Since I’ve moved into our Paris apartment I feel like I’ve figured out some tricks to keeping my kitchen clean. They might seem obvious but they’ve really helped me keep our tiny kitchen clean.
Tip 1: Have a Place for Everything
If everything has a place then it is easier to make sure it gets put away. Look at everything you need to keep in your kitchen and really consider if it is necessary. Give away or sell things you haven’t used in a while.
Tip 2: Clean as You Cook
This is a tip that my friend’s mother taught me (hi Mrs Bushman!) If you wait until you are done cooking to clean up you can be left with an overwhelming mess. Take some time to put away each ingredient as you go or to rinse and put used measuring cups and bowls in the dishwasher.
Tip 3: Clean Up Spills and Do Dishes Immediately
The longer you wait the more difficult it is to clean them up. To keep time spent cleaning to the minimum do it while it’s fast and easy.
I love Method so I was stoked when they sent me some of their new dishwashing soap. It is has a pump so you only need one hand to use, plus it smells amazing. How do you keep your kitchen clean? Any tips?
This post is part of the Get Clean campaign with Martha and Method. Go here to join the project and to read more.
photos by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
kh
March 23, 2011
Yes! Get rid things you don't use much–especially in the kitchen. Great advice. And I too love Method products!
Jamie
March 23, 2011
I adore Method products! They have saved me from many cleaning-product headaches. As I've gotten older, I've become more sensitive to chemical smells, so I am glad there is a trend to more eco-friendly cleaning products.
AliveintheFire
March 23, 2011
Love this post! I definitely use the "do dishes as you go" method and it works wonders, especially if you're making multiple recipes at once.
I'm also a huge fan of Method. Their hand soap containers are such a pretty shape, and they really know how to use clean design 🙂
Thanks for sharing this!
-rachel @ aliveinthefire.blogspot.com
Brian Smith
March 23, 2011
Love metod brand, but for industrial purpose isn't cheap enough 🙁
http://www.secleaning.com/
Andi
March 23, 2011
I love, love, love Method, I use their products all over the house! They did not exist in France when I lived there – do they now?
creole wisdom
March 23, 2011
Oh your kitchen is darling. Thank you for the tips. Where did you find that little lemon(?) tree? It's beautiful.
Your tips are great. I agree with cleaning as you go, it makes it so much easier.
One thing that has really helped me is just keeping my kitchen linens organized. I have a drawer for dish towels and crocheted wash rags (they work so well) and another for place mats and napkins. It makes cleaning up pretty easy. I try to avoid using paper towels as much as I can.
Giulia
March 23, 2011
Your kitchen is so tiny, but so cute and really tidy.
I try to clean while I'm cooking, that we only need to put away the dinner plates, etc. after we've eaten.
alexis maia
March 23, 2011
"clean as you go" is my mantra! especially in the kitchen, while cooking, and especially with a kid in the house.
Deanna (Silly Goose Farm)
March 23, 2011
My favorite cleaning tip is to keep a ziploc bag in the freezer of "used" citrus. After I juice oranges, use lemons or limes in cocktails, or just eat a grapefruit, I take the "remains" and store them in the freezer. When needed, I add salt on the citrus and use it to scrub stainless steel, cast iron, copper, etc. All natural and smells great (and cheap!!).
Jennifer
March 23, 2011
Haven't tried the dish soap, but I got method spray and wipes thinking they were less toxic but they smell very strong and odd. I have recently managed to get my 9yo son to help me clean the toilets but he won't now because of the smell. Don't you think they have a strong and not pleasant odor?
Caitlin
March 23, 2011
amazing how you manage to keep such a tiny kitchen uncluttered!
Erika
March 23, 2011
I will speak up against "clean as you cook." If you are cooking for time, great. If you are cooking for taste, you may need to add additional items for the right flavor balance.
r8chel
March 23, 2011
I don't really have anything to add, but I especially recommend tips #2 and 3. Things like that are second nature for me, and I forget that not everyone cooks that way. 🙂
Anonymous
March 23, 2011
I thought you had a cleaning lady in SF? ha!
jordan
March 23, 2011
Yes @Anon I had a cleaning lady on and off the last two years. 6months on/ 6months off. It was so great to have one day a week when everything got totally clean. Unfortunately we could only afford her once a week for 2 hours so we were left to fend off day to day stuff without a dishwasher or washing machine on our own.
Its amazing how much easier it is to keep a house clean when you have a dishwasher and washing machine.
larissa
March 23, 2011
I love Method's products! But I've been a strict Seventh Generation dish soap user for years now … although, I'd welcome a change and would love to try Method's new dish soap. Do you know if it is out in stores yet, or coming out soon?
adorninc
March 24, 2011
Great tips! I'm excited to get the new Method dishwashing soap! I love their products and use them exclusively.
Jen & Chris
March 24, 2011
I really appreciate tip #2. I am trying to teach my husband this. It makes the clean-up so much easier, and I feel like I can relax and enjoy the meal even if I don't get EVERYTHING cleaned up; at least some of it is.
Sigrid
March 24, 2011
hilarious, I am always singing to my husband…"cleaning as you go…do do do dooo do do do doooo". It really makes all the difference before the laziness after a meal sets in. I have the Method in Mineral – love it.
Nikki
March 24, 2011
I've never used any thing from Method before. I'm a sucker for packaging. I'd buy this just because the bottle is sleek and the color is fun.
My husband says marketers make commercials for me! Haha.
Anonymous
March 25, 2011
If you don't have a dishwasher and hate washing up like us, there's a good rule we use at home if youre more than on person in the household: Take turns washing, but only as soon as its at least 10 things to wash (or any low number that matches dishes for a meal). This will help counter the big piles of dishes no one likes.
Dan.Eliot
March 30, 2011
Here are my favorite cooking tips that I learned; some are obvious but simultaneously genius, some are very surprising, and all are just plain helpful. Check them out!
1. Use an egg slicer to cut kiwi fruit.
2. Quick and easy way to separate lettuce cups. Cut out core. Hold cavity under cold, running water until leaves are easily separated by water and fingers.
3. Before placing double crusted pies in the oven, loosely wrap aluminum foil around pie crust edges. This will help the edges from browning too quickly. Remember to remove the aluminum about 10 minutes before pies are ready to come out of the oven so the crust is properly browned.
Healthy cooking tips
Britt
April 22, 2011
Mrs. Bushman? My mom's a Bushman – I'm curious if it's a family member.
Love your blog and the beauty it brings everyday!