spring clean

Simple Solutions for Small Appliances

Your family depends on the appliances in your kitchen. You have a few small appliances in your home that you want to keep in good working order. Here’s a quick list of small kitchen solutions for small kitchen appliances to make cooking and cleaning more convenient. Microwave Presets to Save Energy   Did you know that using the pre-set cooking times on the touchpad can help your microwave work more efficiently and save energy? It can also help you avoid cooking accidents. Use the pre-set times when thawing foods, too. Order Matters in the Blender One of the most important tips to keep in mind with any blender is the order of the ingredients you’re adding. Go from lightest to heaviest. That mean you should ALWAYS start with liquid and make sure it covers the blades. Cover Up the Stand Mixer  To prevent unwanted dust from getting into your Stand Mixer and into your food, keep it covered by attaching a shower cap around it. Know your Slow Cooker’s Limits The high setting is for when you just want to heat things up,  If you want vegetables to stay whole, don’t put them in the slow cooker on high for 12 hours unless they’re hard-shelled, like squashes. Delicate vegetables like zucchini or peppers will melt into nothing. When you’re slow cooking vegetables, put the slow cooker on a delayed start for about three to four hours and keep it set to low.  Clean your Coffee Pot The coffee pot, itself, should be cleaned regularly. Cleaning it every two weeks will keep old coffee and grounds that are stuck in the pot from imparting your brews with unwanted flavors.  Wipe the Outside Of the Rice Cooker’s Pot A common mistake some people have is placing the pot of uncooked rice into the cooker with the outside of the pot being wet. Not only could it damage the rice cooker’s heating elements, it also affects the cooking temperature of the rice. So give it a quick wipe on the outside first before you put the rice in.

Spring Cleaning 101: 5 Steps to Deep Clean Your Oven

From bubbled over sauces to burnt cheese, your oven is the canvas for all kinds of spills and splatters. Ovens seem to present the most anxiety when it comes to cleaning kitchen appliance. With the right knowledge and basic tools, oven cleaning doesn’t have to be an overwhelming chore.  So, what is the best way to clean an oven? In the spirit of spring cleaning we have a two safe, natural, and effective methods to get the job done.  How to Clean the Oven: What You Need: Baking soda Water Rubber gloves Magic Eraser Damp dish cloth Spray bottle White vinegar Essential Oil (Optional) STEP ONE: Empty the oven, remove your oven racks, pizza stone, oven thermometer, and anything else you have inside the oven. Set aside. STEP TWO: Start by vacuuming out the dirt, dust, crumbs, and debris. You can use the vacuum hose, or if that feels too powerful, try the crevice attachment. How to clean with Baking Soda  Make a baking soda paste. This is a timelessly classic way to clean your oven. With a little elbow grease your oven will sparkle like new again. In a small bowl, mix a 1/2 cup of baking soda with a few tablespoons of water. If you’re adding any essential oils, 2-3 drops will be sufficient, but add more if desired. Adjust the ratio of both baking soda and water as needed until you have a spreadable paste. Distribute the mixture throughout the interior of the oven, except for the heating elements.   Let mixture sit overnight in the oven for at least 12 hours. The following day, spread vinegar over the surface and allow it to react with the paste, which will make the debris much easier to scrub off.   How to DIY Steam Clean with Water and Vinegar Place a large oven-proof dish, filled with a solution of water and White Vinegar on your bottom rack, then heat your oven to 350°. Bring this solution to a boil.  Turn off the oven and let it cool.  Open the doors and spray the inside with a solution made of water and vinegar and allow this mixture to sit for 30 minutes. Once the oven has completely cooled down, wipe away all food residue. STEP FOUR: Soak racks in dishwashing liquid for a few hours, scrub with a scouring pad, and then rinse well and dry.  If racks need heavy-duty cleaning, apply the paste. Note* Only use stainless steel racks; baking soda can discolor aluminum.  STEP FIVE: Use a magic eraser to easily wipe away grease on your oven glass.  Are you due for a brand new oven?  If your oven is on it’s last legs and cleaning it just won’t do the trick- Cosmo Appliances has a premium selection of wall ovens that are easy to clean and maintain with self cleaning feature.   Making Your Home Appliances Brand New Again With the right cleaning method you can have your oven appliance sparkle like new again. Just remember to always consult the instruction manual with each of your appliances. Although vinegar and other mild detergents are generally safe on appliances, there are always some exceptions to the rule. For more recipes, ideas and inspiration follow our Facebook page. For product information visit our website.

