Messy Kitchen Burnout.

Decorating By rachpizano Updated 30 Jul 2007 , 2:36am by katwomen1up

rachpizano Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
rachpizano Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 1:49am
post #1 of 61

Okay so I totally love decorating cake BUT I'm really getting burned out on having to clean the destaster that awaits me after I'm finished. I really need some advice how to keep me from having to spend hours cleaning up after I'm done. We are starting to do a lot of bussiness now and the problem is getting a lot worse. I know it sounds really silly but after your been working for several hours on cakes having to spend another three hours cleaning just sucks!!! Any advice would be helpful.
Thank
Rachel M Pizano

60 replies
SueB Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
SueB Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 2:37am
post #2 of 61

I like to keep one side of my sink with hot soapy water to wash up spoons or spatulas or whatever as soon as I finish with them. Then the icing doesn't crust up and it isn't as hard to get them clean. I also keep a tupperware bowl full of hot soapy water to let my tips soak in...when I finish with a tip I throw it right into this bowl and when it comes time to clean them it isn't hard to do.

mcassada Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
mcassada Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 2:49am
post #3 of 61

If its possible I try to make up my icing the day before that way i won't have the mess from the cake and the icing all at the same time
also if i know i have a certain cake and how much icing i need i color and bag it ahead of time to, that way on the second day it helps a ton for it to be ready
Good Luck and know that I feel your pain, clean up is the WORST!

chloe1979 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
chloe1979 Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 3:35am
post #4 of 61

I swear by Clorox Cleanups. And, I make my frosting ahead, and yes, it is also a good idea to have the hot water. I know of others who clean as they go, or put a towel under their workspace so they don't have to be wiping up frosting--just throw it in the washer.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 4:12am
post #5 of 61

Towels, newspaper, or parchment paper (my personal favorite because it's just cleaner) under your mixer or near your mixer/measuring area. You'll be amazed how helpful this is at clean-up time!

Segment your work. Clean up after each segment. (Make Icing - Stop - Clean up). Cleaning up a little at a time is much better than doing it all at once, plus you are just more productive when working in a neat place. if you remember, the food challenges judge the contestants on how clean and organized their work area is.

Do you have more than one bowl for your mixer? This may sound like more dishes to wash, but it helps your productivity when you can have 2 bowls available.

Line up your ingredients somewhere handy but out of the way. I have a small shelf at eye level by my mixer where I keep the vanilla, merinque powder, my sifter, various flavorings. I put some nails/hooks into the edge of the shelf and I hang my measuring spoons, measuring cups, kitchen scissors on them. everything is handy and I can easily return them to their proper place when done .... eliminating the putting away part later. This also keeps them off of my counter, giving me more counter space and empty counter space is easier to clean.

I keep my other ingredients in large, wide mouth containers on a shelf within arms reach of my work area .... baking powder/soda, flour, sugar, crisco, choc chips, powdered sugar, etc. With the wide mouth containers, you can reach right in with your measuring tools to get what you need. With them within arms reach, you can put the lid back on and it's back in place ..... no putting stuff away later.

But rest assured, no matter what time saving steps you take, you still dont' feel like doing clean up after you're all done! icon_razz.gif

JaneK Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
JaneK Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 4:22am
post #6 of 61

When I start cake decorating, I make sure my dishwasher is unstacked..so as I accumulate stuff, I just put it in the dishwasher.
I also keep a sink of hot soapy water with GOOD grease cutting detergent in it!

My biggest problem is that I use so many tea towels and dish cloths..a new one for every step of the way..I must be OCD..

BakingGirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
BakingGirl Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 4:33am
post #7 of 61

I keep a plate to by the mixer which I use to put down my utensils as I use them, so that I don't get spills and grease all over my counters while baking. Seems really basic but I never really thought about it until I read a similar thread a while back here on CC. The advice I read was putting cling film down, but I figured a plate is re-usable and I can just pop it in the dishwasher once I have finished.

