Odour-free kitchen

Between summertime gatherings of friends, and bored teenagers spending hours in front of the fridge looking for snacks, you may have noticed your kitchen getting more use than normal recently. Are things starting to look a little dated or dingy? Could the most popular room in the house use some freshening up? Luckily, there are some quick fixes and tricks that can make a big impact in very little time.

Deep clean

Time to get your hands dirty! You may be surprised at how big of a difference a good deep cleaning can make. It’s the first step to getting everything looking good. Start with the appliances — all of them. Get the toaster cleared of crumbs, the dust off the stand mixer, and the layer of grease off the stove. Thoroughly clean floors, wipe down cabinet doors and get into the crevasses of your counter. If you have granite countertops, finish with a spray of glass cleaner to bring them to a shine.

Switch up lighting

Here’s another easy idea for making a big impact. The brighter your kitchen, the bigger it will look, the easier it will be to use, and the more enjoyable it will be to spend time in. Switch out any remaining incandescent lighting for more efficient LED bulbs. Add pendants over an island or a more dramatic chandelier over an eating area. Look around the room for dark corners or areas underneath cabinets that would benefit from additional lighting.

Clean out the fridge and defrost the freezer

This is the coolest tip on our list — literally. The key here is to be mindful of what product(s) you use to clean. You should always avoid getting strong cleaners and disinfectants near food. We suggest using your typical dish soap and water or making your own solution by filling your kitchen sink with a gallon of warm water and mixing in 1 cup of ammonia, ½ cup vinegar, and ¼ cup baking soda. The solution will be powerful enough to cut grease and food spills, but still, keep you safe.

If it’s been more than a year since you’ve defrosted the freezer, now is the time. A neglected freezer will run more efficiently and save on energy once it has been properly defrosted. The warm weather will help move the process along quickly, just take extra care to keep food cold while the ice is melting away.