6 Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Kitchen

I got this from my monthly Beachbody newsletter & thought it would be a good read for you.

By Joe Wilkes

It's almost springtime, which for a lot of us means it's time to do a deep-clean of our homes—throwing out the old, organizing the new, storing the winter clothes, and getting ready for warmer weather and a fresh start. For others, it's the beginning of another season of denial about how squalid our living conditions have become. Even more than New Year's, spring is a good time to make some new resolutions and create an environment that'll make us want to keep them. Here are some ideas for getting your kitchen into shape.


Out with the old. I like to think of my refrigerator as a cabinet of hope. Most times, it's full of fruits and vegetables, purchased in a fit of confidence that I would steam and stir-fry my way to a slimmer me. Then I end up going out to restaurants with friends, and my Sunday produce ends up looking pretty bad by week's end. Yet, unbelievably, I leave it all in my refrigerator with the hope that it'll somehow return to a state of edibility. Similarly, expired dairy products and aging condiment bottles litter my shelves, the result of my misguided optimism that they too will come back in fashion—like my '80s wardrobe will, if I just wait long enough. I'm here to tell you, however, that there's been no grocery miracle in my refrigerator these many years. And now, it's time to give the expired residents of this frosty food hinterland a proper burial.

First thing to do: Get rid of everything that even looks old. Be merciless. If it's past the expiration date, throw it out. If it doesn't have an expiration date, throw it out. Another scourge in my fridge is the many plastic containers filled with leftovers. I don't remember exactly what meal they are left over from, but I can't recall anything that included frizzy mold as an ingredient. Much of the reason the containers languish in the back of the fridge is because I'm avoiding the horror of having to wash out the science experiment they've become. This year, I'm going to throw money at the problem, and throw out the leftovers in their containers without ever lifting the lid. Then, I will treat myself to shiny, new plastic containers as a reward for my new hygienic lifestyle. Additionally, if my plastic cutting boards are beyond bleaching, it's a good annual tradition to replace them.

Out with the bad. While I'm gripped in the mania of throwing away all the food that has literally turned to garbage, I'm also going to throw away the food that's metaphorically garbage. All the unhealthy snack foods that lure me away from my healthy eating plan are going to have to go. I'm evicting the half-full bags of tortilla and potato chips from my cupboards. Ben and Jerry's® are moving from the freezer to the dumpster. Any empty-calorie snacks I can steal a spoonful or handful of and pretend they don't count have to hit the road. Once I clear the cupboards and refrigerator, I can go to the store and load up on healthy staples, whose temptations I won't have to resist.

In with the new. Now that the refrigerator's clean and the cupboards are bare, it's time to shop. Stock up the larder with delicious, healthy foods from the first two tiers of Michi's Ladder. And make sure to get lots of easy-to-prepare snacks to keep within easy reach when hunger pangs hit. Great snacks include cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt, hummus, salsa, and raisins. Instant oatmeal, whole-grain cereals, and egg whites are good to have on hand for breakfast. And foods like brown rice, dried beans, canned broths, water-packed tuna, and frozen fruits and vegetables are good staples to always keep in supply for mealtime. Of course, you should also try eating plenty of fresh produce, seafood, and lean meats. Just don't be like me and go crazy at the Sunday farmers' market only to have to throw food away at the end of the week. Buy enough perishable items to last a couple of days, then make short trips to the supermarket or farmers' market during the week. Your food will taste better and fresher, and you won't have a CSI episode in the crisper drawer at the end of the week.

When life gives you lemons . . . I know I've talked a lot about throwing all your produce away. But some of it can do a little cleaning work for you before it hits the compost bin. Lemons are very acidic, and their juice is naturally antibacterial and antiseptic. You can use lemon juice to bleach countertop stains and shine up metal. And it makes your kitchen smell lemony fresh to boot! Instead of throwing those lemons in the trash, throw one or two in the garbage disposal and grind away. It'll help get rid of food dried onto the blades while filling your kitchen with the smell of lemons. (If the lemons are really old and the rinds have turned hard and leathery, don't try this. The disposal blades might not be able to chop them, and they'll just rattle around in your disposal forever. Trust me, I know.) Another great tip a friend gave me is to cut a bunch of lemons in half and put them in a big microwave-safe bowl filled with water. Then microwave the bowl of lemons on high for a few minutes, until the water steams. Keep the microwave closed. The lemon-juice-infused steam will permeate all the stuff cooked onto the microwave walls from various exploding culinary attempts. The crud will wipe off easily and your microwave will smell great. Best of all, no toxic cleaners will accidentally find their way into your meals!

