Did you know that tonight’s wrong cleaning efforts can affect tomorrow’s dinner? We are going to share 12 common cleaning mistakes that can make your food taste bad and how to fix them.
1. Put Off Cleaning Oven Spills
When food spills or splatters occur inside your oven, it’s easy to procrastinate cleaning them up. It’s not like it’s hurting anyone, right? But leaving splatters and spills in your oven can definitely affect how your food tastes! Food spills will continue to bake and burn in your oven, and they can give off odors that can impact the taste and smell of whatever you cook next.
2. You Don’t Scrub The Chopping Boards
Scrubbing your chopping boards are actually necessary. Rid them of lingering smells – and germs you can’t see – by washing your wooden boards properly.
The simple tip is to sprinkle them with table salt, then scrub them down with half a lemon. The grains should penetrate into the wood grain, leading to a cleaner board. Finish by washing with hot, soapy water and leave to dry completely before putting away.
3. Use Too Much Dishwasher Detergent
Using more detergent than necessary can make it impossible for your dishwasher to completely rinse your dishes. It could leave behind a detergent residue on your dishes that may taint the taste of whatever food you serve on them. To prevent this from happening, make sure you’re only using as much detergent as the package recommends.
4. Don’t Rinse Surfaces Well Enough
Most cleaners you use on your kitchen surfaces don’t need to be rinsed with water, but some do! Any time you use a bleach solution when cleaning your kitchen, make sure to rinse the area thoroughly. This simple step will help prevent cleaner residue from getting transferred to your food!
5. Clean Your Fridge and Freezer Irregularly
At least every three months is best practice, but you should know it’s time when your food (or ice cubes) starts to get a fridge or freezer taste to them.
Take out shelves and drawers, then wipe down and deodorize with white vinegar or lemon juice. Nix bad smells by placing an open box of bicarb soda in the fridge and freezer to absorb odors.
6. Throw Your Garlic Press In The Dishwasher
Tossing your garlic press into your dishwasher may not be getting it as clean as you’d hope. To keep old garlic bits from clogging up the holes, you’re better off hand-washing your garlic press. Use an old toothbrush to get into all those nooks and crannies!
7. Place Your Utensils In The Dishwasher Incorrectly
Do you ever unload your dishwasher to find food particles caked onto your spoons, forks, and knives? This may be because your utensils are being nestled together, preventing the spray from reaching them. Spoons tend to nestle together, making it hard for the dishwasher to clean the space between them.
To fix this issue, have your utensils face outward – away from each other – to ensure they get a good clean.
8. Washing Cast Iron In The Dishwasher
Washing cast iron in your dishwasher is a big no-no! Your dishwasher will quickly remove the outer seasoned layer from a cast iron pan. An unseasoned cast iron pan will cook less evenly and be more prone to sticking, which will surely affect the taste of the foods you cook in it.
9. Don’t Clean Food Containers Thoroughly
Plastic food storage containers can absorb the colors and smells of certain foods. The containers can then pass on that smell and taste to whatever food you happen to store next.
The good news, there’s an easy way to eliminate food residues and odors from your storage containers. Just pour a splash or two of white vinegar into the container, then fill in the rest of the way with warm water. Let it sit out for a few hours, then wash as usual. The container will be much fresher after the vinegar soak!
10. Don’t Clean Your Grill
Cooking on a grill grate that is crusted with charred gunk will definitely affect the taste of your food! Be sure to scrub your grill’s grates clean before each use. You can use half an onion speared on a BBQ fork to scrub your grill grates, and it won’t leave any bristles behind!
11. Don’t Clean Blades Separately
Cleaning blenders, food processors and electric can openers by swishing around warm water and detergent isn’t enough – food particles will inevitably remain. After you’re done blitzing, you have to remove the blades and wash them separately to prevent gunk (and bacteria) build-up.
12. Don’t Remove Descale Your Coffee Maker
To keep your coffee tasting great, make sure to descale your coffee machine every once in a while! Minerals from your water can build up on the inside of the machine over time, affecting the taste of the coffee it brews.
Luckily, descaling your coffee machine is easy! Just fill your coffee machine’s water reservoir with equal parts of white vinegar and water. Run a brewing cycle (with no coffee or filter), then discard the water and vinegar mixture. Run the machines at least twice more with clean water each time to flush out any remaining vinegar.