Best of the best kitchen hacks – Part 2

You already know some of the most helpful kitchen tips you read on “Best of the best kitchen hacks – part 1”. Now it's time to reveal you few more advice to have them up your sleeve when you need them.
These kitchen hacks will help you to get your kitchen organised and make kitchen cleaning simple and quick. Of course, we can’t skip the part where we will show you how to store your products so they last longer and share few other kitchen tricks you might find useful.

Read on and check them out:

• Do you need extra storage space in your kitchen? The answer is most likely to be yes as kitchen space never seems to be enough. What do you think about having a magnetic spice rack to free up some space in your kitchen? You will need a stainless steel base, airtight small jars (size and number of your preference), flat round magnets (the same number as the jars) and silicone glue. It`s up to you if you want to label the jars. Install the base on one of the doors of your cabinet, glue carefully the magnet in the centre on top of each lid using the glue and fill the jars with spices. This simple and neat way to store your spices will let you use your cabinet space better!

• What to do when your cutting board is slipping? This is a common issue that can drive anyone crazy. The solution is to place a damp paper towel underneath the board. If you don't have paper towel, use a thin cotton cloth instead. You will see how the friction will keep your cutting board in place and you can dice tomatoes and chop onions effortlessly and without putting your fingers at risk.

• Maybe you are not aware of the fact that microwave is not only suitable for heating up food but for disinfecting your domestic cleaning supplies such as sponges and rags. Being a diligent housewife and performing house cleaning regularly means that you should pay extra attention to the germs that are inhabiting your sponges. Dampen the sponge and put it in the microwave for about a minute. The heat will kill the bacteria and germs and if there are any dirt buildups in your microwave, they will soften thanks to the moisture from the rag – win-win situation!

• Avocados are so capricious – you cut it in half and a few minutes later it is all brown! How to prevent your avocado from turning brown? This happens because of the oxidisation – in order to limit that you should cover it with plastic wrap. However, the best way to preserve it is to rub some olive oil over the cut side and place it in plastic bag. This method guarantees your avocado will stay green longer so you can make some guacamole after two days without having to deal with yucky fruit.

• Most of us have faced the struggle – you are enjoying some delicious brie cheese and you reach to take a sip of your Sauvignon blanc and guess what – it’s warm. How to quickly solve this problem? Be prepared and keep frozen fruit to come in handy in situation like this. Nobody enjoys a watered-down wine so if you simply freeze some strawberries or grapes they will cool down your drink without ruining your pleasurable experience. We recommend cooling down with frozen raspberries if you are dealing with a warm champagne toast!

• The next scenario is so common – you put some water to boil on the stove, you get distracted and the whole top gets covered in starchy water. Simply place a wooden spoon over the top of your pot when you are boiling beans or pasta. Why does this work? Bubbles are unstable forms and the spoon destabilise them due to its hydrophobic surface. However, if you keep the spoon for too long it won't be as effective so you should add one or two drops of olive oil to break the surface tension.

• Many people don`t store their brown sugar correctly which results in rock solid lumps. If you are among these people you should know that moisture evaporation is the reason behind it – always make sure the seal is airtight. How to deal with this issue? There are two ways . The first one is to put a slice of bread inside of the container or bag you are storing your brown sugar. The sugar will stay soft because it will draw out the moisture of the slice. Your second option is to put few marshmallows in the container – again, they will keep the sugar soft due to the moisture in them.

• Keeping produce fresh is not an easy task – we all hate when the vegetables get soggy. Green produce can be efficiently stored and kept from the moisture by wrapping with paper towel and then storing them in plastic bag. Keep you kale, broccoli, celery and cucumbers fresh for longer – they will not last forever but you will notice that they will remain in good condition more time than usual.

• A clogged sink drain is a common problem in the kitchen. However, before calling the plumber try this method that professional end of tenancy cleaners shared – pour a cup of salt water and one cup of baking soda into the drain and pour a kettle of boiling water – if the reason behind the clogging is grease, this will immediately dissolve it. 

• Garlic is essential part of a lot of delicious dishes but the smell it leaves on your hands is far from pleasing – grab a stainless spoon or pot and start rubbing your hands against its surface under cold water. This works because the sulfuric compounds in the garlic bind to the ions of the stainless steel. The cold water shrinks your pores and keeps the garlic oils out while the steel is lifting away tiny particles of the smelly veggie.

Which one is your favourite kitchen hack? We are sure you can't pick just one!