Cleaning—it is the new big thing in 2020. We want to clean and sanitize everything quickly and easily. There is the pressing need to eradicate germs, get rid of dirt and contaminants, make everything sparkle, and stop infection in its tracks. How do we make cleaning your kitchen easier though? Perhaps it is time to rethink our kitchen designs.
Make Cleaning Your Kitchen Easier
Cleaning your kitchen is something we all have to do, but making the task easier is sometimes all about the design. What elements can we include or leave out to make the job easier? Think about the surfaces you touch, the spaces that germs invade, and how long they live once they are on those surfaces. Designing a space to reduce contamination risks won’t prevent you from having to clean, but it might make the job easier and take less time.
Why not consider some of these design elements? Some are a simple switch out, while others might include a whole new mindset of what you want in your kitchen to begin with.
Areas to Consider:
Choose simple, clean lines and smoother surfaces in all elements of your kitchen to make cleaning and disinfecting easier
Touchless taps –
You know we are supposed to wash our hands, but what happens when you touch the tap with contaminated hands, wash them, then touch the tap to shut it off? Perhaps it is time to rethink your tap.
Touchless taps eliminate the worry. With a wave of a hand, water flows or stops. Some models aren’t quite touch-free, but can be activated with the touch of your wrist or elbow. Most models still have manual options, and some automatically turn off after a period of time in case of accidental activation.
Clutter-free counters –
The more stuff on your counters, the more things to clean, right? So maybe it’s time to clear those counters off to reduce the surface area you need to worry about. The bonus is that an empty counter not only offers more prep space, but it is so much easier to quickly and easily wipe down with disinfectants.
What do you do with the toaster or coffee maker though? The appliance garage is the perfect answer. Tuck those appliance out of sight in a built-in cabinets made specifically for them. There are plenty of design options, from tambour doors (roll up), swing out doors, dedicated cabinets, to doors that swing open and push back. With your appliances tucked out of sight, you create a cleaner look and cleaner space all around.
Surfaces that can be easily cleaned –
Regardless of what is in your kitchen, it all needs to be cleaned at some point. Choosing items that are easier to clean makes the process easier. What does that look like? Choose smoother surfaces with less nooks and crannies for dirt and germs to slip into. That might look like cabinets with simpler profiles, featuring less rails and stiles. Or kitchen counters with a square or eased edge versus one with a dramatic, curving flair. If you incorporate fabrics into your kitchen, choose ones that can easily be laundered. And when it comes to art or knickknacks, maybe rethink that too. Can they be thrown into the dishwasher or stand up to disinfectants? If not, it might be time to ditch them for a cleaner look.
Choice of Materials –
That brings us to the different components in your kitchen and how long they might hold germs to begin with.
COVID-19 viruses can survive on surfaces from several hours to days depending on several factors.
- This may vary under different conditions such as surface type, relative temperature or humidity of the environment. The virus has been detectable up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. * from canada.ca
That should give you pause when it comes to what materials you have in your kitchen. Not to mention how easier those items are to clean. Should you add more copper and use less plastic? If you are worried about how long germs live on surfaces, it might be something to consider.
If you would like to rethink and redesign your kitchen, contact Ryan at Revival Home Renovations. Together we can create a kitchen of your dreams.