Kitchen Kritters

Kitchens need to be considered because when they aren’t then there are consequences...and they are not fun ones.  They include fires, fumes, cockroaches and various fluffy creatures, including moulds and bacteria.

So I thought it might be a good time to consider the kitchen of our shared home. 

Starting with the bins, probably the important thing to remember there is that they need to go our weekly (even when Adam is not here on every Monday night before everyone goes to bed) and in the house, the rubbish and garbage and recycles need to be sorted as per the other article you will see earlier.  If everyone helps it is easy.

Bugs and furry things love moisture and they thrive where there is both moisture AND food.  So case in point, the dishes need to be done and the benches cleaned BEFORE you go to bed. 

 For those who were not here during the Hunter escapades, you will not appreciate how many cockroaches or mice can find the joy of the abundance of food scraps on the bench tops, in the dirty dishes left on the benches or sink or on the dirty stove or when someone inadvertently misses putting garbage in the bins. 

 Settling in for Winter

It is the season critters want to be inside to keep warm (for eggs and raising litters).  Once they get a foothold it is not easy, especially at this season, to discourage them until their nightmare plays across your mind several times.  So please tidy up the kitchen when you go for lights out, this includes:

·         Washing your dishes properly and putting them in the dish drain (see below)

·         Wiping off all the bench tops, so there is nothing for critters to feast on

·         Wiping off the splash backs (behind the stove where things splash when you cook) – Windex Window cleaner with ammonia is the best for this and is stored under the sink.  If there is a heap of stuff on the surfaces, try paper towels to wipe the stuff away.

·         If you spill something on the stove while you are cooking, please wipe it up.  I have to give five stars to the Swedish women whose attitude is whoever uses the stove should clean the stove (this goes for the oven and microwave too)

·         Be sure you have not left a feast of stuff in the sink or dishwasher (see below)

·         If you put food away in the cupboards, please close the boxes or bags or put a lid on it.

·         There are some extra plastic and glass storage containers and Ziplock bags it the cupboard above where the toaster is.

·         If you are throwing garbage in the garbage container, please note it has a lid and is sprayed regularly to discourage overnight foraging and that there is a lid on it that should close off any access by critters.  However, if there is heaps of garbage the solution is that either someone has put recycles in the garbage or someone (like who is trying to add something extra to the garbage bin) should carefully take out the full bag and tie it carefully and put in the bin outside, making sure that lid also closes.

If everyone can help with this it will be super.