How often do you....

[sparrowgrass]

Claire, my fridge doesn't get cleaned often either, at least not thoroughly, because of the same problem you have. My 1872 kitchen wasn't made for a fridge--to pull the shelves/drawers out, I have to prop the screen door open so the fridge door can open far enough. (And move the table and chairs, and whatever is sitting on top of the fridge, and whatever is on the table and chairs. Makes me tired just thinking about it.)

I do clean the kitchen--dishes in dishwasher, surfaces wiped (including the top of the stove), chicken bowl (like Rachel Ray's garbage bowl, full of peels and cores and small bits of paper) taken out to the girls. I don't clean the oven often, but I don't make much of mess in there--no pies to boil over, for example.

I wipe the outside of the dishwasher a couple times a week, but not the inside, except one little strip at the bottom that collects grease and debris.

The floor is generally food free, but hairy--dogs and cats, you know. I do sweep a couple times a week, but there is NO 5 second rule in my house--if it is on the floor, it belongs to the dogs.

 

[Addie]

I never use the back burners, so they never get real dirty. About once a month I remove the drip pans and wipe up the little ring that forms under them. The front burners get done more often. I do have foil wrapped around them. Makes cleaning them so much eaiser. The stove top and front get wiped down every time I cook something. The oven has a large disposable aluminum tray on the bottom. I change that when it starts to smoke. The inside of the door gets wiped down about once a month or more often when I am baking. Only because I don't want any of the odors penetrating what I am baking.

The fridge gets cleaned as it gets dirty. Shelf by shelf. I have all glass shelves. Easier to clean than the grate kind. Crisper drawers come out once a month for cleaning. Just before I go shopping. Right now the fridge is pretty empty so I gave it a good wipe down inside.

Ever since I had the Norovirus, I have become a compulsive about keeping the counter tops clean. I have the antibacterial wipes that I got from Winthrop. My counters have my appliances on top. They also get a thorough wiping everytime I wipe the counter tops. I also wipe the faucets constantly. With the Shark Steamer, the floor gets done everytime there is a spill. It gets swept a couple of times each day. If I don't catch the crumbs or coffee grounds in my hands when I am wiping down the counter tops, then the floor gets swept immediately. I can't stand grit on my counter tops. Drives me crazy. Just one grain of sugar makes me start cleaning immediately. I am a spoon tapper. When I am putting sugar in my coffee, I tap off any excess sugar so that it won't spill on the countertop.

I am the dishwasher. I use paper plates and bowls mostly. So most of my dishwashinig is just cutlery. Mostly spoons.

The bathroom is another spot that drives me to excessive cleaning. The seat stays down when not in use. The tub gets a quick spray with Scrubbing Bubbles as soon as I step out of the shower. By the time I am dry, it is ready to be scrubbed with a brush that I have on a long handle so I don't have to bend over. The faucets get a wipedown every time I use them. Again the Shark Steamer cleans the floor for me. I wipe out the sink everytime I wash my hands.

Now the extra room off the kitchen. Right now it looks like a snow storm has hit it. I just love to wash the tissues that I never take out of the pockets when I do the laundry. And since I hang the laundry on a rack in that room, everything gets shaken out there.

I have a very difficult time using the vacuum. Ever since the bypass surgery. The main room is about 20x8 feet. And like the back room, it is carpeted. So I hate to do it, but I have to ask my son to do it about every ten days or so. Otherwise it can take me as much as two to three hours to vacuum that room.

 

[Merlot]

Clean your oven?
The burner rings/under the burners on the stove?
kitchen floor?
dishwasher?
Fridge?

I clean the whole house every Wednesday (my day off from work) Dependent on how many other things I have to do that day determines how deep the cleaning is. Dishwasher has been cleaned once or twice and even though it isnt on the list I use washing machine cleaner tablets about once a month. I cleaned my oven about 6 months ago and it about killed me I have one of those oven liners in there now. The burners get cleaned when they start smoking or I have extra time. Floors daily or every other day, refrig weekly or bi - weekly again dependent on my time! I understand your feeling s about a clean kitchen and eating CW. I would never do anything in my own kitchen that I wouldnt want someone to do to me (i.e not wash hands, pick something up off the floor) etc....

