What makes a kitchen easy to clean /easy to keep clean?
mrspete
9 years ago
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DIY2Much2Do
9 years agofunkycamper
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Wole or Bluestar - are they really easy to keep clean?
Comments (3)Greetings, Renno: We have a 36inch BlueStar 4-burner range (it's the stainless steel finish RCB unit from Costco Canada). I am learning to love it, because it generally cooks very well, though with some quirks that I am learning. Cleaning is not particularly easy. This appliance does not look like it belongs in Martha's kitchen, nor does it polish up easily with a swipe. It has a commercial look to it (that I quite like). I've had a couple of boil-over pots. Each time, the mess disappeared into the workings of the stove. However, cleanup was not as bad as I feared. I just put the cast iron burners and grates into the dishwasher, then carefully lifted the individual messy burner out (it lifts out easily, and the igniter comes off with a single cross-head screw). I put the burner into the dishwasher too, and then ran the dishwasher with the cookware setting (Miele Novotronic). They all cleaned up nicely. The unit contains a one-piece stainless steel slide-out spill tray located under the burners. After my first spill, I learned to line the tray with aluminium foil, so cleanup was a simple peel-and-replace job. I did not have a choice of finish - just stainless steel, which is not as easy to keep clean as good old white enamel. But I can live with it. So in conclusion, it can be kept reasonably clean without excessive slavery, unless you demand a sparkling-clean appliance in show-room condition at all times. best regards, Peter-A...See MoreA working easy clean kitchen?
Comments (53)My current house is anything but easy to clean. The #1 thing I want in my new house -- our retirement house, which we're planning -- is efficiency. I was everything well-planned for our lifestyle so that I can keep things neat and tidy with less effort. Things I must have in my kitchen: - Huge walk-through pantry with floor-to-ceiling shelves for food, seldom-used cooking items, bulk-purchased paper products, etc. I love self-rotating can storage and will definitely add more when I have the space. I love the idea of everything being visible and in its place, and shelves are much less expensive than cabinets. - A four-foot countertop in the middle of the pantry so that as I walk in from the garage, I can drop groceries and sort them right on to the shelves. Food won't enter my kitchen 'til I'm ready to cook it. - No lightswitch in the pantry. Instead, I want automatic lights that turn on anytime I walk in ('cause don't you always have your hands full in the pantry?). Ditto for hallways, laundry room. - Toe-kick vaccum suction thingies to eliminate the need for dust pans. - I want my cabinets to be nice but simple. No deep engravings or requires-lots-of-wiping-down decorations on the cabinet fronts. No turned legs or feet to make the cabinets look like furniture -- I don't much care for those things anyway. - Depending upon the cabinet arrangement we go with, I might have cabinet doors that open on both sides. My great-great-great aunt had this when I was growing up, and it is SO practical for everyday dishes. You can wash your dishes in the kitchen and fill the cabinet from one side . . . then you go into the dining room, open the cabinet from the other side, and set the table. - Likewise, simple edges on the countertops. Less expensive, less chance of chipping, fewer places for spills to accumulate. - Drawers rather than cabinets so that I can use all the space at the back without difficulty. - We'll probably have one Lazy Susan. I definitely want a light inside that cabinet. - One drawer will have a built-in spot for knife storage. I want as little clutter as possible on my countertops. - One cabinet will house garbage and recycling. This cabinet will be positioned between my sink/clean-up area and my prep area. - Few upper cabinets. No, I don't go for the trendy shelves-instead-of-cabinets (how much space you give up, and if it wasn't 100% neat, it'd look awful), but I'm too short to reach the uppers comfortably. So we're minimizing them. - One upper cabinet designed for spices. I have a fantastic spice storage system (not built-in, but perfect), and I'm making sure the cabinets are sized just right for it. - Light fixtures that are not shaped like a drinking glass. Why? Because bugs get in there and die, and it's trouble to take down the fixture and clean it. In contrast, a fixture that is "open on the bottom" doesn't collect buggies. - I like my glass-top stove, but I love the raised lip around the edge. When something spills, it