Do you love to cook, but hate the clean-up? Sure, I’d like to make a smoothie a day, but do I really want to clean the blender? Well, worry no more, here are 6 tips to make those hard-to-clean kitchen tools shine in seconds.

1. Kitchen stains

To get rid of kitchen stains I used regular household ingredients. Baking soda is my hero, plus it’s environmentally friendly and it works. Salt, vinegar, and lemons are my other go-to’s. Plus, an ounce of prevention goes a long way. People are using toxic chemicals that weren’t made for eating, it’s a huge no-no. Baking soda may take longer, but it’s much safer.

2. Cleaning the kettle

There is a difference between the kettle meant for boiling water and a teapot. You should not be pouring water from a kettle directly into a mug with a teabag- it’s a tea sin! Your kettle can have calcium buildup if you don’t clean it regularly, but it’s easy to clean with a bit of vinegar.

If you use a strainer, – boil in a pot of water with baking soda and dish soap for 5-10 minutes, remove, make a paste of baking soda and dish soap and get a toothbrush to scrub all the stains away.

3. Teapots and teacups 

Teapots and teacups – two tricks. My favourite is using baking soda, soak and then scrub OR if you have denture cleaner for mouth guards or dentures a tablet will do it.

4. Wooden cutting boards

Odours like garlic and onions on your wooden cutting board? Scrub with lemon, or create a paste with baking soda and a bit of water. Similar to wooden spoons- scrub with a scrubber and wipe on baking soda to finish.

5. Blender

To clean a blender, add dish soap and water and whirl away. It is very important to make sure that the water you are using is cold to prevent the blender from overflowing! Still yucky? Use a toothbrush! A similar strategy for your whisk: scrub in the sink with soapy water and use a toothbrush.

6. What doesn’t go in the dishwasher?

No wooden spoons or anything wooden for that matter, no whisks, and please no knives! Knives can be washed using a cloth with soap and rinsed under running water.