6 “Political” Things You Can Do in Your Kitchen That Are Actually Rude

a photo of a woman looking at a glass with the dishwasher open

Photo of a woman looking through a glass filled with dishwasher water

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You’ve probably seen some unsavory kitchen habits, regardless of whether you live with roommates, your spouse, a family member, or someone you love. Every shared kitchen has some unspoken or assumed rules—and when those rules are broken, the house dynamic can get dicey! These “polite” things that you do in your own kitchen can cause rifts among your housemates. You can become the best kitchen-sharer possible by thinking twice about what you do in your own kitchen.

Related: 6 “Polite” Things You Say When Someone Cooks for You That Are Actually Rude

1. You do the dishes for everyone, but you don’t pay any attention to specific cleaning instructions.

You may feel generous when the sink is full. If this happens, you might just be tempted to clean the dishes. While your kindness is admirable and greatly appreciated, make sure you have a mental checklist to help you clean up your communal kitchen the next time.

There are certain dishes and utensils that you need to clean with special care if you have a roommate or family member who is like me. You might want to consider a wooden cuttingboard or a cast-iron skillet Have specific cleaning instructions. If a roommate comes in and cleans everyone’s dishes they could be causing damage to high-quality kitchenware. Ask your roommate for help if you have this problem. Or, leave it to them to clean!

2. You can substitute the food you ate for someone else’s, but not buy the right one..

If you claim you haven’t ever stolen food from another person, then you either have a great roommate or you lie. Sometimes, the Chinese takeout food is too tempting to resist eating. Or maybe your roommate’s Dijon mustard would be enough to complete your sandwich. If temptation is too strong, you might consider replacing what you took from other kitchen-dwellers. It’s an eye for an eye right?

Wrong! You could be doing everything wrong if you try to substitute the brand or order of food. You could, for instance, replace the jar of mayonnaise by imitation mayo. This is simply unacceptable behavior. If you are adamant about your food theft, we recommend that you let your roommate know so they can send some money to make up the difference.

3. Share the love, make meals for others, but don’t clean up after yourselves.

I’m the cook in my apartment. My roommates are often the ones who get to enjoy the leftovers from the grocery store, such as cookies or popcorn. But, what I do not do is leave a mess for my roommates to clean up. Kitchen dynamics are different for everyone—some families have a “you cook, I clean” policy while other households tend to operate the kitchen independently with rules consisting of a less “all-hands-on-deck” approach.

It doesn’t matter what rules you have in your home, it is not a good idea to leave a mess for others. My kitchen rule is to share the love and leave the kitchen clean.

4. It is important to remember to wash the dishes, but it can cause disruptions in other areas. 

A dishwasher is a great addition to any household. Although a dishwasher can make life easier for many families, it can also prove to be a significant battleground.

First of all, if your dishwasher is loud and disruptive like mine, ensure that you are running it at the correct time of day. Sometimes the dishwasher’s loud sound can cause problems for those in the kitchen. My home and my apartment were built on the principle that the dishwasher should only be used after we are done with our kitchens and gone to bed.

You might also be missing a piece of dishwasher etiquette. what can And cannot go Put the dishes in the dishwasher. Your cast-iron skillets and high-quality glassware might not be appreciated by the people in your kitchen. They may prefer to wash them manually. You can give your kitchen a heads up if you use cookware with specific cleaning instructions to ensure everyone is aware.

Similar: 18 Surprising Things You Can Put in Your Dishwasher

5. Wipe down the counters, but don’t wash the sponge afterwards.

Are you the only one who feels like your blood boils whenever there is a sticky spot or crumb on the counter? When you are clean, you may feel the most organized person in your home. wipe down the counters after Cooking is a complex practice, but I can assure you that it has more nuance than you think.

Make sure you wash the sponge, washcloth, or scrubber after wiping down the counters. A dirty sponge might be worse than a dirty countertop. Housemates will appreciate a quick rinse.

You should also consider what you are using to wipe down the counters. A certain member of my family (Hi Mom!One of my family members (Hi, Mom! ), would be so upset if we used harsh chemicals such as bleach or glass cleaner to clean the countertops. We would be reminded by her that gentle cleaners are best. Warm water and dish soap do the trick. So be sure you’re not cleaning with an unnecessary chemical—or the nicer dish towel that’s meant for drying hands.

6. You should take out the trash, but not line the can with a fresh bag..

It is polite to take out the trash. But what? isn’t Being polite means not filling the trash bin with a new bag. Your roommate, your family member, or partner will be upset if they find out that the trash can must now be cleaned. You don’t want to cause trouble in your home by reminding them that every time they empty the trash, a new liner must be placed.

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