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5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

These 5 tips for keeping a clean kitchen while cooking will help keep your kitchen from looking like a constant disaster.

This post with 5 tips for keeping a clean kitchen while cooking is part of a sponsored post written by me for SheSpeaks/Bounty. #BountyatWalmart

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

 

Okay, it's time for me to come clean. Yes, there just might be a pun there. As much as I'm known for being a pretty decent cook and baker, I'm just as well known for making a mess in the kitchen. We're talking a sink full of dirty dishes, and sometimes the counter, too. This is on top of flour on the floor and sauce on the cook top or whatever I'm cooking. I've really been trying to get better about it, though, especially since it's just not as easy to hide when you live in a very open house, unfortunately. I really don't like having to spend hours cleaning the kitchen after cooking, so I've really been trying to keep it clean while cooking. Here are 5 tips for keeping a clean kitchen while cooking that have been really helping me.

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

I love taking a me-time minute to enjoy a mug of hot chocolate.

1. Start cooking with an empty dishwasher and sink. Cooking in a messy kitchen isn't fun. Plus, adding to a mess just makes it that much more overwhelming and makes you want to clean it up even less. Make it easier on yourself and start cooking with an empty dishwasher and sink. That way you can put dirty dishes in the dishwasher and those that need soaking in the sink as you cook.

2. Wash dishes as you go and soak heavily soiled dishes immediately. I'll admit that I can be a lazy cook. While veggies sweat or sauces simmer, I'll be talking to friends on the phone or catching up on the DVR for a few minutes. However, I've been trying to get into the habit of soaking and washing dishes and wiping down counter tops during those minutes of downtime instead. It certainly helps lessen cleanup time later on.

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

However, the cats love their dairy enough to try to jump on the counters when they know they aren't supposed to and create even more messes.

3. Have a garbage bowl or bag. I love having a garbage bowl on the counter or a plastic grocery bag on a cabinet handle. Putting trash or scraps on the counter just leads to more cleaning later, and constantly going back and forth to the trashcan takes up a lot of unnecessary time and sometimes dropping things on the floor. Putting all the trash in a bowl or bag means just one mess-free trip to the trash later.

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

Luckily, 2 of my favorite brands have come together to make an easy clean-up product.

4. Use as few dishes as possible. Using as few dishes as possible has always been a challenge for me. When I first started cooking, I liked having all my ingredients in different bowls, even if they were going to be added at the same time. However, this just leads to having to do more dishes later, which is one of my least favorite chores ever. So, I've started using the same measuring spoons and cups and bowls with a quick rinse in between and when cross-contamination isn't a concern.

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

Can Bounty with Dawn keep you from crying over spilled milk?

5. Enjoy quick cleaning at your finger tips with Bounty with Dawn. I know it's not the greenest option, but I love having paper towels in my kitchen. Sponges and dish towels honestly rather gross me out because I see them as devices to spread germs and general ick around after just one use and you can only run them through the dishwasher so many times. Needless to say, I'm a huge fan of paper towels and wipes because I can use them once and throw them away without worrying about spreading germs around. That's why I love that there are now Bounty Paper Towels with Dawn!

5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking

Sure can! Just the clean you'd expect from Bounty and Dawn.

I often add Dawn to towels and sponges anyway, so I thought this was a rather brilliant idea. All you have to do is add a bit of a water to the paper towel and then wring and clean whatever you need. I've been using them for spills on the counters, messy cook overs on the stove and even cleaning dishes and the microwave. Bounty with Dawn paper towels are a bit thicker than the original kind and with the added grease fighting power of Dawn, you can really tackle just about any kitchen mess.

Get more information about Bounty by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Do you use any of these 5 Tips for Keeping a Clean Kitchen While Cooking or have other clean kitchen wisdom to share?

Alison

Saturday 23rd of May 2015

A big yes to #3 and #4, especially #4! There is just something about seeing a sink full of dirty dishes when I'm all done putting a meal together that sucks the life out of me, and something about seeing all the dishes done when I'm doing cooking that puts a little pep in my step! haha Great tips!!

Michelle

Tuesday 26th of May 2015

Thanks, Alison, I totally agree! :)