Newslanes Media
Recent statistics have shown that UK households spend an astounding £117 on energy per month in the kitchen alone – and this is no surprise as a new study shows that adults spend over six hours per week in the kitchen. As the cost of living crisis remains a nationwide issue, it has become common practice to turn off practically all unnecessary appliances. But what are some more straightforward cleaning tips that could lower your costs?
To help you have a more energy-efficient and cleaner kitchen, cleaning experts from London end of tenancy cleaning company share their top tips on cleaning common kitchen items, along with viewing data of cleaning videos on Tiktok, where 59.1 billion views have been generated for the ‘CleanTok’ trend.
Cleaning your air fryer
TikTok #airfryercleaning views: 8.6 billion
Cost: £0.73 – Soap, sponge
With electric ovens now costing around £316 a year to run¹, most households have turned to more energy-efficient appliances, such as air fryers, which reportedly cost around £52 a year to run. However, failing to clean your air fryer regularly could mean that it takes longer for them to heat up, requiring more energy.
In response to this, Spokesperson Mira Yordanova from London End of Tenancy Cleaning company shares top tips on how to clean your air fryers:
“The easiest method to ensure that your air fryer remains clean and consumes the least amount of energy possible during each cooking session is to clean it after every use. Grease, filth, and any food residue can bake into the tray if it isn’t cleaned, making cleanup more difficult than necessary.
“Once the tray has cooled, take it from the fryer and gently scrub all exposed parts with a sponge and dish soap. If this proves to be too challenging due to buildup, consider using a toothbrush since the bristles can reach the nooks and crannies. Make sure to keep the heat-proof coating on the tray’s interior intact.”
Cleaning your microwave
Tiktok #Cleaningmicrowave views: 16 million
Cost: £0.30 – Lemon
As the phrase goes ‘When life gives you lemons…’ use them to clean your microwave. Citric acid has been found to be one of the best natural cleaners, and using lemons can leave a squeaky-clean look. As a general rule, microwaves need to be cleaned at least once a week² depending on how often they are used, and instead of leaving it for days, it is much simpler to clean it down after each use. But for a deep microwave clean, Mira suggests:
“One of the most effective cleaning hacks can be through using a lemon as the juice holds antibacterial and antiseptic properties meaning they can kill bacteria, and remove mould and mildew whilst still smelling good.
“After cutting a lemon in half, place it face down on a microwave-friendly plate and pour a couple of teaspoons of water over the top, then turn the microwave on. Make sure to watch it until steam starts to appear, remove the lemon and wipe off any liquid inside the microwave as the food splashes should easily wipe off.”
Cleaning your dishwasher
Tiktok #Cleaningdishwasher views: 54.9 million
Cost: £1.02 – White Vinegar, Baking Soda
A single dishwasher load will cost you 30p, so if you run it once a day, your average yearly electric bill would be £109.20³. However, it is important that dishwashers are cleaned at least once a month⁴ to prevent any malfunctions, clogging and to reduce your energy bill. Certain home cupboard ingredients are a great and cheap way to ensure your machine is left looking and smelling new. Mira shares:
“White vinegar can help break down any remaining food and grease whilst baking soda will remove stains and any odours. Use a tablespoon of baking soda and sprinkle this into the dishwasher, underneath and behind the bottom rack, then leave it for an hour to ensure it has reached maximum absorption. Set your machine on a heavy cycle but midway through, open it and pour in two cups of white vinegar. Shut the door and resume the cycle until complete. Any excess dirt and disgusting smells should have cleared by the time the cycle has ended.”
Cleaning your fridge
Tiktok #cleaningfridges views: 228.7 million
Cost: £0.65 – Baking soda
With fridges and freezers playing an essential role in the kitchen, they must stay on for 24 hours a day which, over time, will rake up a big energy bill. However, depending on the energy rating, these can cost between £70 and £138.72 per year to run⁵, but could cleaning make a difference to your energy bill? Mira shares simple cleaning tips you could do to clean your fridge:
“Cleaning the coil in your refrigerator can be done in as little as 15 minutes. This will increase energy efficiency because too much dust can sometimes make your refrigerator work harder to maintain a temperature that is safe for food without releasing heat.
“Remove the rear panel, then thoroughly hoover off all the dust. Use baking soda or white vinegar and warm water to clean the inside of the refrigerator. Rub the interior with a soft cloth and then rinse for the best results.”
Cleaning your kitchen sink
Tiktok #kitchensinkcleaning views: 79.9 million
Cost: £3.05 soap, cloth, drain unblocker
Cleaning the kitchen is an essential task but disinfecting the kitchen sink should be done daily⁶, as kitchen sinks can carry more bacteria than both a toilet and a rubbish bin. Commonly used for washing hands, vegetables, dishes and more, it is important to take care of your taps and drains to ensure water is fresh, running efficiently and is free from odour. In response to this, Mira suggests:
“Most sink faucets are made of metal, which frequently leads to corrosion. To prevent rubbing off more metal and rusting, use warm, soapy water and a microfiber cloth when cleaning your faucets. Once the tap has been cleaned gently, you should immediately notice a difference when turning it on.
“Use a dishwasher tablet over the plug and then pour boiling water over top to dissolve it to clean drains. Try using a drain unblocker, which can be purchased in any store, to remove further grime if this doesn’t work to free any stuck grime and leave a fresh scent.”