 

[CWS4322]

Here are some interesting links on germs and the kitchen:


Kitchen germs could pose health hazard for some

Kitchen Germs: Stopping Germs Where They Breed

Hidden Kitchen Germs Threaten Families | Reuters

What’s the Germiest Place in Your Kitchen? - ABC News

 

[Andy M.]

Here are some interesting links on germs and the kitchen:


Kitchen germs could pose health hazard for some

Kitchen Germs: Stopping Germs Where They Breed

Hidden Kitchen Germs Threaten Families | Reuters

What’s the Germiest Place in Your Kitchen? - ABC News

Are you on some kind of a mission here at DC?

 

[CWS4322]

One of the articles mentions not to bring one's keys, mail, or purse into the kitchen. I don't do that, but my parents do. And, I just put te reusable grocery bags in the wash last night.

 

[CWS4322]

Are you on some kind of a mission here at DC?

No--but I do think kitchen hygiene is important--there are things that we all do that we don't think about (the purse on the counter--shopping bag on the counter). A little reminder now and again doesn't hurt.

 

[Andy M.]

No--but I do think kitchen hygiene is important--there are things that we all do that we don't think about (the purse on the counter--shopping bag on the counter). A little reminder now and again doesn't hurt.

I'm guessing the "three second rule" isn't in effect in your kitchen.

 

[Merlot]

I work in a germy nursing home, I take my shoes off at the door but my purse goes on the "store all counter". I guess if I feel like Im clean enough Im not going to worry about it. I actually like to clean, it relaxes me but I dont do it necessarily with germs in mind and I don't have much time! I do it so my little boys school friends wont say ew he has a dirty house!

I have never stopped to think about washing my grocery bags and I can barely get the rest of my laundry clean without piling up! I don't fault you for doing it CW, to each their own. I used to pick lint off of the carpet after I swept. Couldnt stand to see anything that may have gotten missed. Then I got a child and now I do what I can!

 

[Dawgluver]

One of the articles mentions not to bring one's keys, mail, or purse into the kitchen. I don't do that, but my parents do. And, I just put te reusable grocery bags in the wash last night.

I didn't realize you could wash the reusable grocery bags. Will have to try that, will it work with the Walmart bags? They look like they're made with stuff that shouldn't be washed. I never put the bags or my purse on the counter. I'm obsessive about washing my hands after handling money.

I just clean as I go, don't use the oven much, and it's got a self cleaning feature which I probably use once a year. Glasstop stove makes life easy, with a razor scraper and liquid cleaner. I use a lot of generic bleach spray for sinks and counter tops, along with vinegar. The fridge doesn't get cleaned as often as it should. I let the dishwasher clean itself, Lemishine really helps. Beagle is on floor duty, along with Roomba and the Hoover Floormate.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I never left dishes in the sink until about two years ago. Shrek does the dishes now, it gives him something to do and he waits until I've gone to work to do his thing. So the dishes get left now. I do rinse them.

Clean as I go as much as possible or cleaned the next day if I'm tired. But I do not obsess over it. Before I cook, I make sure I clean anything the cats may have walked on, even though I've never caught them at it.

 

[CWS4322]

I didn't realize you could wash the reusable grocery bags. Will have to try that, will it work with the Walmart bags? They look like they're made with stuff that shouldn't be washed. I never put the bags or my purse on the counter. I'm obsessive about washing my hands after handling money.

I just clean as I go, don't use the oven much, and it's got a self cleaning feature which I probably use once a year. Glasstop stove makes life easy, with a razor scraper and liquid cleaner. I use a lot of generic bleach spray for sinks and counter tops, along with vinegar. The fridge doesn't get cleaned as often as it should. I let the dishwasher clean itself, Lemishine really helps. Beagle is on floor duty, along with Roomba and the Hoover Floormate.

