Six delicious foods that can destroy your kitchen

I love cooking in my kitchen, but clean up is something I always dread. If you’re not careful, though, you could come into problems with foods that will destroy your kitchen. I’m going to share with you the six foods that can destroy your kitchen counters and what to do about it.

1) Berries– Fresh berries can be great to eat, but they can sure leave behind some pesky stains. Spritz your counter with lemon juice or vinegar for an eco-friendly cleaning and odor removal alternative if you choose not to use a harsh cleanser. Lemon juice can bleach out many stains. I personally use a vinegar/water spray to clean the majority of my house.

2) Mustard- “Mustard, Let’s not be silly!”  I have read that the Magic Eraser, Soft Scrub with Bleach or oven cleaner may work.

3) Kool-Aid- Magic Eraser is supposed to work. I’ve always used Dawn dish soap to get it out. Here is another way you can treat it:  First, sprinkle baking soda on a damp wash rag. Then rub the stained area with the rag in a circular motion. You may repeat if necessary. If stain is very stubborn, sprinkle baking soda directly on the stain, rub with damp rag.

4) Food Coloring- I swear, every time I bake and decorate a cake, I add at least one stain to my counter with food coloring that I use to tint the frosting. Again, I’ve always used Dawn to get the majority of the stain out, but it doesn’t always come out for me.

5) Oils- Did you know that oil stains are the most common stain found on countertops? I didn’t realize that. Cover the stain with a dry powder like cornstarch that absorbs the oily excess. Repeat the application, if the spill is large, and let it sit overnight. The next morning, scrub the area with a detergent solution and hard brush. Another option is to blot at the stain with clean, dry tissue paper. Then, wipe the area with a clean cloth soaked in ammonia. Next, dip your poultice in acetone and wipe the stain clean.

6) Coffee/Tea- We have a coffee/tea bar in our kitchen and it’s no stranger to these stains. I normally just clean with Dawn and water and then groan when it doesn’t come out. Here are some ideas for removing coffee and tea stains. These stains are usually treatable if you soak a poultice in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and a little ammonia and gently wipe the affected area clean. Another option is to first use a mild detergent to try and wash the surface. Then, apply baking soda to the surface which will work as an abrasive to remove the stain effectively. Work into the countertop with a sponge and rinse away. If this does not help, using vinegar on the stain should.

Always be careful when preparing your foods on wooden kitchen sideboards, because if they are not sealed, you may never get your stains out. Have you had a stubborn stain and you have found a natural way to get that stain out? I’d love to hear it, because I really don’t want to use nasty chemicals where I prepare my food.