6 Things You Didn’t Know You Can Clean in Your Dishwasher

Despite being one of the best kitchen inventions ever! the dishwasher has long been an underrated kitchen appliance. There’re more things you can wash in it than just cereal bowls, coffee mugs and forks.  The dishwasher with all its capabilities will wash just about anything, like magic! Obviously, there are some things you should never put in the dishwasher, but there are a lot of items you probably never thought of washing in it either. The dishwasher is so handy, especially when spring cleaning. You can really save time while giving your household items a thorough clean. Things you can clean in a dishwasher: Art Supplies  You can wash your art brushes, paint bowls, watercolor palettes, placemats, and other art supplies right in the dishwasher. Make sure you scrape any old paint and rinse them before tossing in the dishwasher. Home Decor  Vases, decorative pottery, light fixtures, candles and oil lamps can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher. Use the top rack for most things except the heavier items. Avoid chipping delicate figurines and anything with gold or silver gilt.  Bathroom Accessories Save yourself some time from scrubbing and sanitizing bathroom accessories caked with soap scum and hard water stains. Put items like soap dishes and toothbrush holders on the top rack for an easy clean. Kitchen Tools  Most kitchen exhaust fans have a washable filter to capture grease and cooking odors and keep the air clean. Put the filter and any removable covers in the dishwasher for degreasing. Remove food residue and bacteria from silicone oven mitts, microwave turntables, and refrigerator shelving and bins. Each time you run a load of dishes add your kitchen sponges and scrubbing brushes.  Kids Toys  Your kids toys have probably been everywhere, dragged across the floor and left outside before finding their way into your kid’s mouth so throw those plastic toys and building blocks in the dishwasher. Small pieces should be placed in a mesh bag or box on the top rack for easy cleaning.  Tools and Car Accessories   Place tools in utensil holder, but avoid those that are electrical, battery operated or with wooden handles.  Run your ca or house keys throw a cycle if they get grimy. You will be amazed how clean hubcaps get after a hot water cycle. 

Spring Cleaning 101: 5 Tips for Quick Pantry Organization

Circumstances may have you feeling overwhelmed with a lot of cans and dry goods you wouldn’t normally be dealing with all at once. Conquer your clutter with these five easy tips from Cosmo Appliances to help organize your pantry. Utilize the Door The backs of your pantry doors may all be dead space. If you’ve got a gap between door and shelving, consider hanging a wire rack with smaller items that otherwise get easily lost or shuffled to the back. Stack Food Containers If you can never find the matching lids to your Tupperware, this one’s for you! Take five minutes to organize your storage containers by size on the shelf, then make a vertical rack to store the matching lids.  (Have a lid for a container that’s MIA? you have our permission to repurpose it or get rid of it. We won’t tell anyone.) Sort by Category Keeping shelves to a theme can help you find things faster. Group your granola bars, and stash your salty snacks together so they’re easy to find when you have a craving Cycle your shelves As you’re buying new boxed goods, take the extra second as you’re putting away groceries to pull the oldest boxes forward, and put the new box behind them. That way you’re not left with expired food. Hang it up If you have wire shelving in your pantry, you can use hooks and chip clips to hang up small items and lightweight bagged goods, freeing up shelf space, and, as a bonus, keeping you from accidentally crushing your chips. We hope these tips help you keep your pantry feeling fresh!  For more recipes, tips and ideas, visit us at cosmoappliances.com, and like our Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/cosmokitchenproducts