Vinegar—not just for salad. While you're cleaning and staying nontoxic, try using the Michi's Ladder top-tier favorite vinegar to spruce up your kitchen. Diluted with water, white vinegar can be used to clean windows, wash floors, and wipe countertops. It cuts grease and removes stains from cookware, and if you run a pot full of the vinegar and water solution through your coffeemaker, you'll be amazed at the kind of hard-water deposits it removes. It's also good for removing hard-water stains on your glassware. It even cuts soap scum and kills mildew, so you might give good, old-fashioned, cheap white vinegar a try before investing in expensive cleaners that can introduce toxins into your kitchen.

Baking soda—not just for baking. Here's a fun fact. Did you know that baking soda mixed with grease makes soap? It's true. It's a great, cheap, nontoxic way to wipe off your stovetop and the surrounding areas that have been spattered by a season's worth of stir-fries. An open box can absorb odors in the refrigerator, and a little sprinkled in your garbage can will do likewise. If you have a grease fire, you can put it out with baking soda. If you have pots with burned-on food, let them soak in baking soda and water overnight. Also, if you have plastic storage containers that are a bit stinky from their previous occupants, try soaking them overnight in baking soda and water. You can make a baking soda paste with water and polish your silver. It's a miracle product—nontoxic and cheap!

Weight loss challenge-Day ???

Oh geez, what day am I on? Tomorrow it will be 3 whole weeks that I've been working out and eating right. So far all I have to show is about 2 lbs lost. Well, that's not entirely true. I do feel a lot better and energized. That is until it's about my 6th day of workouts with no break. Then that one day of rest is heavenly. The only explanation I can come up with about only losing 2 lbs is that I am gaining a bit of muscle with the turbofire. I am not going to get discouraged. After week 4 I am going to redo my measurements and hopefully there I will see results. I am the type of person who wants results right away and I get frustrated when I don't see them. Any encouragement would be great. You can share your success stories on my facebook page here. I would really appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

Here's a turbofire success story....mainly to motivate me, lol

Weight Loss Challenge-Day 13

Hi there! My 3 day weekend is over but I am proud to say that I did a pretty good job of keeping up on my good eating habits. I went out to eat once with my parents at The Market Grille Cafe (if you want some good greek food, eat there) and I did okay. I probably went a little over my calorie intake but not way overboard like I usually do. I ate some and brought the rest home and ate the next day. I am REALLY being conscious of what I eat. I also kept up with my TurboFire. Does anyone know if this soreness goes away? I am seriously sore EVERYDAY. It's worth it though. My husband bought me a Wii Fit game to go with my balance board. Btw, it's only $3.99 at Game Stop right now. I messed around with it on Saturday and I love that I can keep track of my progress on it. It said that my Wii Fit age is 25 and that I've lost a little over 2 lbs. I hope it's accurate. We will see at my first weigh in on Tuesday. Eeeek! I'm nervous for it. I hope all my hard work is paying off.
Other than the weight loss aspect, my weekend was great. We celebrated my husbands 28th birthday by going bowling at the Red Rock with friends and that was fun. Plus, I got to burn some extra calories with that :) I hope your weekend was great also! If you haven't already, please connect with me on my Facebook page here. Here's a little helpful tip to get you going for the week ahead:

Weight Loss Challenge-Day 8

So I am a little over a week into my weight loss challenge at work. I haven't weighed myself yet but I would hope to have at least lost one pound. I have been eating VERY well. Eating my 3 meals a day and two snacks which consist of either veggies or fruits & protein. However, I did go out of town last weekend and ate horribly! I have small will power when it comes to eating at a restaurant. What can I say, I LOVE food. My dream job would be a food critic. Hopefully I made up for it this week with working out. I officially started turbofire and I love it! When I was going to the gym sometimes the only thing that would get me going was the turbo kick classes. It is so much fun! I am on day 3 and let me tell you...my body is SORE! But it feels good! Weird huh? As I was reading through the materials that come with turbofire I saw that it is a 20 week class!!! That seems like forever! So if I started on Monday I will be done by JULY 11! Gosh, I can't fathom working out 6 days a week until July 11. But can you imagine what I will look like if I do??? SEXY! I am really going to commit to do the 20 weeks, even if I miss a few days here or there I am going to finish! Let me know if you want to join me in my journey and I will tell you how you can purchase it & I will help you along the way.
So, any who, I have a 3 day weekend ahead of me and my second weigh in is on Tuesday so we'll see how well I have been doing then. Thanks for taking the time to read and if you haven't already, please connect with me on my facebook page. Take Care.