Here’s every detail on monsoon-proofing your kitchen

Home Remedies and Hacks:

• Essential oils are your kitchen ally. Add a few drops of peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender oil to a spray bottle filled with water and use it to mist the parts of your kitchen where insects tend to show up.
  
  
• Vinegar is another effective insect repellant. Fill a spray bottle with equal quantities of vinegar and water and spray it along ant trails and entry points. A mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap placed near fruit bowls and other foods helps keep fruit flies away. You can also use this solution to clean surfaces like the counter and kitchen floor.
  
  
• Cloves are a natural insect repellent that can help deter cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. Simply sprinkle them around areas where these pests are a problem. You can also insert cloves into lemons and limes and place them around the kitchen. Cut the lemon in half and pierce the flesh with cloves.
  
  
• Cinnamon powder is a sweet-smelling spice that insects detest, since it irritates a pest’s mouth and nose. Sprinkle it along windowsills, doorways, and other entry points to deter insects. Placing cinnamon sticks in cabinets and pantry shelves can also repel bugs naturally.

It’s also important to dispose of food waste properly and regularly. If left unchecked, rogue pests and rodents can spread diseases like dengue, malaria, cholera and Weil’s Disease (spread through contact via rat urine), so precautions are a must.

What to Do:

• Ventilation is a non-negotiable. Keep the windows open during dry spells to let in fresh air. Turn on the exhaust fan or chimney to get rid of steam and smoke that fill their air while you cook. If you have a ceiling fan in your kitchen, switch it on for short spells during humid days to improve air flow.
  
  
• Deep-clean your fridge. You may think it’s a safe zone, but opening and shutting the fridge door exposes the interior to the damp air outside. Wipe down your fridge shelves with a vinegar-water spray, toss out expired food, and place a wedge of citrus or a bowl of coffee grounds or beans inside your fridge to keep it fresh. Don’t overcrowd your fridge shelves, as this increases humidity levels.
  
  
• Dry your kitchen towels and washcloths properly. Wet towels are a common culprit behind musty kitchen smells. Keep two sets so one can dry while the other is in use. Always hang them in a well-ventilated area near a window or under a fan, and avoid draping them over closed surfaces or furniture.
   

• The best way to make your kitchen fragrant and inviting is to boil whole spices. Bring a pot of water with cinnamon sticks, cloves and/or orange peel to a boil. As it simmers, a warm, spiced fragrance will envelope the kitchen, refreshing the air. A few drops of vanilla extract in boiling water also works well, your kitchen will smell like freshly-baked cookies! 

Storing your utensils properly also matters in the monsoon. Steel and metal vessels need some breathing space so they don’t give off a metallic stench after washing, so place them on open shelves or in cupboards with louvered doors so they have ventilation. A little time and effort go a long way in ensuring hygiene and food safety. Follow these tips for a pest-free, odour-free, and rot-free kitchen, so you can keep the masala chai and filter coffee flowing as you enjoy the rain outside!

Title image courtesy, Temple Town