How To Clean a Cast Iron Skillet

Whether you’ve recently picked up a cast-iron skillet or have had one sitting in your cupboards for quite some time, one fact remains: cast iron skillets and pans can be intimidating to cook. Their heavy weight and cumbersome size may leave you feeling unsure if you’ve never cooked with cast iron before, but the good news is that preparing your favorite dish in a cast iron skillet is not much different than any other pan.

In fact, many people find cast iron easier to work with due to the fact that seasoned pans are naturally non-stick and extremely durable. When properly cared for, a cast-iron skillet can easily last a lifetime! By having a better understanding of the benefits of cooking with cast iron and how to properly care for your cast iron pan, you can start cooking with more confidence!

Why Cook With Cast Iron?

If you’ve never cooked with a cast iron skillet before, there are so many reasons to start.

Cook With Less Oil/Calories

If you’re trying to watch your calories or limit your intake of fats/oils, then cooking with cast iron can be one of the easiest ways to do this. That’s because cast iron pans, when properly seasoned, typically don’t require the use of any additional oil, butter, or cooking spray. This means you can enjoy all the non-stick qualities of a greased-up pan without adding unnecessary calories to your food.

Avoid Chemical Contact

What about non-stick pans? While it’s true that non-stick pans can also cut down on the amount of butter or oil you cook with, these pans are often made with non-stick chemical coatings that can get released into your food over time. If you want to avoid ingesting chemical particles from non-stick pots and pans, making the switch to a cast-iron skillet is a great way to do this.

Can Be Placed in the Oven

Cast iron skillets are also extremely versatile; unlike some other types of pots and pans, they can be moved back and forth from the stovetop to the oven without causing damage. This makes them a great choice for recipes that call for searing meat (such as steak) before popping them into the oven to finish cooking. Just be sure to use an oven mitt when transferring a cast iron pan from stovetop to oven (or the other way around), as the handles can quickly become hot.

Increase Your Iron Intake

Cooking with cast iron is also an easy yet effective way to add some iron to your food! If you have low iron levels or suspect that you do, consider cooking with cast iron before you begin taking an iron supplement (which can sometimes mess with your stomach). Of course, you should always speak to your doctor if you suspect you have an iron deficiency.

The Importance of Properly Cleaning Cast Iron

Often times, people are hesitant to cook with cast iron because they’re not sure how to properly clean these types of pans. Unlike a traditional non-stick pan, you can’t simply throw your cast iron skillet into the dishwasher when you’re done using it. Instead, you’ll need to take some special measures to care for and clean your cast iron, Otherwise, you could end up with rust and other issues that could affect your cooking experience or the flavor of your food.

Cleaning and Caring for a Cast Iron Skillet

So, what exactly do you need to do (and not do) when it comes to caring for your cast iron skillet? There may be a slight “learning curve” as you get used to taking care of a cast-iron pan, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll likely find that these durable pans are very low maintenance and can last for decades to come.

Start With a Seasoned Skillet

Part of what makes cast iron skillets so special is the coat of “seasoning” they develop over time. This seasoning refers to a layer of oils that gives your pan its non-stick qualities. Many cast iron pans sold today come “pre-seasoned” so you don’t need to do a thing once you bring your pan home. A pre-seasoned skillet will generally have a sleek black appearance, but should not be oily or greasy to the touch. Other pans, however, are not pre-seasoned—so you’ll need to do this yourself before cooking.

Clean Immediately After Use

The secret to keeping your cast iron skillet in the best possible shape for many years to come is to always clean it out as soon as possible after you’re done cooking. In most cases, the best way to clean a cast iron pan is to run it under warm water and rinse away any food debris. From there, while the pan is still wet, add a bit of kosher salt to the pan and use a soft sponge or rag to scrub away the remaining debris in circular motions. From there, simply rinse and you should have a clean skillet!

Always Dry Completely

Water and cast iron don’t mix; always be sure to completely dry your cast iron skillet as soon as you’re done washing it so that you don’t end up with rust spots.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use Soap

Generally, it’s best to be as minimally invasive as possible when cleaning your cast iron skillet. The fewer chemicals you use, the better. Still, cast iron is pretty resilient so there’s no harm in scrubbing with a bit of your favorite dish soap if you have some particularly challenging food debris to get rid of.

Re-Season as Needed

If you’re finding that your cast iron doesn’t have the sheen it used to or that your food is starting to stick to the pan while you cook, then it may be time to re-season your skillet. There are many ways to do this, but perhaps the easiest way is to heat your skillet over medium-high heat on the stovetop. From there, apply a couple tablespoons of cooking oil to the surface of the pan until it smokes and there is no residue left. Repeat this several times to create a new coating.

Need More Cleaning Help?

With just a little care, a quality cast iron pan can last a lifetime (and then some!). Still, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by caring for your cast iron on top of all your other household cleaning tasks, Maid Sailors can help. We offer competitive pricing and a 100% satisfaction guarantee so you can book a maid service NYC with confidence!