stays on the stovetop rather than running down the front. - I love my refrigerator with pull-out shelves . . . but I despise that it's in a corner and I can only open the door 90 degrees. The shelves and crisper on the left side are pretty much permanant fixtures. - Appliances that do not show finger prints. - The dishwasher will open in such a way that it does not block access to any cabinets (upper or lower) when it's open. - No appliance, no door should impede traffic flow. - Definitely an undermount sink. Un-fussy one-handled faucet -- the fewer pieces, the fewer places to accumulate grime. Also a medium-sized one-bowl sink with the drain positioned on one side rather than in the middle (leaves more space under the sink for cleaning products to be stored). Good garbage disposal. - No prep sink. The size of the kitchen we're planning doesn't really lend itself to two sinks, and I see two sinks as two things to clean and two sets of plumbing to eventually break down. - Since we're in the South with red clay soil, we're going with a tile with a slight red tint -- think terra cotta, but not quite so red. Or maybe I'll stick with hardwood throughout the house. I'm not certain on that one. - Very important: A top-quality floor mat at every exterior door. Be sure it's at least five steps long. This'll keep a tremendous amount of dirt from entering your house. Things I'm having even though they will be some trouble: - Glass-front cabinets. Love them. Will clean them without complaint. - Large window over the sink. Again, want the light pouring in and will clean the window without complaint. - Curtains. Yeah, I know that most of the magazines showcase wide-open windows, but I like the softness of pretty curtains. The two suggestions I'd give you in planning: - Inventory everything you have in your kitchen. And anticipate whether you're the type to add every new small appliance that comes along, whether you're likely to add another set of dishes, etc. Then, looking at your floor plan, mentally put away every item. Does it all fit? Does it leave a reasonable amount of space for expansion? - Once you're satisified with your cabinet arrangement, mentally walk through some of your typical meal preps. Where will you stand to chop your vegetables? Are your favorite knives stored nearby? How far do you have to reach for the trash can? Where do you reach for your frying pan? Where's the oil? A couple hours staring at your floor plans will save you regrets....See MoreConstructing an Easy-to-Clean Kitchen
Comments (18)Everything I picked out had to be easy clean. - modified shaker doors (wanted the ones May_flowers has, but not available in my line so I got ones that are close) - simple pulls with no crevices, Amerock Westerly - rounded sink corner vs zero radius - single hole faucet with no fancy details, and a handle without crevices, Kohler Simplice, which will be mounted with handle in the front - cork floor - only 36 in uppers, but will have spacer and crown to the ceiling (8ft) - induction range, which I do feel is easier to clean since things don't get baked on like radiant heat - planned storage for mixer, dishes, etc so everything has a home - hood! Real venting at last! No seams in the housing, and powerful enough to use on low most of the time so it will be quiet. Also have a powder room off the kitchen - skirted toilet - simple vanity with shelf inside - coated vanity light that the lighting guy swore only needs a swipe with a dry rag to keep clean. We'll see. It was calling my name though. I would have used slab doors if I thought the house would support the look. I think I might regret picking a busy granite, thought I'd like it hiding stuff, now I'm not sure. But it will be easy to clean, so might not be a problem....See MoreWhat blinds do have behind sink that easy to clean?
Comments (7)I know that faux wood blinds are recommended for kitchens and baths because you can clean them and they aren't effected by moisture as much. But you have already tried that and it isn't working for you. Oakleyok suggested vinyl roller blinds. That is a good idea. Maybe there are some stylistic options available on those that would make them look nicer in your kitchen--scalloped edges, trims, etc. I am wondering if natural shades could be another option. You can't "wash" them, but if you have a nice variance of color in the shades, the splashes won't really show. Is that tacky? Anyway, to determine what the most practical solutions might be for your scenario, pose the question to the experts on the Bali Blinds FB page. They have an Ask The Expert tool that is really helpful. Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Shade Options...See Moresena01
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