Cheap Cleaning Tools & Gadgets To Make Life Easier
The items listed here can be found on Temu, Amazon, sometimes the Dollar Stores, or London Drugs. I am putting links from Temu because it is cheaper. Almost all similar items in department stores, or on Amazon come from China anyway.
I am not a fan of fast fashion, but have learned that from a practical perspective, there are many things made in China, that make cleaning easier, or help to protect, take care of, and prolong the lifespan of the things we use on a daily basis.
The following is a computer cleaning kit with fifteen or sixteen small tools for between the keys, the keys themselves, and all the various nooks and crannies. It can also be used on camera equipment, phones, and other electronics. The bottom of it has a larger brush or duster that recesses back into the container. It measures just 2.25″ in diameter x 3.5″ high. It is actually very handy to have all those little tools stored in one place. The links below show the price comparison for the same item.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0CMWM3YXS/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A2OMAAR6KBDOC8&th=1
The next item is a flat, flexible rubber extension for a vacuum cleaner. It enables you to vacuum hard to reach places, like under the fridge where dust accumulates and clogs the condenser coils. The number one maintenance issue for fridges, is the condenser, which is what keeps it working to keep things cold. We are supposed to clean the condenser coils on a regular basis.
The problem is that a full size fridge weighs around 300 pounds. Most of them are not on wheels. The condenser coils are in different locations, depending on the model of fridge you have. Some are at the back of the fridge, some at the front, and even underneath. Most fridges are not on wheels because on many surfaces, they need to be levelled. Not only is it difficult to move them, but you have to take care not to damage the floor when they are moved.
If you can find a way to keep the area around the condenser coils clean without having to move the fridge, you can reduce the chances of expensive maintenance calls. Why wait to clean the area under the fridge for six months to a year, if you can do so once or twice a month with a long brush, or vacuum attachment? Out of sight, out of mind, is not good when it comes to electrical components and dust.
If the condenser coils are at the front, behind the grate, you can remove the grate and clean the coils yourself using a vacuum, and a brush. If they are at the back behind a panel, you have to get someone to move the fridge to clean the coils.
The rubber vacuum attachment is flat enough to fit under a fridge and stove, or other items that are difficult to move, in order to clean under them.
A similar idea is a flat duster with a long handle. This too will fit under a fridge, and stove to sweep the dust to the front where you can vacuum it up. Some brushes have long handles, and they too, will let you reach, and sweep dust to the front or side to be vacuumed, or swept up. They call these items gap cleaners.
Brushes are great for cleaning, and work for hard to reach places in dryers, under appliances, in the crevices of sliding glass doors, and so on. Old toothbrushes work well for some cleaning jobs, but sometimes you need a long, or a narrow brush. The following brush is good for cleaning the crevices in sliding glass doors and windows.
You can also choose from a variety of long handled brushes for under appliances, and other hard to reach areas, like under shelving units in the garage.
Q-tips are one of the best cleaning tools. They are good for applying small amounts of silver paste to clean sterling silver jewellery. They are also useful for cleaning small grates, and narrow places on appliances that are hard to clean with a cloth. If you do not have a computer cleaning kit, you can use a slightly damp q-tip to clean your keyboard.
A small electric air compressor is a little more expensive, but it might help lengthen the life of electronics, printers, and the fridge coils by keeping things free of an accumulation of dust. The following listing is a few dollars more than some of the others. It has the highest number of positive reviews, which is always a good sign.
Another thing to consider is the higher temperatures of air fryers, toaster ovens, and even kettles, and how they could potentially damage or stain kitchen cupboards and walls. Even if the toaster oven requires a space of eight inches above it, the temperature might still be a cause for concern for the upper cabinets.
In doing the research, I learned the temperature should not exceed 104F degrees, and that both heat and steam can warp or damage the cabinets. I measured the toaster oven with an infrared thermometer throughout a cook time of 30-40 minutes. The back and sides gave off the least heat, reaching around 120F, but the top registered at 170F, and since heat rises, a few inches above that was 175F.
The conclusion I made is that it is better not to place small appliances under the cabinets at all. A safer solution in my opinion, is to use a cart that is away from the upper cabinets, if you have room in your kitchen.
Amazon has some excellent carts, of various dimensions, that are easy to put together, and have adjustable shelves.
In this case, you can put the toaster oven on top, and the air fryer or InstaPot on the lower shelves. That way you can switch things around, to place whatever appliance you are currently using on the top shelf.
The cart I am using in the kitchen for the appliances, is a versatile multi-purpose very sturdy cart, with large casters, so it is easy to move. The handle can be removed if space is limited, or if it is in the way. Amazon has many different types of kitchen carts, to include some with wood butcher block tops, and others with more style.
I chose one primarily for the utilitarian aspect, sturdiness, as well as for the versatility. The fact it is very sturdy with large casters is a big plus. If you wanted to, you could have a butcher block piece of wood cut to size for the top.
The shelves have been adjusted to fit the taller appliances underneath. The bottom shelf is used for heavier cookware, like cast iron, to prevent excess weight, and strain on the slide-out cabinet drawers. The top shelf easily fits a toaster oven, as well as a kettle. That way there is no heat or steam constantly rising to the bottom part of the upper kitchen cabinets.
On this cart, the toaster oven door opens easily, and rests on the top part of the shelf. Because the door has tempered glass, I use a couple small silicone potholders to rest on when the door is open. They come in a variety of different colours. I have two red ones and two black ones. They are also great for lifting hot pot lids, or for moving pans with handles on the sides.
An added benefit is that your counter tops are kept free of appliances and clutter, so you have more workspace when you are cooking.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B891FPBY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
The next issue is the length of the cords, if the appliances are not on the counter top. A six foot 12 gauge heavy duty extension cord can be purchased for safe use with kitchen appliances. The key thing is to only use one appliance per outlet at any given time. You can purchase these extension cords in various colours to include white, for use in the kitchen. They are also waterproof, and can be used for other purposes.
So finally the only remaining concern, is for the wall directly behind the toaster oven. Even though the back of it does not get that hot, all appliances give off heat, therefore there should be a barrier of some sort on the wall behind the appliances. One option is to move the cart away from the wall a few inches when cooking.
Another option is to protect the wall with a heat resistant material. There are many types of heat resistant, flame retardant materials that will protect the wall behind the appliances. These include silicone, cork, and tin.
In the Victorian era, decorative tin was used around stoves, fireplaces, and ceilings, as decor, but primarily as fire prevention. In cabins, and rustic homes, tin plate is often used behind wood stoves and heaters.
Since the area behind small appliances only covers a space of around, 24″, you can buy 8″ x 12″ decorative tin panels, and hang two or three of them behind the toaster oven, to protect the wall behind it. They are inexpensive, easy to wipe clean, and have a wide variety of art work to choose from. Some examples.
And two of my favourites!
With appreciation, and gratitude for having a home to take care of!