9 Kitchen Habits You’d Better Quit Right Now!
There are several things in the kitchen we do almost automatically. They seem to be so natural that we hardly think before we do them, for example swiping the kitchen top or putting the meat into the freezer. Unfortunately, some habits repeated for years might cause a lot of damage to our kitchen equipment, tops and dishes.
Oct 27, 2020 | updated: 7:32 PM EDT, October 27, 2020
#1 ‘Vinegar can clean everything’
Vinegar is a commonly used eco-friendly cleaning agent. However, you shouldn’t use it for all kinds of surfaces. To prevent damage, do not use vinegar to clean kitchen tops made of marble, granite, limestone, wood or steel knives, as the acid that vinegar contains might accelerate their wearing out.
#2 Frying pans with superpowers
The frying pans coated with non-stick layers are almost invincible. Still, they need to be maintained properly. That is why always use good quality oils (forget cooking spray oils). Never pour cold water over a hot pan. Do not get it washed in a dishwasher, either. Avoid using iron cutlery as well.
#3 Knives in one drawer
You shouldn’t keep all knives in one drawer. As their blades will be permanently exposed one to another, this might cause them go blunt really fast. You will also notice that they need to get sharpened much more often. Instead, knives can be easily attached to a magnetic strip. You can put them inside a stand or keep them in dedicated sleeves. If you don’t have much choice, put an organizer into the drawer so that it protects the blades.
#4 Wood stuck in the dishwasher
Many of us cannot imagine life without a dishwasher. Still, there are quite a few items that prefer being washed in running water. These include silver cutlery, ceramic, crystal wooden, aluminum, hand-made and porcelain dishes. Plastic objects also have to be handled with care in this respect. Some of them, exposed to high temperatures, release some dangerous substances. That is why you need to follow manufacturer’s instructions before you clean your new glasses or plates.
#5 Top-speed blending
Blender saves lots of our time. To let it work for a long time you have to learn how to use it properly.
Always wash it right after you finished using it. Otherwise the blades can go rusty. Slowly increase the blending speed so that the engine will work efficiently and won’t overheat.
#6 Short knives life
Glass and granite chopping boards make the blades go blunt much sooner. Instead, go for the bamboo ones. They are light, they dry very quickly and are good for slicing both bread and meat. Moreover, they can be washed in a dishwasher.
#7 Chicken in water
Never wash the chicken with running water. The raw meet has got bacteria that are very easy to be carried onto the kitchen tops, sink or even clothes. It is a big mistake to leave the chicken legs or breasts before putting them into the refrigerator. You can be sure that will make them go bad much earlier as water provides fine conditions for bacteria growth, which results in the food going off.
#8 Hard lives of garbage cans
When was the last time you washed your garbage can? It is all the time filled with a variety of rubbish and waste, making it a perfect hotbed for bacteria growth.
The best place to get it clean is the shower or the bathtub. Use washing-up liquid, baking soda, a disinfectant or chlorine bleach. Do it at least once a week.
Using vinegar you can easily neutralize the nasty smell from the can. Soak a slice of bread with vinegar and put it on the bottom. After 12 hours the smell should be gone.
#9 Bananas in the fridge
There are kinds of food that stored in the refrigerator lose a lot of nutrients they contain or even go off much faster. The list includes exotic fruit (bananas, mango, citrus fruit) tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, pulses, honey, onion, coffee and bread.
