longer.

One of the most popular refrigerator configurations is the French-door style with a side-by-side fridge and freezer. Make sure you don’t go too small when you’re choosing kitchen appliances. When you buy your fridge, you want to have enough room for your typical food storage. For two people, consider a fridge size of 12 cubic feet.

Sinks & Dishwashers

Your sink tends to be the focal point of your kitchen. Some popular sink configurations include:

Single, rectangular basin
50/50 double-bowl
60/40 double-bowl
Three-bowl

Once you know your ideal configuration, the next step is to compare materials. The material you choose affects whether your sink is resistant to scratches and stains, how you’ll clean the sink, and your kitchen’s overall look.

As for your dishwasher, you want to choose something that is efficient and fits into your kitchen seamlessly. If you use a dishwasher often, choose one that has deep-cleaning features and a variety of options. Running volume is one of the most important factors. Find a dishwasher with a low decibel rating so it won’t keep you and your family up all night.

General Tips for Choosing Kitchen Appliances

No matter what appliance you’re shopping for, there are a few general tried-and-tested tips that can help:

Don’t be afraid to mix-and-match. You don’t have to buy all your appliances from the same collection or brand.
Tailor your budget allocation to your lifestyle. It doesn’t make sense to spend a big chunk of your budget on a double oven, for example, if you rarely bake. Forget what a traditional kitchen “should” have and get what you’ll use.
Time your remodel. Many appliance retailers hold annual sales around the same time every year, such as Memorial Day or Black Friday. Time your remodel to line up with these sales to save more. Buying your appliances as a package from a single retailer also often comes with a discount.
Know your space. As appliances of all types come in standard sizes, measure your space, and note any size restrictions. It can help to draft your kitchen on graph paper. Also, note any ventilation or power requirements and where they are in your kitchen.
Stay neutral. That bright blue retro fridge may look amazing right now, but will you still love it in 10 years? With big-ticket items like appliances keep to neutral colors—silver, black, or white—so that if you choose to redecorate in the future, you’re not choosing kitchen appliances all over again. Paint colors and cabinet handles are much easier to change!