Martha Stewart's Kitchen Secrets: 15 Creative Tricks to Make Cleaning a Cinch

In lieu of crowding a cupboard with haphazardly strewn cleaning agents, build a cleaning caddy to house your essential items. Martha's recommended cleaning caddy components include paper towels, microfiber cloths, a toothbrush, scouring pads in white and green nylon, stainless steel, copper, and aluminum polish, soft white cloths, kitchen brushes, a selection of fresh and old sponges, mild dishwashing soap, all-purpose household cleaner, mild abrasive cleaner, baking soda, white vinegar, glass cleaner, and gloves. 

Stylized small containers can creatively corral loose odds and ends. Make cleanliness a creative endeavor by dividing your minute kitchen items into charming cups or saucers for each drawer. The result is aesthetically pleasing and promotes a pristine kitchen.

If the remnants of your latest culinary masterpiece are stubbornly clinging to your cookery, rub down the pot or pan with a dry sponge and salt for a spot-free surface. 

Baked-on food need not be the bane of your existence. Boil ¼ cup baking soda with several cups of water, and allow the pot to sit for an hour, then remove spots of food with a nonabrasive cooking utensil. 

Dip a clean wine cork in mild dishwashing liquid to gently buff away knife stains. Alternatively, use a cocktail of lemon juice and coarse salt to treat the stain. 

Water can warp wood and cause mildew. Instead of soaking wooden kitchen tools in water, dampen a cloth with a solution composed of ten parts water and one part chlorine bleach to thoroughly cleanse wooden implements. 

An abundance of food particles left to linger in your garbage disposal can make for an unappetizing aroma. Give the garbage disposal a fragrant, deodorizing treatment with ground citrus peels or vinegar ice cubes.