I know how quickly fires start, and often in the kitchen in a home or a restaurant. One of the biggest areas of concern are extractors. Flat-style extractors have easily removable paper grease filters.
Replace these if they are saturated with grease. You will find them at supermarkets or kitchenware stores and cut to size. To clean the extractor cover, remove it and soak in boiling water with soda crystals, bicarbonate of soda or washing powder. For sparkling results, leave overnight.
Chimney-style extractors usually have mesh instead of paper filters. Remove it and clean using boiling water and washing-up liquid. Greasy tiles behind hobs respond best to baking soda – sprinkle on to a damp cloth – or lemon juice. Surfaces around stoves tend to accumulate grease or fat, and this will aid combustion and the spread of fire.
You should always have the correct type of extinguisher and a fire blanket readily available in the kitchen. Remember it is important to clean the braai, especially gas braais with lids. Grease builds up quickly and must be removed. Also check the hoses connecting your gas bottles to the braai. You’re looking for leaks and soapy water works well.
There is another problem I recently discovered: squirrels tend to nibble, and they have had such a go at my connection hoses that I have to replace them. Because we tend to keep windows shut in winter, especially in the bathroom, we get a build-up of mould due to lack of ventilation. Clean grubby grouting between tiles with an old toothbrush dipped in thick bleach.
Scrub hard and wipe down with a damp cloth. Modern fridges and freezers tend to look after themselves, but it is important to regularly defrost them. The more ice builds up, the harder the fridge has to work and the more likely you are to experience problems.
*Handy Mac, aka Don MacAlister, is our expert on household DIY issues. If you have a question for him, please send it to [email protected] or SMS only to 082 446 3859. Find Don on FB: