YOUR APPLIANCES

Keep your kitchen workhorses sparkling with these simple tips

BLENDER

To clean a blender without scrubbing all the nooks and crannies, fill it halfway with hot tap water, with a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap. Blend the soapy mixture on high speed for one or two minutes, then pour out the water (and everything else) and rinse the canister to get rid of soap residue.

REFRIGERATOR

If your fridge still smells funky after you’ve thrown out the questionable leftovers, it’s time for a deep clean. Put perishables into a cooler, tossing anything that looks suspect as you go, such as the salad dressing you tried but didn’t really like, or the hot sauce you bought but never actually opened. Take out all the shelves and drawers, scrubbing them as needed, then wipe down all the inside surfaces with hot, soapy water. Cover stubborn sticky spots with a wet, soapy paper towel, then go back after a few minutes and try scraping them off. A halved lemon can also dissolve nasty fridge gunk.

DISHWASHER

Your dishwasher does an awful lot of cleaning. Don’t forget that it also needs a little TLC from time to time. Start by rolling out the racks and taking a close look at the drain, inspecting it for any chunks that might be partially plugging it up. Next, to get rid of grime and odours, replace the racks and place a dishwashersafe bowl facing up on the top rack. Fill the bowl with plain white vinegar, and run your dishwasher (with just the vinegar) on the hottest setting. Finish by sprinkling about a cup of baking soda over the bottom of your dishwasher and running another short cycle.

OVEN

If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your oven, don’t turn on the automatic cleaner setting, which can do more harm than good – and make an awful smell. And take a pass on harsh cleaners, too. Instead, reach for distilled white vinegar and baking soda from your pantry. Begin by emptying your oven (racks and all) then dissolving a few tablespoons of water into half a cup of baking soda to create a spreadable paste. Coat the entire interior of the oven with the paste – wear rubber gloves for this part – working around any heating elements. Let the paste dry overnight, then wipe it away with a damp cloth, scraping up any chunks with a rubber spatula as you work. Finish by spraying down the oven with the distilled white vinegar, which will cause any remaining baking soda to foam. Keep wiping and spraying until your cloth comes out clean.

MICROWAVE

De-gunk your microwave while disinfecting your sponges. Pour one to two cups of water and a little lemon juice in a microwave-safe dish. Put the bowl in the microwave and place your damp sponge next to it. Heat until the water comes to the boil. Let both sit in the microwave for a few minutes while the steam goes to work. Remove the bowl, the sponge and the tray (if your microwave has one), then wipe down the inside walls with a damp cloth.