Kitchen Tips for Chopping, Cleaning and DIY Repairs

The kitchen is the activity center of the home, and as one who organizes, preps and cleans up after all kitchen activities, I've learned a lot of shortcuts and tips. Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tips for chopping, cleaning and simple DIY repairs that will help make the time spent in the kitchen more enjoyable.

Keep Cutting Board Still

It's hard to chop vegetables when your cutting board is bouncing around the countertop with every chop. Keep that cutting board still and in place by putting a rubber band around each end of the cutting board. The rubber bands will provide just enough traction to keep the cutting board still while you chop, and are easy to remove for board cleanup.

Remove Marker Stains from Kitchen Countertop

Got marker stains from a child's craft project or grocery sticker ink embedded in your kitchen countertop? A little rubbing alcohol will remove it and make the countertop look good as new. Pour a little rubbing alcohol on the marker stain (test an inconspicuous counter surface first) and rub with a cloth or paper towel until marker stain has dissolved.

Easy Clean for Oven Door

That cooked on film and greasy layer of gunk that builds up inside the oven door can easily be cleaned without using toxic chemicals with this cleaning tip: Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, then apply the paste to the inside of the oven door. Don't be stingy with the mixture and make sure the entire door surface is covered with the baking soda paste. Allow paste to set for 20 minutes, then scrape off the dried baking soda paste and gunk with a pot scraper (or similar kitchen utensil) and rinse with hot water. As the baking soda paste dries, it absorbs all the greasy film, gunk and even cooking odors, leaving oven shiny clean and smelling fresh.

Temporary Screen Fix

I enjoy having my kitchen windows and/or door open while I'm cooking, however, if there's even the tiniest tear in the window or door screen, pests find it and come into my kitchen. Let the breeze in and keep the pests out with this temporary screen fix: Cut a small piece of pantyhose slightly larger than the screen tear, apply a line of glue around the screen hole and press the pantyhose patch into place. This will keep the pests outside until a more opportune time for a permanent fix, at which time the pantyhose patch and glue will be easy to remove by peeling them of the screen.