BakingGirl Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
BakingGirl Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 4:33am
post #8 of 61

I keep a plate to by the mixer which I use to put down my utensils as I use them, so that I don't get spills and grease all over my counters while baking. Seems really basic but I never really thought about it until I read a similar thread a while back here on CC. The advice I read was putting cling film down, but I figured a plate is re-usable and I can just pop it in the dishwasher once I have finished.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 4:39am
post #9 of 61
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakingGirl

I keep a plate to by the mixer which I use to put down my utensils as I use them, so that I don't get spills and grease all over my counters while baking. Seems really basic but I never really thought about it until I read a similar thread a while back here on CC. The advice I read was putting cling film down, but I figured a plate is re-usable and I can just pop it in the dishwasher once I have finished.




Oh man that is just too simple! What a great idea!

PRcakes Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
PRcakes Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 5:10am
post #10 of 61

OMG!! Well this in my case, im really lazy and very disorganized, and the only time my house is completely clean and organized including the kitchen is when im going to do a cake. I use a cookie pan and put parchment paper on top, I put everything on top of my cookie sheet and i have a bowl with hot water and soap for my tips, and as soon as a I finished with the cake mix I clean up, then the icing and clean up and I keep going like that!!!!

Any advise on the rest of my week, when im not baking and my house is a mess????

sun33082 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
sun33082 Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 5:24am
post #11 of 61

I love the towel under the mixer idea!! Why didn't I think of that?

cakekrayzie Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
cakekrayzie Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 5:38am
post #12 of 61

okay you guys are going to think i'm really spoiled, but my mom picks up my mess she comes and helps me when i do a cake and she is as she puts it the cleanup crew, she is a neat freak so we both get something out of it.

Luxe42 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Luxe42 Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 5:41am
post #13 of 61
Quote:
Originally Posted by BakingGirl

I keep a plate to by the mixer which I use to put down my utensils as I use them, so that I don't get spills and grease all over my counters while baking. Seems really basic but I never really thought about it until I read a similar thread a while back here on CC. The advice I read was putting cling film down, but I figured a plate is re-usable and I can just pop it in the dishwasher once I have finished.




ditto on that! Plus I clean in steps. So at the end of the night it's only 1 hr of cleaning instead of 3 lol

I will send the kitchen fairy over to wave her wand....

simplysweetbygigi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
simplysweetbygigi Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 7:52am
post #14 of 61

I try to get all my baking done in one day, and I make the icing another day. This way it's not a lot at one time. Make sure you ut away your baking items before you pull out your decorating items. I too keep a soapy dish for the tips and sometimes keep them over night so the next morning I just rinse them. Oh yeah, I also have a great husband that does all the clean up detail. That's is part in this home business, I bake, decorate and bring in the extra cash, and he gets to clean up and spend some of that extra cash! lol icon_biggrin.gif

1234me Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
1234me Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 1:39pm
post #15 of 61

do all your baking one day
make all your buttercream one day
then on the last day, all you are doing is decorating because the cakes are already baked and the buttercream already made.
Clean as you go. I NEVER place a spoon, let's say, with buttercream in my sink and clean it later. I always clean it all off first so then when it is time to put in dishwasher, I am not having to take the time then.

christeena Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
christeena Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 1:54pm
post #16 of 61

I'm going to be the only odd ball here and say that I DO NOT put my icing covered utensils and bowls immediately in hot soapy water; here's why - I remember a thread not too long ago in which a CC member had to call a plumber out because of clogged sink drain and he discovered a mass of hardened shortenening in the pipes. That made a huge impression on me so now I let the icing crust over on the spatulas or in the bowl and then I scrape it into the garbage, trying to get as much of it as possible off before it goes into my dishwasher!! Other than that, I try to clean as I go!!

Melvira Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Melvira Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 1:57pm
post #17 of 61

Find a pre-teen/early teen saving up for something they want and pay them to clean your kitchen!! icon_lol.gif

I do the 'clean as I go' thing, but that's mainly because I can't work efficiently if I am pushing around dirty dishes, etc. I like a clean, open work space. I'm still looking for a kid to pay... I'll let you know how that works out! icon_wink.gif

kansaslaura Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
kansaslaura Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 1:57pm
post #18 of 61

I keep beating the Bosch drum! I have a KA and a Bosch in my kitchen. The Bosch is a work horse and has cut the clean up from buttercream down to less than 10% of what it was before.(yea.. you still have to wash the bowl and beaters!) The cover keeps it all in. The drive comes up from the bottom of the bowl. NO poooooooof of powdered sugar!!

