Your kitchen may be sparkling clean at first glance but there are plenty of hidden spaces you don’t think about. In fact, your appliances might be trapping grime, food debris and any oils when cooking or cleaning your dishes.
AO's appliance expert, Nick Small, has some cleaning tips for the overlooked nooks and crannies in your kitchen.
Cooker hood - Your cooker hood catches all the smoke and steam from preparing your food, but did you know you could open it? Ensure you are cleaning this around every 3 months as it could be full of grease and grime making it not only dirty, but less effective.
Most filters you can put in the dishwasher so check the manufacturer manual to see if they are dishwasher safe. If not, let the filter soak in hot soapy water for at least 10 minutes then scrub with a brush.
Dishwasher filter - A well-maintained dishwasher leads to spotless dishes. But did you know there’s a cylindrical filter in the bottom of the machine that collects excess food?
At least once a month simply unscrew the cylindrical filter and rinse off food bits collecting at the bottom. This will help prevent any odours and bits of old food swilling around your dishwasher during each cycle.
Toaster tray - Toasters should be spot cleaned if left out on the countertop to get rid of any splashes or sticky residue. In fact, there’s a crumb tray underneath that can be easily pulled out and then emptied into the bin every couple of weeks.
Make sure the appliance is turned off, give the tray a good clean with a dry cloth and use a cocktail stick to get into the corners and remove any stuck bits of food.
Kettle - Did you know that limescale lurking in your kettle might be making it less efficient? The most effective way to remove any unwanted limescale is to mix a teaspoon of baking soda with around two cups of water. Pour the mixture into your kettle before boiling.
Once the mixture has been boiled, leave it to cool for another 15 minutes. Then simply rinse out the kettle with cold water and use a dry cloth or a sponge to wipe down the inside and remove any traces of the limescale that may remain.
Washing machine filter - Your washing machine may be working extra hard to make sure your clothes are clean, but who’s cleaning your washing machine? The hidden places on your washing machine like your filter and detergent draw are where the unpleasant smells may be coming from.
Every couple of months, pull the detergent draw out and with a toothbrush and hot, soapy water scrub away any detergent or gunk build up before allowing to fully air dry. When emptying your filter, put a tray under to catch any excess water. Next remove the filter and check for any random bits and pieces that might fall out. If you’re lucky you might even find some coins!
Fridge freezer door seals – Your door seals may have collected gunk and excess crumbs overtime causing an unpleasant smell. Use an old toothbrush to dig grime out and then give it a spritz of anti-bacterial spray before wiping down.
To scrub the inside of the fridge, use a mixture using warm water and lemon to feel a refreshing smell.
