North Olmsted, Ohio... If sticky countertops, explosions in the oven or cooking with outdated appliances cause you major stress in the kitchen, you’re not alone. A recent Moen survey, conducted online by Harris Poll among more than 2,000 U.S. adults, found that 87 percent of Americans have pet peeves when preparing meals in their kitchen. Common “hot” buttons in the kitchen include …
Post-dinner Dishwashing
Let’s face it – no one really likes washing dishes. After all the effort of cooking a delicious meal, who wants to spend even more time cleaning up the mess? Nearly half of Americans (48 percent) say “cleaning up after I’m done” is among their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen.
To minimize the mess, clean as you go. While cooking, keep spills at bay by wiping them up right away with a paper towel, put dishes you’re done using in the sink instead of letting them clutter the counter, and use as few utensils as possible to minimize the amount you’ll have to wash.
More than a third of Americans (36 percent) say “removing grease/tough residue from dishes” is one of their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen. Combat caked-on messes by rinsing dishes immediately after using or eating, so the food doesn’t harden; if you’ve forgotten, soak them in soapy water overnight before putting them in the dishwasher.
“To make clean-up easier, it’s also important to choose a faucet with a powerful spray force,” said Andrea Maher, senior marketing communications specialist, Moen. “Fixtures with Power Clean™ technology from Moen provide more force to get tough jobs done, while containing splashing and minimizing mess. Peanut butter, cake butter and tomato sauce are conquered in a flash.”
Sticky Situations
Nothing can be trickier than trying to wash your hands with fingers caked in the sticky, ooey gooey concoction you’ve just cooked up. About one in five Americans (21 percent) say “trying to use the sink faucet with dirty hands” is among their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen.
Make washing up simpler by installing a hands-free faucet, like fixtures with MotionSense™ from Moen. MotionSense detects your movement, setting water flow in motion, allowing you to speed through everyday tasks with greater ease and efficiency.
Too Few Cooks in the Kitchen
From meal prep to clean-up, one is the loneliest number. A quarter of Americans (25 percent) say “having to do it all by themselves” is one of their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen. Divide cooking and cleaning responsibilities among members of the household to lessen the load. If you typically prepare dinner, ask your spouse to wash and dry the dishes, or assign each person one night a week to whip something up (or buy takeout!). Meal prep also is a great excuse for family bonding. Get kids excited to help out by letting them choose the menu, such as homemade pizzas, or promise a yummy dessert in exchange for assistance.
“There’s no need to get stressed at the sink,” adds Maher. “With the right mindset, habits and kitchen tools, you’ll have the perfect recipe for success in the kitchen.”
Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Moen from October 12-14, 2016 among 2,108 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Courtney Yerega at cyerega@fallscommunications.com.