There are many brands available, cockroaches are disease causing and should be eliminated at all costs. All dry food such as flour, tea sugar coffee pasta rice mealie meal etc, must be kept in tightly sealed containers and no food must be left in open packets in your cupboards. Food must be kept separate from detergents and utensils and crockery.
Ensuring that similar items are kept together, cooking pots and pans must be separated from plates serving dishes glasses and cups. When organising your kitchen space, have efficiency in mind, pots pans, spoons knives and cutting boards must be as close to the stove and sink as possible.
REFRIGERATORSThe refrigerator for all its wonders can be a harbinger of infection and disease incubating dangerous fungi and bacteria to play havoc with the health of your family. It’s important to ensure that it is cleaned out at least weekly, and that food containers are well-labelled and manufacturer’s instructions followed regarding expiry dates once cans and bottles are opened for consumption, to ensure that food does not go off in your refrigerator.
Left over food should be consumed shortly. Should you require long-term storage of cooked food, please utilise your freezer and label and date the containers. The freezer on the other hand may go for long periods of up to six months before being emptied, defrosted and cleaned.
Ensure that your refrigerator is turned off the night before it is cleaned. Empty the refrigerator of all contents and leave doors open. Instruct your domestic help to place a bowl of hot water in the freezer compartment to allow ice to melt completely. Once the ice is melted remove the shards gently. The refrigerator may be cleaned with a solution of household bleach; a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda diluted in at least two litres of water does as good a job.
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Cleaning appliances
The kettle and other appliancesThe electric kettle, coffee maker and steam iron, are all prone to scaling. To keep your appliances running efficiently and as good as new, descale every three months in hard water areas and six months in soft water areas. A number of good descaling agents are available from your local hardware store or white vinegar from your supermarket. Simply boil the vinegar in the kettle and allow to sit for an hour, rinse and wipe off.
Microwave OvenThe microwave oven requires daily cleaning to remove splatter and must be cleaned once a week using a foaming agent recommended for microwaves. But white vinegar in a bowl half filled with water and set to high for five minutes will suffice.
DishwasherEnsure that your dishwasher is cleaned out at regular intervals at least weekly. Start off by removing all detachable parts, wash them in the sink using white vinegar. Rinse off and dry, clean sides of dishwasher with a solution of two tablespoons of white vinegar in five litres of water. Any adherent bits may be scrubbed out using an old toothbrush.
WINDOWS Kitchen windows, especially the window above the sink, have to be cleaned often, at least weekly to avoid splutter of soap suds and water. Kitchen curtains due to the build up of grease from cooking need to be washed frequently. Appliances should be of good quality, easy to clean and operate, and, preferably of the same colour or make and should be in symmetry to the space and other appliances in your kitchen. A huge double door refrigerator would look out of place in a small kitchen. All appliances should be well-fitted and connected and of the correct wattage. Those appliances in daily use may be kept at hand, usually left on the kitchen tops. This means that these items must be cleaned daily by wiping with a good detergent to avoid the build up of grease from splatter.
Utensils must be easy to clean and disinfect, good solid enamel or stainless steel pots are a good investment as they are durable and easy to care for. Where possible go for quality in your plates and cups and choose plain colours which are easy to co-ordinate with the rest of your décor and crockery that is easy to handle, microwave and dishwasher-friendly.
Kitchens often serve as dining areas for busy families with young children. If your kitchen is your dining room, ensure that you have good solid chairs and table and that your table is uncluttered, is easily accessible and does not compromise the space in your kitchen. There should be free and easy access between the main areas of your kitchen, the stove, sink and refrigerator. The table should be as far from the stove as possible to avoid accidents caused by young children at the table trying to reach for items on the stove. Next week we continue the cleaning diary when we look at yet another room in your house.
