The internet is awash with life hacks these days. There are hacks for all walks of life and for pretty much any activity or idea. Whatever it is, you can guarantee that you’ll find money-saving or time-saving tips and tricks to make your life easier in one way or another. Of course, the kitchen is no exception. It’s the busiest room in the house and the hub of any home. Therefore, it’s no wonder there’s no shortage of pearls of wisdom and golden nuggets of advice about how to get the most out of your kitchen. In fact, the hard part is narrowing down which kitchen tips and tricks to look at. From cooking to storing to design, there’s a multitude of tips out there to help.
So, here’s a selection of everyday tips and tricks for you to think about.
Kitchen tips and tricks: Cleaning chopping boards
As everyday kitchen items go, they don’t get any more necessary than a chopping board. Of course, hygiene and food safety is all-important when cutting and chopping food. People are well aware of the risks and the basic steps that should be taken to ensure no food contamination occurs.
Plastic cutting boards are an option, but the vast majority of people still prefer a good old-fashioned wooden chopping board. Naturally, it’s crucial to clean and disinfect any cutting board regularly. But, with wooden boards, it’s important that you remember the need to do all you can to reduce the damage that can occur over time. Washing wood with normal washing up liquids, soap and water can ruin the board.
If you’re not careful, the grain of the wood will swell and become rough. Ultimately, wooden boards will split. This is why the first of our kitchen tips and tricks is all about the best way to maintain your trusty wooden chopping board.
For daily maintenance, you can simply use white vinegar. It works as a highly effective disinfectant as its acetic acids kill the likes of salmonella and E.coli viruses and bacteria. All you need to do is remove food debris and waste with a slight dampened cloth. Next, apply the vinegar liberally and then wipe with a clean kitchen towel.
Once a month or so, it’s well worth doing more of a deep clean. Add a few drops of bleach to a bowl of cold water and gently clean the wooden surface with a brittle brush. Of course, you should always take care not to get the wood too wet.
Keeping fresh herbs fresh for longer
People understand the benefits or using fresh and natural produce in the kitchen. It’s an important part of any sensible diet. However, it can be frustrating when fruit and vegetables go off really quickly, meaning that food goes to waste. One such culprit is fresh herbs. You buy a pack of basil or parsley for a particular dish, but unless you want another very similar dish the very next day, you often find that the herbs have gone off when you come to use them again.
The next of our great kitchen tips and tricks has the solution. All you need to prolong the freshness of herbs cut off the ends of the stem by about 1 centimetre. Add water to a jar or mug and put the herbs in. Next, place a plastic food bag over the top (leaving it open at the bottom to allow air in) and put the whole thing into the fridge. Simply reach under the bag and snip off what you need. For extra-long life, change the water after a week or so.
Kitchen tips: Save stale bread
On a similar theme of freshness, the last of our kitchen tips and tricks is a cunning trick to save bread from going stale. All you have to do is dampen enough power towel to cover the and wrap around the bread entirely. Put the bread into the microwave for 10 seconds and remove the paper towel and it’s done!
You can do a similar thing with a pre-heated conventional oven pre-heated using kitchen foil instead of a paper towel. Warm in the oven for up to 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly still within the foil.
Of course, you’ll want to have a great look for your kitchen. If you fancy a refurbishment or a refresh for your kitchen space, get in touch for advice and guidance about your options.