How to Clean Kitchen Cabinets

Cleaning your kitchen is a laborious and time-consuming task. From mopping the floors and disinfecting countertops to cleaning out your fridge and wiping down your appliances, the chore of kitchen-cleaning is dreaded by many. However, one aspect of cleaning your kitchen that you might be forgetting is that of cleaning out your cabinets.

While it’s true that you probably don’t need to deep-clean your cabinets every single time you clean your kitchen, this is something you should be making time for every so often. When was the last time you cleaned your kitchen cabinets? If you haven’t done this since you moved into your place, then it’s probably time.

Reasons to Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets

Why should you add cabinet-cleaning to your ever-growing list of chores? There are actually a few compelling reasons to consider.

Keep Them Looking Great

For starters, think about all the grime and debris that can build up on your cabinet exteriors over time. It is not uncommon for grease particles to become airborne as you cook—and these can quickly adhere to solid surfaces, like your cabinet doors. Even if your kitchen looks clean, taking a damp paper towel to your cabinet exteriors will likely reveal some unsightly build-up. By at least taking the time to wipe your cabinet exteriors down each time you clean your kitchen, you can keep the space looking fresh and inviting.

Save Your Security Deposit

If you’re renting, cleaning your kitchen cabinets may also help you more easily recover your security deposit when it comes time for you to move out. If your kitchen has a lot of grease and grime build-up, your landlord or property manager may retain some or all of your security deposit to hire specialty cleaning services. This can be easily avoided by simply making sure your cabinets are clean before you move out.

Get Rid of Bacteria

Kitchens are breeding grounds for bacteria; just think about all the raw food and splatter you encounter when you cook up those new recipes. When grease and other food particles go airborne, they can settle on your cabinets and increase contamination and food-borne illness risk. Protect yourself and your loved ones by keeping your kitchen cabinets clean and disinfected.

How Often Should You Clean Your Kitchen Cabinets?

Since it doesn’t take long to clean your cabinet exteriors, you should be doing this every time you clean the rest of your kitchen. However, a deep-cleaning of your cabinets may only be necessary about once a year. Some people may even wait until they move out of their place before cleaning their kitchen cabinets inside and out. At the end of the day, it’s all about what you’re most comfortable with.

Cleaning Your Kitchen Cabinets: A Step-By-Step Guide

Now that you understand the importance of cleaning out your kitchen cabinets, it’s time to get started. You won’t need much in the way of supplies except for a small broom or vacuum with a hose attachment, as well as some paper towels or clean washcloths, dish soap, and an all-purpose cleaner that’s safe on your cabinet door material.

Remove the Contents of Your Cabinets

Begin by completely removing the contents of your kitchen cabinets. Some people prefer to remove everything from all their cabinets at once, whereas other may prefer to work one or two cabinets at a time. If you have a smaller kitchen without a lot of counters or floor space to set things down, you may be better off cleaning one cabinet at a time; this way, you can put the contents of one cabinet back inside before moving onto the next one.

Vacuum Out Larger Debris

More than likely, your cabinet shelves will have some crumbs and other loose debris lying around. This will become obvious once the contents of each shelf are removed. The easiest way to get rid of these is to simply use a vacuum with a hose attachment. However, if you don’t have access to one of these vacuums, you can also use a small handheld broom and mini dustpan to sweep out each cabinet and shelf individually.

Wipe Shelves and Walls Down

Now, it’s time to wipe down and disinfect the shelves and inside walls of your cabinets. If your cabinets have easily removable shelves, it may be more efficient to remove each shelf and wipe it down. This will make it easier for you to get at all the nooks and crannies, as well as the underside of each shelf. Removing shelves can also allow you to scrub at areas that may have stubborn stains or build-up.

When wiping down cabinet walls and shelves, you can use a simple mixture of warm water and a few drops of dish soap on a clean rag. Follow up by wiping away any soap residue with a clean, damp rag, and then dry thoroughly with a hand towel. This is just as effective as any chemical cleaner, but less harmful and less likely to damage your cabinets. Still, it’s always a good idea to test a small area before cleaning a larger area.

If you have removed any shelves, allow them to dry completely before you put them back in the cabinet. Not drying them promptly could cause them to warp, so it’s best to wipe them dry after you clean them than it is to let them air dry.

Wipe Down Cabinet Exterior

Finally, clean your cabinet exteriors using the same soap and water mixture. This will be safe on most cabinet door materials—but if your cabinet doors are made of real wood, you’ll want to be careful not to use too much water, as this could damage the wood. You’ll also want to make sure to dry each cabinet after wiping it down.

Another option is to use an all-purpose cleaner on your cabinet doors, so long as it is advertised as being safe for your particular cabinet material.

For More Help With Your Cleaning…

Keeping your kitchen pristine can be a full-time job on its own, so why not leave this tedious work up to a professional? Maid Sailors offers regular cleaning services to keep your kitchen looking its best, and all of our basic services include wiping down your cabinet exteriors. For a more thorough cabinet-cleaning, check out our maid service NYC. These include cleaning out the inside of cabinets and drawers to achieve your ideal level of clean.

