Forget the mess with these hacks.
Here's a startling, but maybe unsurprising fact: women do the bulk of household chores and cleaning even if they work just as many hours outside the home (or more) than their male counterparts. The same Pew research also showed that married and cohabiting men (49%) were more likely than their female counterparts (39%) to say they were very satisfied with the way household chores are divided between them and their spouse or partner. That gap has perhaps even more unsurprisingly grown in 2020. As of last October, 55% of men say they are very satisfied with this aspect of their relationship, compared with 38% of women.
While we can't necessarily re-balance the to-do list in your home (we hope you can, though), we can definitely take the edge off some of the peskiest household chores: the ones in the kitchen.
"Don't let the thought of cleaning a dirty kitchen keep you from channeling your inner celebrity chef," says Laura Pauli, an acclaimed chef and sommelier based in San Francisco, California. She shares some of her favorite tips for cutting the mess stress below:
Keep a bowl of warm soapy water in your sink as you food prep and cook
"Keep a bowlful of soapy warm water in the sink to put all your dirty utensils, spatulas, whisks, small measuring spoons, and cups, etc. so that they can soak while you're cooking," says Pauli. "They usually just need a quick rinse at the end and they're good to go," or you can even pop some items like all-silicone spatulas right in the dishwasher by the end. You'll save priceless time and energy with this chef-approved hack.
Yes, you can avoid tomato sauce stains on your favorite dishes and plasticware
"For those abondanza spaghetti sauce stains, before you open that second bottle of Chianto Classico, put the dirty dishes in the sink right away, one at a time, adding a drop of dish soap or a spritz of a product like Dawn Powerwash, and a splash of water to each and stack them," says Pauli.
"At the end of the meal, when it's time to do all the dishes, it only takes a quick rinse and swipe with a sponge to get all the food and stains off."
Make baking pans look brand new with baking soda
"There are many different methods for the different sheet pan materials— non-stick, aluminum, aluminized steel— with one method working for all three. Create a paste of baking soda and warm water and slather on the sheet pans, covering the spots, or in my case the entire sheet pan, completely. Let sit for an hour (or even overnight) depending on your schedule, then rub the stains with a scrubber until the spots disappear. Wash the sheet pan, dry it immediately so it won't rust and it should look as good as new."
Britnee Tanner, an organizational expert with a devout social media following ranging from California to Boston and everywhere in between, adds that some of the most-used kitchen items and spaces can be cleaned with clever hacks, too.
Cleaning your dishwasher is easier than you think
"Dishwashers are wonderful appliances but can be tricky to clean," says Tanner. "Fortunately, there are hacks like this to get rid of the grime. You can use distilled vinegar in your dishwasher to remove any build-up and unwanted smells. Just add one cup of distilled vinegar to the bottom of your dishwasher, set it to run a cycle with hot water and you're done. Goodbye scum and stinky odors!"
Your cabinets don't have to be a mess
"As an organizer, I always recommend that bowls and plates stack or nest if possible— it's the easiest way to save space. Having said that, if you have some height to work with you can always create shelves with a handy solution like this one.
"Be sure to measure your cabinets first and determine the height of the cups or bowls you want to stack to make sure the shelves are compatible with your dishes."
Refresh your kitchen sink with this cheap trick
"I've been using lemon wedges in my disposal for years," Tanner adds. " I love that it's a natural way to get my sink smelling fresh. Simply drop a lemon wedge into your disposal, run some water and turn it on for 15 to 30 seconds. If you want more cleaning power you can always give your drain the baking soda and vinegar solution. Sprinkle about a half-cup baking soda into your disposal and add a half-cup to one cup of distilled vinegar and know that your disposal is getting extra clean without you having to put in any elbow grease."
The lemon trick is one that California dwellers will love more than most thanks to the state growing more types of citrus fruit than anywhere else in the United States. And don't worry, if you can't find a lemon, you can use the squeezed-out half-lime you still have sitting on the counter from last night's margarita event.
Love these cleaning hacks or have your own? We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below.