Most of us are pretty set in the ways we do things in our own kitchens. We might occasionally make a seemingly mild wrong choice. Here are five common kitchen no-no’s that you are most likely doing at least every once in a while, but should stop doing because they are damaging to either you or your kitchen. 

Feeding Potato Peels Down the Garbage Disposal.


I’ve always known my sister doesn’t put potato peels down the sink and have always been curious as to why--here’s the logic: potatoes contain a lot of starch, which can actually clump into a thick paste and clog the disposal. Or sometimes these peels actually do pass through the disposal intact, but then collect in other parts of the piping, creating a hard-to-dislodge block. Make sure to put those peels in the garbage instead so you don’t have to make that dreaded call to the plumber!

Not Scraping Dishes Before Putting Them in the Dishwasher.


These days the dishwasher soaps are so intense they claim that you don’t have to do any pre-rinsing or scrubbing before you load those dirty dishes--however, this is really not a good idea. If you leave some bits of spaghetti or tuna casserole, those bits can clog a dishwasher’s pump assembly, drain lines and spray arms. It can actually cause harmful bacteria to grow and eventually destroy the machine’s washing power. 

Just simply scrape the dishes, you don’t even have to rinse them completely, as the soap cleans better when it has a little something to cling to.

Pureeing Hot Liquids in a Blender.

This is a bad idea because swirling hot liquid in a blender causes the liquid to expand, forcing it up and out of the carafe, where it could potentially burst out of the blender and burn you--all the while making a huge mess by spraying your walls and ceiling.

To prevent this volcanic eruption, puree in batches, fill the blender no more than halfway and remove the center stopper from the lid and hold a kitchen towel over the opening instead. 

Leaving Lemon Juice on Granite and Marble Countertops.

If you leave acids like citrus juice, vinegar, wine, tomatoes and soft drinks on the counter, they can sometimes stain and even etch the surface of granite or marble. So wipe up spills as quickly as possible. You can look into getting your countertop sealed, which won’t make it stain-proof but it can buy you a little bit of time to get the mess cleaned up before it does any real damage.

Using a Damp Kitchen Towel as a Potholder.


This is probably the one I do most commonly--I just grab whatever is nearby to pull out my lasagna or batch of cookies if that timer goes off and here is why I need to stop grabbing that damp towel as a potholder. Since water is a fast conductor of heat, doing this could result in burning your hands, which could possibly make you drop the baking dish and break it. Stick with dry oven mitts or towels, or try a silicone mitt or potholder.

Do you ever do any of these kitchen faux pas? I hope I can keep these tips in my memory forever  to avoid tomato sauce volcanoes or any calls to the plumber!