5 Ways to Freshen your Kitchen for Spring

The weather is warming up and we’re all excited for springtime!  I’m sure you plan to work on spring cleaning your home and I have a few suggestions for areas to pay a little extra attention to in your kitchen.

• Tea towels, dish cloths and scrubbies

I opened my linens drawer yesterday and couldn’t help but notice how dingy, threadbare and smelly my cloths and tea towels were.  Spring is a fantastic time to toss out the old and fill your drawer with new, fresh and functional linens.

If your towels are in good shape but could use a freshening up try washing them with vinegar.  Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the wash load and any musty or mildew smells will be gone.  Make sure they’re rinsed well and dry as usual.

To avoid smells lingering on your new towels make sure they are hung to dry well between uses.

• Room Fragrance

I love choosing a new room fragrance for spring.  It’s time to replace the spruce and spicy winter scents with fresh and springy lilac, rose and lemon scents.

Along with your room fragrance, consider swapping hand soaps and lotions with spring scented ones as well.

• Bar Keepers Friend

If your sinks are scaly and your stainless appliances are less than sparkling then it’s time to grab some Bar Keepers Friend.  Use it to get the soap and hard water off your stainless and chrome surfaces.

This product also does an amazing job on your backsplash tiles and grout.  If your grout has become stained and you’re wondering if it’s time to re-tile, stop and try this first.  You’ll be surprized what it can do! Bar keepers friend is also perfect for scraping up any stubborn bits from your glass cooktop.

• Replace Filters

Spring cleaning leads to hot weather and hot weather means drinking lots of water.  It’s time to prepare your appliances for all that extra use by replacing their water filters. Many coffee pots, water jugs, fridges and more now include built in water filters and really they’re a great idea for our area where the water is usually on the hard side of the scale – meaning there are many minerals that can gunk up lines and can leave drinks and coffee tasting off.  These filters should be replaced regularly and spring cleaning time is a great time to do it.  Add this to your yearly routine and not only will your beverages taste better but it helps save wear and tear on your appliances too.

• Clean your Fridge

There are probably things in your fridge that aren’t fit to be consumed any longer.  Every year when we start up the bbq I discover a jar of relish that is long expired and am then sad I can’t have relish on my first burger of the season.  Now is the time to toss out all the old stuff, restock and wipe down your fridge.  Get those crispers ready for farmer’s market season and update your condiments.

Following these suggestions will ensure your kitchen is bright and fresh for the upcoming summer entertaining season.  Once it’s all complete I hope you enjoy some springtime sun!