Archive for the ‘Kitchen’ Category
Some Points to Consider in Selecting Kitchen Design
A properly designed kitchen is one that makes preparing and serving meals as pleasant and stress free as possible. Rule number one in kitchen design – there is no such thing as too much counter space. It is also a good idea to provide shelf space for cook books, recipe files, etc.
It is best to store items used for cooking – pots, pans, cooking utensils, spices, herbs, etc. close to the stove so the cook does not have to step away from the task at hand to fetch the salt. The refrigerator and sink should not be more than a few steps from the stove, making it easy for cooks to retrieve items needed for meal preparation. Microwave ovens should also be located in the same vicinity as the stove. Small electric appliances – toasters, blenders, coffee makers, mixers – can be stored in drawers or pantries eliminating clutter on counter tops providing they are not used on a regular basis. If, however, any of these items are used consistently, they should be close at hand.
Cabinets containing serving dishes and the like are best located close to the stove, while dishes, glasses, tableware, etc., are ideally located near the sink and dishwasher to facilitate clean-up.
Tips on How to Clean the Kitchen Sinks
Kitchen sinks come in a variety of sizes and surfaces, and most of them are easily cleaned with anti-bacterial cleaners.Many of the newer surfaces, however, cannot tolerate abrasive cleaners such as powdered cleansers, without sustaining scratches and substantial damage to finishes.There are numerous non-abrasive cleaners on the market that yield excellent results.
Abrasive cleaners are not recommended for tile surfaces, although they are occasionally warranted for heavily soiled tile floors.Grout, the substance used to fill in spaces between tile pieces, is difficult to keep clean.Products, specifically formulated for cleaning grout are readily available at markets and specialty stores all over. Because kitchen sinks and tiles are constantly exposed to food born germs and bacteria, anti-bacterial cleaners, rather than all purpose cleaners should be used for kitchen clean up.It is also highly recommended that the use of sponges for kitchen cleaning be banned as it is extremely difficult to thoroughly rid a sponge of all of the bacteria it may pick up.The best material for cleaning kitchens is a clean white cloth.Between washings, these cloths should be soaked in a mixture and water to assure that they are germ free with each use.