I wash the cloth ones in the machine with other stuff, but the ones that are that plastic-like woven stuff, I run those through on the gentle cycle. Where I live, if you want a grocery bag (plastic--we don't have paper ones anymore except at the LCBO), you pay a nickel/bag. I heard the city of Toronto has BANNED grocery bags. Great for the environment, supposedly, but according to Dr. Oz, produce is often covered with stuff (which ends up in a lot of people's grocery bags if they opt to not put each item in a "produce" plastic bag--which are still free here. The theory is that most people don't put meat in a dedicated bag--I know I don't, I'd have to write on the bag to remember which bag I used for meat). I have a mountain of laundry waiting to go in the washer. It is supposed to rain tonight, so it'll have to remain a mountain until Monday when I come back from the farm.

If s/thing lands on the floor, it belongs to the dog (the dog is not allowed in the kitchen when I'm cooking--this is the rule that was put in place when there were 5-7 Saint Bernards and Newfoundlands in the house. It could be dangerous to slip on drool with a sharp knife in one's hand. I was amazed at how often I did the splits when there were that many droolers in residence. Anyway, the dogs were taught to "whoosh" which meant, to back up until they were off the kitchen floor and in the other room. They would all sit in a line and watch. Saint Bernards don't catch flying objects well). If the dog isn't around, whatever hits the floor goes in the chicken pail.

My mother was a surgical nurse before she retired. She traveled with cleaning supplies and would clean the hotel room before we could use anything. She also traveled with her own sheets and pillows.

 

[taxlady]

... When will they invent a door window that doesn't get messy in between the layers of glass?...

That is certainly one of my pet peeves. Apparently Danes don't put up with that nonsense. I took this picture in my mum's apartment. My sister had let a friend stay and she left the oven filthy (it was brand new). If you look at the sides of the glass, you can see bronze twisty thingees that hold the glass in place. On that oven, you can clean in between the layers of glass.

 

[taxlady]

Let me take these one at a time.

I like to think that my kitchen is cleaner than the average chicken butt.

I am more squeamish about other people's cooties than I am my own.

I very rarely cook or eat on my kitchen floor.

I leave the lid up, TMI ?

I really think all of this cleaning is bad for my immune system!

Absolutely agree.

I worry about raw eggs because of salmonella from sloppy farms.

 

[taxlady]

I think something in the fridge growled at me just now.

You're supposed to clean the fridge?

 

[Dawgluver]

That is certainly one of my pet peeves. Apparently Danes don't put up with that nonsense. I took this picture in my mum's apartment. My sister had let a friend stay and she left the oven filthy (it was brand new). If you look at the sides of the glass, you can see bronze twisty thingees that hold the glass in place. On that oven, you can clean in between the layers of glass.

I would love that. No twisty thingees on my oven door, and just how the heck does it get so crudded up INSIDE, between the glass panels? It looks totally sealed.

 

[taxlady]

I would love that. No twisty thingees on my oven door, and just how the heck does it get so crudded up INSIDE, between the glass panels? It looks totally sealed.

There is a vent somewhere near the top of the oven door. Often on the top edge. Food falls in through the vent. Bad design. They should make the folks who design this stuff use and clean it.

 

[CWS4322]

Could it be because of a difference re: regulations? North American requirements may require that vent...who knows. But it is annoying. One can take the door apart, but even I'm not going there to clean that (unless I were to put the house on the market and wanted to include the appliances...I use my oven fairly often). Now I'll have to ask the Ph.D. why the oven door is such a poor design.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

You're supposed to clean the fridge?

I'm afraid to put my hand in there to look.

 

[Dawgluver]

There is a vent somewhere near the top of the oven door. Often on the top edge. Food falls in through the vent. Bad design. They should make the folks who design this stuff use and clean it.

You're right. There's a hole where the latch goes for the self-cleaning cycle, up near the top of the door.

I've never had anything explode in the oven, the only thing that would cause stuff to get in there would be the steam build up. No way food could fall in it, the hole is up too high.