Cleaning Counters/utensils

[Kelby]

Hi again everybody,

I have some more questions but I figure if I tackle them individually and work on each thing over time.

My next question is do I NEED to re-equip my kitchen or is there a simpler way to clean my stuff so that I can continue to use it? On another thread, I was told that white vinegar is good for counters, but would that work for my other stuff?

Thanks a lot in advance guys!

[sa1937]

Hi again everybody,

I have some more questions but I figure if I tackle them individually and work on each thing over time.

My next question is do I NEED to re-equip my kitchen or is there a simpler way to clean my stuff so that I can continue to use it? On another thread, I was told that white vinegar is good for counters, but would that work for my other stuff?

Thanks a lot in advance guys!

Welcome, Kelby! I think you have to just use good judgment as to what you need to replace in your kitchen. I automatically bought new cutting boards, new wooden spoons, a new colander and a new toaster. I also replaced some ancient scratched nonstick cookware that probably should have been replaced years ago. Not everything has to be expensive. Right away I replaced things I use all the time and other things gradually. I also got rid of some old Tupperware that I knew I'd never get clean.

My premise is that if I could get it clean, I kept it. If not, out it went.

I've read about vinegar but have not tried that myself. I think a good scubbing with soap and water works pretty well on a lot of things.

[ravenwoodglass]

You do need to replace the items Sylvia mentioned. If you have favorite cast iron pans some folks have spoken of putting them thru the self clean option on their ovens and then reseasoning. As far as cleaning goes. We pulled everything out of the cupboards that had gluten foods and wiped those down well (our whole home became gluten free) and the same with counters. We also did the same with our silver ware drawer as it is surprising how many crumbs hide there.

[kareng]

The 2 before me said what I would say. I'm the one that uses vinegar. Its cheap. My counters are made of Silestone so the manufacturer says not to use acidic cleaners. I just used Dawn dish detergent & water. When I baked with gluten, I used it to get the flour out of all the little cracks on my mixer.

Like Raven said - don't forget the drawers and cabinets where crumbs can lurk. If you have a hand vacuum or an attachment, you can suck the crumbs out before washing & drying.

I love giving a young person cleaning advice! My 2 sons don't want it.

[Kelby]

Thanks so much for the replies (again).

I am going to go through my stuff and decide what I need to replace and what I can clean. A lot of the stuff you guys mentioned I have already got rid of, but a few of those things are definitely going to have to go.

I never even though that gluten could be lurking basically anywhere that I have cooked in the past, but I really appreciate the tips and will definitely give that a shot.

[areyoufreakingceliac?]

I did all the same things. I do still feed my kids regular bread though so I am pretty hyper vigilent about cleaning the counters - I use soap and water. Also I have my own cutting board (it's red and the rest in the house are white) only I am allowed to use my cutting board/knife. We also invested in a new sanitizing dishwasher to keep everything clean between uses.