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This post is all about sharing ideas that can help you transform your kitchen, cooking, and cleaning experience. Use these kitchen hacks today to save time, effort, and money. Enjoy!
These unique kitchen hacks completely changed the way I cook and clean. I’m all about working smarter, not harder, and these hacks do just that. Dive right in so you can start revolutionizing your kitchen game, too!
Extend the Life of Your Herbs
Keeping your store-bought herbs fresh for longer can help reduce waste and save money. This is one of my favorite kitchen hacks. The simple trick is to rinse herbs or produce that have stems, like cilantro, parsley, thyme, etc., and let them air dry – or lightly dry them with a paper towel. Then, place the herbs stem-side down in a cup filled with an inch or two of water.
Put the plastic produce bag they came in over the top (or cover with a plastic bag), and store it in your refrigerator. The herbs will stay fresh for a week or two like this. Just replace the water every few days for maximum freshness.
Put Your Used Citrus Peels to Good Use
Instead of tossing your used lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit peels, put them to good use by creating an all-natural household cleaner. Simply place the citrus scraps in a glass jar, top with distilled vinegar, let it sit for a couple of weeks, then remove the peels, dilute, and use it to clean your home! I go into more detail in my linked post above, so feel free to check it out if interested. This is yet another one of my favorite kitchen hacks.
More Uses for Citrus Peels
Use your leftover peels to rub down stainless steel appliances or sinks. The natural oils in the peels help polish and remove streaks, and leave a fresh scent.
You can also clean your microwave by placing a bowl of water with a few citrus peels inside, and heat it for a few minutes. The steam will loosen any stuck-on food, and make it easier to wipe clean. Plus, it’ll smell great.
Remove Lingering Odors on Mason Jar Tops or Tupperware Tops
I store most of my leftovers, as well as my fermented vegetables, in Mason jars and Pyrex tupperware. This results in some not-so-pleasant odors on the tops that are tough to get rid of. After researching kitchen hacks that would help remove odors like these on silicone and plastic, I came across some advice to use citrus fruit! Lo and behold, it worked.
The natural acids in citrus fruits, along with their scent, can help neutralize odors. Simply cut a lemon or lime in half, then squeeze and rub it along the stinky tops. Let it sit like that for about 10 minutes, then wash the tops with soap and water.
For more stubborn odors, squeeze the juice of a lemon or lime into a bowl of warm water, toss in the citrus halves, and then the tops. Let them soak for 30 minutes to an hour.
Remove Spicy Pepper Traces From Fingers
Here’s yet another citrus fix worth adding to your repertoire of kitchen hacks (last one, I promise). Ever forget to put on gloves before cutting into spicy peppers? If so, did you try scrubbing your hands with soap and water multiple times, but still had spicy fingers? Haha, sounds like me!
To fix this, simply rub lemon or lime on your fingers to neutralize the capsaicin, which is the spicy compound in peppers. When done, wash your hands with soap, oil, and cold water (yes, oil – it helps further dissolve the capsaicin).
Remove Gunky Residue from Your Coffee Grinder
Easily clean your coffee grinder by running a small amount of uncooked rice through it. The rice absorbs oils and removes residue from the blades!
Clean and Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal
Freeze vinegar in ice cube trays and then grind the cubes in your garbage disposal. It will help sharpen the blades and also disinfect and deodorize the disposal.
Repurpose Used Coffee Grounds
If you grow plants, sprinkle coffee grounds around your acid-loving plants like roses, blueberries, tomatoes, azaleas, hydrangeas, camellias, gardenias, magnolias and more. They help provide nutrients to the soil and retain moisture.
You can also use the coffee grounds as a natural scrubber. Their slightly-rough texture makes them great for scrubbing stuck-on food from pots, pans, or your kitchen sink. Just be careful with delicate surfaces like non-stick pans.
Side note, if you like the idea of repurposing everyday items, or are already a queen or king of repurposing, check out my post on repurposing everyday items for ideas you might not already be implementing!
Use a Potato to Fix Salty Soups or Stews
If you accidentally add too much salt to your soup or stew, peel and cut a potato in quarters, then toss them in while the soup/stew simmers. The potato will absorb some of the excess salt and balance the flavors in your dish.
Use a Wine Bottle as a Rolling Pin
If you need to roll out dough but don’t have a rolling pin laying around, use a wine bottle instead!
Final Thoughts
These unique kitchen hacks are designed to make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable and efficient. By implementing these tips, you can keep your produce fresher for longer, maintain a clean kitchen, save your spicy fingers, and more! I hope you’ll give these hacks a try and discover how small changes can lead to big improvements in your kitchen.
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