I don’t know about you, but one of my least favorite household duties is doing the dishes. Maybe it’s because this is my most frequent task to tackle from constantly being in the kitchen. I seriously feel like it never ends and I’m often tempted to go out to eat (for restaurant reviews of course…) just so I can get a day off from it.
Like most things, some days are easier than others. When the dishwasher is empty and I only have a plate or two to rinse off (yes, I handwash my dishes before putting them in the machine that’s supposed to do the work for me.) then the whole task is quite simple. I gear up with my fashionable black damask print rubber gloves, utilize my playful scrubber designed to look like a lady wearing a bright red dress (anything that can make this chore fun!) and therapeutically wash away the dirty to make it fresh and clean. But those moments when a full dishwasher is running as I just finished prepping a meal, leaving a sink full of plates and utensils that can’t go anywhere? Frustrating!
To make the whole process a bit less daunting, here are a few tips I’ve come up with for washing your kitchen tools. Less time cleaning = more time relaxing after a delicious meal!
Cleaning your Blender:
Problem: I use my blender on an almost daily basis and for a very long time my solution was to let it soak in the sink until it was time to scrub off the residue. However, this never seemed to work quite well as the sides and very bottom still required a fair amount of elbow grease.
Solution: Immediately after use, fill your blender about half-way with soap and hot water. Put it back onto the base and blend for a minute, as you would if you were making a drink. The hot water and soap will be propelled to the sides and top, while the blade will be washed off as it’s working. Rinse in the sink and drip dry.
Cleaning your Electric Griddle:
Problem: I love using my electric griddle, which is designed for very easy clean-up. However, once I turn off the device to enjoy my meal, I’m left with a sticky mess hardened onto the surface.
Solution: Place a clean kitchen towel or a thick paper towel under hot water with a tiny drop of dish soap. While the griddle is still hot, bunch up the towel and carefully wipe it clean. Double tip: to avoid burning your finger tips or the palm of your hand, use a set of thongs to push the towel around. You should hear it sizzle and will see how easily everything wipes off. Repeat the process using a non-soapy wet towel until the surface is sanitized.
Cleaning your Pots and Pans:
Problem: Most cookery is best hand washed, so that often means double the work on our end. A common issue I’ve always faced is when thick sauce, natural fats or starches are glued to my pots and pans. Soaking doesn’t always do the trick, which turns a fun cooking experience into a fearful clean-up disaster.
Solution: Heat and soap are truly the simple solutions to all of these difficult messes. (Isn’t that really how a dishwasher works?) Therefore, keeping your pots and pans over low heat with a bit of soapy water goes a long way. Have a grill pan? Deglaze it with a bit of plain seltzer water while it’s still warm on the stove, and use your hand-held bristle brush to separate the particles from the grooves. For large pots used for pasta, soups or sauces, boil a bit of hot, soapy water in the used vessel before dumping it into your sink. Hand rinse as you usually would.
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