d in pot? July 19, 2016 • Page 12 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com 7 Helpful Hacks for Quick Kitchen Cleanup Tips for Better Family Road Trips 4. Get Creative with Coffee Filters Coffee filters are perfect for many cleaning (or mess prevention) hacks in the kitchen. They work as a spoon rest, a strainer or a wrap for ice cream cones to catch drips, and can be placed under greasy foods like bacon or french fries to soak up excess oil and cut down on cleanup (and calories). (StatePoint) Taking the family on a road trip? When kids are in tow, an extended car ride means thinking ahead to help avoid headaches and squabbling over personal space. A little planning can go a long way in making the trip enjoyable for passengers of all ages. To minimize backseat frustrations and maximize fun on the open road, consider these tips: • Babies and Toddlers: Manage meltdowns by factoring in nap time when planning your route. Drive while little ones are sleeping and take breaks that coincide with their regular eating schedule. • The Grade School Set: Let each child pack their own road trip survival backpack. They can fill it with their favorite car-friendly snacks, crafting gear and tech gadgets. Make sure items are fully charged and bring along extra batteries. Think about bringing a new book or snack they haven’t seen before to keep things interesting when their interest begins to wane. • Tweens and Teens: This age group has a lot of opinions. To help keep the peace, give them a say in some car-related activities. Let them choose the playlist for one hour or use an app to geo-locate a restaurant for lunch. • At Every Age: Safety should always be at the forefront of every road trip. Keep a first aid kit handy and have extra bottled water in the trunk. Make sure every passenger is wearing a seat belt or is properly secured in his or her car seat before putting the car in motion. Infants should ride rear-facing until at least two years of age, or until they have reached the maximum height and weight limits of rear-facing car seats, according to The American Academy of Pediatrics. Choose a car seat designed with both safety and comfort in mind, such as the Graco Extend2Fit 3-in-1 Car Seat, which provides five inches of extra legroom and six recline positions. It can be used in rear-facing mode up to 50 pounds and forward facing in a 5-point harness up to 65 pounds, and its harness and headrest are adjustable as your child grows. Additional car seat information can be found at gracobaby.com. Traveling with children will always be somewhat stressful, and requires a sense of humor; but if you involve them in decisions and think about ways to keep kids comfortable longer on the trip, you will be able to have greater peace of mind and a lot more fun while on the open road. (StatePoint) Prepare. Eat. Clean up. Repeat. In the kitchen, it’s a never-ending cycle of conquering messes. These seven simple cleaning hacks, tips and products that will cut down time spent restoring order in your space. 1. Start with the Sink Before cooking, always empty the sink to make space for washing dirty items, including your hands. Combat lingering odors from garlic or onions by rubbing your hands on your stainless steel sink to remove the smell. Be sure to disinfect the sink first, as research shows that Salmonella and E. coli are found on 45 percent of kitchen sinks! 2. Find a Fabulous Faucet Rethink your faucet. Simplify cleanup with a high-arc pulldown spout, which provides extra room for large pots and pans, and the ability to reach all corners of the sink. Plus, new spray technologies, such as Moen’s Power Clean, can provide more spray power while containing splash and minimizing mess. Greater force means faster cleanup and less water used on tough-to-rinse foods, like peanut butter. 3. Make Microwave Miracles Your sink and faucets are the workhorses of the kitchen, but your microwave is probably next in line. So, what happens if your eggs explode or your sauce splatters? Place a bowl of water with cut lemons in the microwave and run it until the water boils. Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen the splatter and then wipe clean. In the future, always cover your items with a microwave-safe lid, paper towel or even a coffee filter! 5. Go Streak-Free Tired of the constant fingerprints and streaks on stainless appliances? Ditch harsh cleaners for a simple solution: water and a microfiber cloth, which feature microscopic fibers that pick up more than regular cloths. Better yet, choose faucets and appliances with finishes that repel these unsightly marks, such as Moen’s exclusive Spot Resist faucet finish, which helps resist fingerprints and water spots. 6. Don’t Trash Food -- Dispose It More than 60 million homeowners rely on garbage disposals to assist with daily kitchen cleanup, according to Moen Consumer & Market Insights. This handy appliance can significantly reduce the amount of trash you create, which means sending less to the landfill and fewer smelly garbage cans! Choose a powerful, dependable garbage disposal, such as Moen’s complete line that quickly and powerfully grinds food scraps, allowing you to spend more time at the dinner table and less time at the sink. 7. Protect the Pantry Most pantry doors are shut for a reason -- there’s a mess lurking in there! From sugar spills to syrup leaks, many shelves are a sticky situation. Non-adhesive shelf liners are an ideal solution for easy cleanup. The solid surface will help contain spills and, since they’re machine-washable, you can toss the liner in the wash and re-use it. Life in the kitchen is messy, but with a few tips and updates, cleanup can be a breeze. 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