Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen

Yup,it's that time of year when the house needs to be spiffed up. With April comes the urge to change curtains and clean out closets.While the rest of the house gets the lion's share of attention, the kitchen suffers. It too needs to be cleaned out and reorganized too.It makes for healthier cooking and  healthier eating.

One of the first places that needs a thorough cleaning is the fridge. Many of us use ours as a modern day pantry, sticking everything and anything in it.This is a bad habit. because doing so quickly clutters up the shelves and drawers.A sparse refrigerator is a healthy one. Throw out those little odds and ends, like that barely empty jar of salsa you opened in January or that forgotten orange you meant to eat back in March .There's probably an errant yogurt from February that seriously needs to meet the garbage can too. Check sauces and dressings too,.If they look too syrupy or gummy, toss. As for the freezer, if you want to defrost it  now go ahead. it will be getting a lot of work come summer. Luckily , though,  most frozen foods don't go bad.Ice cream can be kept for a month or two past its' expiration date. Mcrowave dinners can be kept until their expiration date. Homecooked meals usually will hold up for three to four months in the fridge an then after that they're better off in the trash However chicken and turkey can last for up to six months . spice racks also need to be clean. Herbs like rosemary and oregano can last to two to three years while ground spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg can last the same amount of time as well.

Spring cleaning can also mean re evaluting your large and smaller appliances. If anything doesn't seem to be working , then look into either repairing it or buying a new one. Dishwashers last nine years while fridges can last longer at thirteen. Stainless steel sinks have to be replaced every five to tne years while ovens  can last for thirteen for electric  to fifteen years for gas. Cabinets can last for literally half a century. Gadgets should be examined for any frayed wires and loose parts. Knives can be sharpened to return them back to their original sharpness. As for those plastic containers that hold everything. these can be kept for almost a decade. Just be on the look out for cracks and rough spots due to washing. Sponges need to be replaced after every six months, however if yours is grungy at two months, toss it. Kitchens also need sprucing up too. Kitchen curtains tend to pick up grease vapors as well as splashes.wash and replace them with  light, brighter ones. Windows need to be cleaned too along with vents. Spring is also a good time to clean the oven especially after all those months of holiday roasting and baking.,

It's Spring and that means serious cleaning. Treat your kitchen the same way you do the rest of the house. Spruce it up, chuck the out dated or broken stuff . Just  spiff it up for the new season ahead.