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Hacks for cleaning hidden places
Your home may be sparkling clean at first glance but there are plenty of hidden areas you might not have thought about.
Your home may be sparkling clean at first glance but there are plenty of hidden areas you might not have thought about. There’s a chance your appliances are trapping grime, food debris and cooking oils. We spoke to our appliance expert, Nick Small, has some cleaning tips for the often-overlooked areas of your kitchen.
Check under the hood
Your cooker hood catches all the smoke and steam from preparing your food, but did you know you could open it? It needs cleaning roughly every 3 months as it could be full of grease and grime. This not only makes it dirty, but it can make the appliance less efficient too. Most filters are dishwasher safe, so check the manual to see if you can pop them in for a quick clean. If not, let it soak in hot soapy water for at least 10 minutes then scrub with a brush.
Filter out any food
Keep your dishwasher in tip-top shape so it’ll continue giving you spotless plates and pots every day. There’s a filter at the bottom that collects any stray bits of food, so it’s worth unscrewing this once a month to check it’s not clogged with last week’s dinner. Now your dishes will come out sparkling every time.
Collect up all the crumbs
Toasters should be spot cleaned regularly to get rid of any splashes or sticky residue. The crumb tray should be emptied every 2-3 weeks. To do this, make sure the appliance is turned off and wipe clean with a dry cloth. If there are bits collecting in the corners, a cocktail stick is great for getting them out.
Clean up the kettle
Did you know that limescale lurking in your kettle can make it less efficient? The most effective way to remove it is to mix a teaspoon of baking soda with around two cups of water. Pour it into your kettle and boil. Leave it to cool for another 15 minutes, then give it a quick rinse with cold water and dry with a cloth. That’ll make sure it doesn’t ruin your next brew.
Spin up some sparkle
If you’ve noticed a bit of a smell when you pop on a wash, your filter and detergent drawer may be the culprits. Every now and then, just pull out the detergent drawer, pop it in some hot, soapy water, and scrub any gunk off with a toothbrush. To empty the filter, grab a tray to catch any water, and pull it out to check for any bits and bobs that are stuck in it – you might even find a few pennies in there.
Check the door seals
You’re in and out of the fridge and freezer every day, so over time the door seals can collect spills and food. An old toothbrush is perfect for digging out grime and a spray of anti-bac will make sure any invisible nasties are banished too. If you want to give the inside of your fridge a once-over too, a mixture of warm water and lemon will give it the clean it needs without making your food taste soapy.