How to Clean an Area Rug

Area rugs can serve a practical purpose of better defining the open spaces in your home. At the same time, a well-placed area rug can provide warmth and comfort on otherwise cold or uninviting floors while also making a design statement within your space.

Still, if you have area rugs in your home, you’ll also need to add one more cleaning task to your list: cleaning your rugs. It’s not the most exciting chore in the world, and the process of deep-cleaning a large area rug can actually be quite laborious—but it’s an important part of keeping your home clean and refreshed.

By knowing how to deep clean your area rugs and keep them fresh in between deep cleanings, you can keep your space looking and feeling great.

The Importance of Cleaning Area Rugs

Even if your area rugs don’t look dirty, it’s important to clean them on a regular basis for quite a few reasons.

Get Rid of Allergens and Bacteria

Area rugs, just like carpet, can easily collect allergens, dust mites, bacteria, and other debris. Some of this can irritate your respiratory system, especially if you (or anybody living under your roof) suffer from a condition like asthma or allergies. By taking the time to deep clean your area rugs, you can pull the majority of those allergens, dust, and other debris out from the fibers of the rug and enjoy improved indoor air quality.

Prolong the Life of Your Rug

Area rugs aren’t cheap; depending on the material, size, and quality of your area rug, there’s a good chance you paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars! By cleaning your area rug regularly, you can keep it in the best possible shape and avoid having to prematurely replace your rug down the road. That saves you some hard-earned money and the time/hassle involved in picking out and laying down a new rug.

Present Your Space With Pride

When your area rugs are clean, you can entertain guests with confidence. Take more pride in your home by keeping your rugs clean, especially in high traffic areas.

How Often to Clean an Area Rug

How frequently you should clean your area rugs will really depend on how much foot traffic they see. Rugs in areas of very high traffic, such as hallways and living rooms, will need to be cleaned more often than area rugs in less frequented areas of your home, such as an office or guest bedroom.

Regardless, you should aim to clean your area rugs at least once every week or two—although a deep cleaning may only be necessary once or twice a year.

Basic Care and Cleaning for an Area Rug

Basic cleaning of an area rug will help to remove surface debris and keep your rug looking its best in between deep cleanings. You don’t need much time (or much in the way of supplies) to do a maintenance cleaning on an area rug.

Before You Get Started…

Always check the care instructions on your area rug’s label, which should be located underneath the rug itself. Defer to those instructions above all else, as some rugs may be made of fabrics and materials that are delicate or need to be cleaned a specific way.

Shake it Out

While most area rugs will be too large to completely remove from the room and “shake out” outside, you may still be able to lift the corners and sides of your rug and give them a few good shakes to loosen up the debris.

Neutralize Odors

Next, sprinkle a small amount of baking soda over the surface of your area rug. You can also use a store-bought carpet-refreshing powder, which will likely contain baking soda and a scent. If you’d prefer to avoid additional chemicals or want to save money, however, baking soda will work just as well to neutralize odors without adding any artificial scents or perfumes.

Vacuum With Care

After letting the baking soda sit for a few minutes, vacuum your area rug thoroughly; depending on the pile and thickness of the rug, you may need to adjust the height settings on your vacuum to achieve the best results.

What About Deep Cleaning?

Once or twice a year, aim to give your area rugs a deep cleaning to remove surface stains and tough debris. Again, be sure to check the care instructions on your rug before you get started. While many rug materials (such as cotton and wool) can be cleaned using this method, others may become damaged if exact care instructions aren’t followed.

Hand-Wash With a Homemade Cleaner

Begin by running a vacuum over your area rug to remove any loose dust, pet hair, or other debris. From there, create your own cleaning mixture by combining a bucket of cold water with a cap of your favorite laundry detergent. Next, using a scrub brush or some clean microfiber rags, begin working in one corner of the rug by dipping the brush/rag into the mixture and scrubbing away in circular motions. Repeat this process until the entirety of the rug has been scrubbed.

Next, “rinse” the cleaning mixture away using clean, damp rags–again working out from one corner of the rug. Be careful not to drench the rug’s fibers with water. You should be able to blot them most of the way dry using a few clean towels when you’re done. However, you may be able to speed up the drying process by using a couple of strategically placed fans. Try to avoid walking on your rug until it has had a chance to dry completely.

When to Get Help From a Professional

Very large area rugs or those made of delicate materials may need to be professionally cleaned. If this is the case, check with local dry cleaners or carpet cleaners to see which option will be most practical and cost-effective for you.

Save Time With a Maid Service

Even if you only have one area rug in your home, you can easily spend most of an afternoon deep-cleaning your rugs. The good news is that you can reclaim your valuable free time in other ways, such as by hiring a professional maid service NYC to clean the rest of your home. Maid Sailors offers a number of office cleaning services and home cleaning services to save you time and hassle, including deep-cleaning and move-in/move-out cleaning. We even offer organization services to help bring more order to your everyday life!