Smart and Easy Kitchen Renovations

Your kitchen is more than a place to cook and eat your meals. It's a gathering place for friends, a boardroom for family meetings, a home office and a homework centre. It's the heart of your home. That's why the kitchen is one of the rooms that people love to renovate.

Before you begin your remodeling project, make sure that you secondary place to prepare meals. You'll need a location that has convenient access to water. Ideally, you will be able to use your existing stove and refrigerator. If not, make sure that you have ample coolers on hand, as well as an electric kettle, hot plate, toaster oven and microwave. If the weather cooperates, you can also make good use of your barbecue at renovation time.

Once you're ready to begin renovating your kitchen, be aware of these common mistakes, and try to avoid them:

1. Wall Damage: Be careful not to destroy the kitchen walls when you're removing old cabinets. See if you can replace the cabinetry without taking down the existing braces.

2. Surface Damage: Floors, cabinets and countertops are also prone to unnecessary damage. Protect your cabinets and countertops with drop cloths. Floors are easily damaged during wall replacements and other major renovation projects. Think about putting down a layer of plywood to protect your kitchen floor.

3. Shut off the Utilities: You might think that it's enough to switch a breaker, pull a fuse or close a valve, but you could be in for a surprise. Safety should always be your first priority. Shut off the water and electricity supplies completely before you begin working.

4. Protect Against Debris. Even though you're renovating in the kitchen, you can be sure that dust from sanding and tiling will find its way through the entire house. Use plastic sheeting to cover doorways to adjoining rooms, and seal air vents to contain the mess. Ventilation is important, however, so be sure to leave the kitchen windows and outside door open.

5. Timing is Everything: Kitchen renovations take time, and it's easy to underestimate your completion date. Beginning a major kitchen overhaul two weeks before Christmas just isn't a good idea. It's easy to botch a job if you're racing to meet a deadline, so give yourself plenty of time to do the job right.

Before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, make sure that you and your kitchen are fully prepared:

* Pack up everything that will not be used in your temporary kitchen area. Label the boxes clearly and store them away.

* If it's not nailed down, get rid of it. Kitchen drawers, furniture, spice racks, appliances, lazy susans, clocks and trinkets should be removed and put aside or packed away. If you can't move it, take time to protect it from dirt and damage.

* Arrange to have the refuse removed. There will be a lot of debris, particularly if you're replacing flooring, walls, cabinets or countertops. If you don't have a truck, rent a dumpster. Have it as close to the kitchen as possible, so you can throw the debris right in. Pay attention to any materials that can be reused. Those old cabinets may be handy in the laundry room or garage. Call a charity organization and donate your unneeded materials. Try Habitat for Humanity.

* Be sure that the gas and water are shut off before you remove your major appliances. Most appliances have individual shutoff valves for plumbing and water, but you should consider turning off the main supply valves. The main gas line valve should be located near the gas meter. When you're done working and you've opened the gas line back up, remember to relight all of your pilot lights.

* Disconnect all electrical circuits leading to the renovation area. Many older homes have wiring systems that have been modified, and it's not always clear which circuits or fuses control a particular area. You can't afford to guess, so call a qualified electrician if you're not sure. Otherwise, you can turn off the main power to the house while you're working. You can also tape over the breakers to safeguard against switching them back on inadvertently.

* Dismantle existing fixtures and outlets if you plan on upgrading your electrical system. First, remove all of the light bulbs, and then dismantle each fixture by unscrewing the cover plate and pulling the receptacle out of the box. Detach the wires carefully.

Cap any exposed wires should be capped until you're ready to install the new fixtures. Bare copper wires are grounds that do not need to be capped. There is zero room for error when it comes to electricity. If you don't know how to replace electrical fixtures, spend the money on the services of a certified electrician.

It takes a lot of work to remodel a kitchen, but the results can be spectacular. In your home, the kitchen is likely used for playing, socializing and leaning as much as it is a place to cook. The time and effort that you spend on your kitchen renovation will surely pay off in many ways.

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5 Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Free of Harmful Germs

Germs can live anywhere, but the kitchen seems to attract germs more than any room of the home due to daily food preparation as well as the amount of moisture. And with more reports than ever of food poisoning and contamination, those who cook at home are becoming more aware of the hazards of germs and bacteria in the kitchen. Think of all the possible areas in the kitchen that can harbor germs - sink, countertops, tabletops, floors, chairs, bar stools, microwaves, stoves - not to mention all those small electronic gadgets that make cooking so convenient!

With so many possible ways germs can invade the kitchen, it's good to know how to stop them dead in their tracks. Let's explore five easy methods of keeping your kitchen germ-free.

1. Keep Countertops Clean

Use a disinfectant to clean your countertops after every meal. Even if you don't place food directly on a counter, there will likely be germs from utensils, packaging and even your own hands. Countertops should also be cleaned after snacking and after bringing in groceries from the store in grocery bags. Think of it - the bags are fresh and new when the clerk places your groceries in them. But unfortunately, he/she then places the bag onto the register table and then into a dirty buggy. You, in turn, place them in the trunk of your car! So when you bring the bags in and place them on your countertops, you've just transferred germs from three possible sources. This is especially important during flu and cold season! You might want to just throw away bags during these months instead of storing them.

2. Handle Your Food Well

Washing raw foods will help eliminate some germs (although not all viruses can be destroyed using this method). Also, keep raw foods (particularly meats) away from other foods. Eggs should be kept in their carton, and meats should be kept in their proper packaging, wrapped in a bag if possible to prevent contact with other items.

3. Avoid Clutter in the Kitchen

Clutter makes it very difficult to clean the countertops, cabinets, etc. When a countertop has lots of items stored on it, you might be tempted to only wipe clean the visible areas. Also, clean out your cabinets occasionally and wipe them with a disinfectant cleaner. Throw away old items, and keep things organized for easy access for cleaning. Clean your refrigerator from top to bottom, inside and out, to keep it fresh and germ-free. Keep the floor swept, and mop it often with a disinfectant cleaner and hot water.

Change out your dish rags and sponges often. Rags should be washed in hot water to kill germs. Hand towels should only be used to dry clean hands - not to wipe up spills on the counters and then hang up for others to use! Kids are known for grabbing the drying towel to clean up spills and then hanging it back without telling anyone - beware! Use paper towels for spills to eliminate this problem.

4. Clean Electrical Appliances

Electrical appliances tend to become the most ignored items in a kitchen, but these can harbor germs just like any other item. The can opener, for instance, has food from the can splashed onto the blade every time it's used. The coffee maker can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Microwaves often have food splashed onto the walls or platter while cooking. To clean your electrical appliances, use a professional style cleaner that's meant for this purpose. The perfect cleaner is a putty-like substance that you simply press and pull to remove grime, dirt and food from the appliance. It gets in those hard-to-reach places without wetting them, and even works great as a dashboard cleaner, car cleaner, keyboard cleaner, auto cleaner, and any type of electronic cleaner.

5. The Obvious - Wash Your Hands

Probably the most common way germs spread is by our own hands. We touch raw foods, and then forget and reach to grab something from the cabinet, or touch the refrigerator door. We might grab a utensil from the drawer after touching raw foods. Make a mental note to wash your hands before touching anything else while preparing a meal. Meats and raw eggs should immediately throw up a red flag before touching other items. Sometimes kids rush in from playing outdoors and grab a drink or snack without washing their hands. Teach them from a young age that it's important to wash before touching anything in the kitchen to minimize sickness due to germs.

Keep these tips in mind every time you visit the kitchen to enjoy less germs and peace of mind!

Article Source: http://www.holidaysoftheyear.com