WORDS VIVIEN HORLER
G R E AT K I T C H E N CLEANING HACKS Kitchens are busy spaces and get grubby fast. Here’s how to get yours spotless SUCH a high-traffic area can be tough to keep clean. There are often dirty dishes in the sink, there might be gunk in the secret spaces of the dishwasher and cooking means surfaces, stove tops and cupboard tops tend to get sticky with grease. Here are some ideas for getting your kitchen gleaming. T H E C O U N T E R S Some people manage to keep their counters spotless and clear, others let them attract clutter. It’s much easier to clean an uncluttered kitchen. Remove everything that doesn’t belong on the counters, or in the kitchen at all, and put it away. Then wipe down with a cleaner. White vinegar can be great to wipe down surfaces but be careful with natural stone tops like granite – vinegar can eat into the stone. T H E O V E N This is one of the most disliked cleaning jobs in the kitchen. Some ovens have an auto-clean setting but forget it. It’s a very high 2 4
|
HI
A U G U S T
|
S E P T E M B E R
2 0 2 1
temperature setting and has been known to set off fire alarms. But there’s an easy way to clean it overnight. Fill a spray bottle with a solution of a third of a cup of water, a third of a cup of white vinegar and half a cup of bicarbonate of soda. When the oven is cool, take out the shelves and spray the inside, avoiding the heating elements. Then close the door and go to bed, while the solution does its work. Twelve hours later, you can clean the oven with soapy water, then dry it with a dish towel. THE HOB AND OVEN E X T E R I O R When cleaning your oven, don’t forget the hob and the exterior of the oven. Start at the top. If you have a gas stove, remove the grids and wash them if they’re sticky. Then clean the surface of the hob with all-purpose cleaner. Electric plates can be wiped off with diluted dish-washing soap. An electric glass hob is the easiest of all – just wipe it down
