Turkey Day is almost upon us (hurray!) And with so much activity in the kitchen, now is a great time to review some safety tips to make sure you have an injury- and crisis-free holiday. After all, you have more pressing things to worry about, such as cooking the perfect turkey!
When it comes to kitchen safety while preparing a large meal, keep these tips in mind:
*Don't let clutter pile up on the stove or range. It's hard to do, because you probably have several dishes going at once, along with their accompanying mixing bowls and utensils. Yet make sure you only have pots and pans on your stove. You'll lessen the risk of knocking something over or accidentally pouring grease on the surface, which could easily catch fire.
*In the event of a grease fire, do not pour water on it. If the fire is in a pan or pot, put on an oven mitt and put a lid over the pot to smother the fire. If the fire is in a more open area, smother it with baking soda. You may also want to keep a fire extinguisher handy, too, which is an ideal tool with which to put out any fire.
And speaking of fires, I have a quick tip to share with you (sadly enough, from personal experience.) Take a few minutes in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to give your stove burners and oven a good scrub. If you have an electric range, take off your burners, remove the burner pans and thoroughly wash them with soap, water and steel wool. While boiling water at a high heat, one of our range pans caught fire. It was completely unexpected -- and took a few minutes (and the calm thinking of my rational husband) to extinguish. Since you'll likely have your stove on for a prolonged period of time, it's best to start with as clean an appliance as possible.
During colder months, and especially throughout the holidays, your kitchen will likely see much more traffic and activity as you prepare meals and host guests.
If your kitchen is in need of a little pre-holiday update, don't worry -- you have plenty of time to make changes. We've compiled a list of common updates to help you plan your to-do list and timeline.
1. Replace appliances. If your appliances are outdated, now's the time to replace them. According to a chart published by This Old House, here is the life expectancy of most major kitchen appliances:
Gas ranges (15 yrs)
Range hoods (14 yrs)
Refrigerators and electric ranges (13 yrs)
Garbage disposals (12 yrs)
Freezers (11 yrs)
Dishwashers (9 yrs)
Microwave ovens (9 yrs)
Compactors (6 yrs)
2. Clean. Cleaning isn't high on our list of favorite things to do, but a thorough deep cleaning will help keep your appliances in proper working order. Plus, who doesn't love spending time in a sparkling room? Wipe down your oven, stove and microwave. Unplug your fridge and clean the condenser coils. And while you're working with the fridge, remove old food and leftovers from the fridge and freezer so that you have plenty of space to store new leftovers, groceries and edible gifts.
Wood butcher block countertops have become a popular choice in kitchen countertops. They give any kitchen a rustic farmhouse look but can also be gussied up with the right hardware to be modern and hip.
The problem with any organic countertop material is that they take on oils and dirt and need to be cleaned regularly to prevent bacteria from taking hold.
Our friends at DIY Life have shared the steps to refresh a butcher block countertop and we think they are valuable tips that can not only serve as a reminder to work on your countertop but also what it takes to maintain a butcher block countertop.
Step 1: If the surface seems sticky and oily, run a wide plastic putty knife over the surface to remove as much of the residue as you can.
Step 2: Mask of the remainder of the kitchen with plastic sheeting and pull on a sanding mask and goggles.
The Kitchen Designer has come through again with some great tips for preparing your kitchen to show during an open house. It takes more than just wiping down the counters and clearing the sink.
Here are the first 10.
* When showing your home, turn on all the lights in the kitchen
* Clean the windows inside and out as well as window treatments if necessary
* Declutter your counters. I'll say it again. Declutter your counters!
* Clean and organize the interiors of your cabinets - people will look inside
* Pay particular attention to organizing a food/pantry cabinet - this can look surprisingly good if shapes and sizes are arranged well
