Less Kitchen Mess Series, Part 1: "Crusty Stuff"

My husband and I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A LOT. We love trying new recipes and experimenting with cuisines around the world, but clean up can be brutal. Thanks to a few 'duh!' moments we've experienced along away, as well as helpful tidbits learned from Mom and friends who have worked in restaurant kitchens, we've found a few ways to cut cleaning corners. Our goal is to get out of the kitchen sooner, and on to something more interesting.

Some ideas are more for preventative maintenance and will save you chunks of time later . . . . other ideas will save a little time now, but it all adds up.

"Crusty Stuff" is dedicated to caked-on, baked-on, should-I-just-throw-this-out? kind of messes. See if any of the ideas below can help save you some time and trouble (and feel free to add your own tips and tricks in the Comments section!)

• Soften baked-on goop on stove tops and pizza stones by topping it with a rag(s) full of hot soapy water . Let it sit for 15-20 minutes or longer, then scrape off with a scrubby pad or moistened steel wool or plastic scraper. Stiff brushes wont harm the surface of a pizza stone, and for ceramic cooktops, follow manufacturer's instructions.


• Boiling water can break down baked-on and burned concoctions that stick like an epoxy. I'm not a fan of scrubbing a pan more than a few minutes, so I found the best way to tackle a tough one is to pour boiling water in the pan and let brew with some dishwashing soap to cut up the grease. It usually works on the first try, but sometimes requires repeated applications.
• (Hint: if you're interested in efficiency, let the soapy rags and boiling water do their thing while you're cleaning up the dishes or other parts of the kitchen. By the time you're done with that, the offending ick should be sufficiently softened.)


• Does your microwave look like This is Where Food Goes to Die? Spiff it up by filling a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl half-way with water. Add a 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the water and set on high for 4-5 minutes. Leave the door closed for a few minutes while the steam softens the crud and the vinegar gets rid of the odors. The bowl will be hot, so be careful when you remove it. Wipe down with soft cloth and clean the glass plate. (The smell of vinegar dissapates in a few minutes but if you cant stand the fumes, a dish rag soaked in water and dishwashing soap accomplishes the same thing. The cloth must be dripping to avoid a fire hazard.) Oh, and if you can get into the habit of loosely covering dishes with paper towels, napkins, wax paper or food container tops turned upside down, you can avoid the mess in the first place.





• Safe yourself a few minutes of scrubbing egg'ed up or starchy pans by throwing them immediately in a hot soapy sink, or by pouring hot water into the pans (with dirty utensils resting inside) to cool on the burner while you eat. The water breaks down the starch before it hardens into something worthy of the MOHS scale.


• If your grill burners are so black with burnt food they look like foam insulation has been sprayed on them, it's time to get serious. Remove the burners from the grill, knock the biggest chunks off, spray copious amounts of oven cleaner outside, and let them sit for a half day or so. Rinse with the hose and cleanup the stubborn parts with a wire brush. This also works on gas grill burners and oven racks. Stay ahead of the game by oiling your grill burners before throwing on the meat. Clean gas grill burners frequently with stainless steel wool pads to avoid the big mess later on.


• Avoid tedious poking around with dirty muffin/cupcake pans: use paper/foil cups, and spray the top of the pan with cooking spray for easy removal and cleanup.

Now get out of the kitchen - life waits for no one!