I use my KA for mixing cakes and cookie doughs. The Bosch is perfectly able to do those, but I have this great old Hobart KA I love and it's just a routine I have.
LL

Tawana Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Tawana Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 6:06pm
post #19 of 61
Quote:
Originally Posted by JaneK

When I start cake decorating, I make sure my dishwasher is unstacked..so as I accumulate stuff, I just put it in the dishwasher.
I also keep a sink of hot soapy water with GOOD grease cutting detergent in it!

My biggest problem is that I use so many tea towels and dish cloths..a new one for every step of the way..I must be OCD..




HA!!! That is exactly what I do. I clean as I go. I'm a clean freak too. I usually have the washer, and dishwasher going by the time I'm finished with the cake. It's so much easier that way. Then I don't have to dread cleaning up the mess at the end.

keepontryin Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
keepontryin Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 6:07pm
post #20 of 61

I always line my measuring cups with saran wrap when I measure crisco or anything sticky. Really makes that cleanup much easier plus it's easier to get it out of the cup.

marybible Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
marybible Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 8:17pm
post #21 of 61

Im with mcassada, I try to do some things ahead of time so my mess isn't as BIG after the cake is finished. And I always like to clean as I go too.

Cakenicing4u Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Cakenicing4u Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 9:39pm
post #22 of 61

For me, it's to make my icing first, then use that bowl to mix my cake batter in. It's mostly the same ingredients anyway, and a good scraper takes 99% of the icing out of the bowl anyway! icon_lol.gif

I also make sure that the dishwasher is empty and load as I go, and line the counters with paper. I also throw a clean damp towel OVER my KA to catch any flying sugar and stuff as it lands--it keeps the mixer from getting sticky. icon_lol.gif

I seperate ny icing into bowls or bags, and color in order-- lightest to darkest, and try to only use 1-2 spatulas. icon_lol.gif

Heee Heeee... and this is a trick I used when I had a cleaning job-- I tie a plastic bag to one of my belt loops. Then, as I use toothpicks and cut the tips off of bags, they go right into the bag. icon_lol.gif

And as an incentive to get hubby to help-- I ask him what baked treat he wants, and after my icing and my cake, I mix cookies or brownies for him... then he helps clean up too!
icon_biggrin.gif

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 9:51pm
post #23 of 61
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cakenicing4u

For me, it's to make my icing first, then use that bowl to mix my cake batter in. It's mostly the same ingredients anyway, and a good scraper takes 99%




Along this same line .... When making white and chocolate cake batter, make the white batter first. You can use the same bowl to make the chocolate without washing it as the white will blend into the chocolate ..... but chocolate will not blend into white!

MavericksMommy Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MavericksMommy Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 10:03pm
post #24 of 61

I guess I'm really spoiled.. I have a DH that is so happy with everything that I cook that does the dishes for me. I have to put all the ingredients boxes,jars away and put everything in the dishwasher that I possibly can, and wipe down the mixer and counter but he usually does the dishes for me. Gotta love him! The only thing is I sometimes have to wait till the next day... and I hate a dirty kitchen but I really had doing dishes. I also have to clean around the sink- he never rembers to do that.

indydebi Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
indydebi Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 10:05pm
post #25 of 61

Do you rent him out? icon_eek.gif

tcbalgord Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
tcbalgord Posted 22 Jul 2007 , 10:06pm
post #26 of 61

[quote="Melvira"]Find a pre-teen/early teen saving up for something they want and pay them to clean your kitchen!! icon_lol.gif

I was going to say that! I too may be spoiled as I make my kids help me. I have one stationed at the sink washing as I go and the other is drying or wiping spils and splatters. The only cleaning I do is the floors! Oh but I do pay them $10 each....may be a little steap but they do an awesome job!

katwomen1up Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
katwomen1up Posted 23 Jul 2007 , 12:46am
post #27 of 61

I clean as I go, I can't stand working in a mess it drives me crazy!1

Cakekrayzie you are soooo lucky!!

Tellis12 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Tellis12 Posted 23 Jul 2007 , 1:05am
post #28 of 61

I, like many of the others, try to clean up as I go so there isn't a huge mess at the end of my project, when I'm just tired and done! I also try to make them on separate days because then I don't get burned out as easily.

jobartwo Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
jobartwo Posted 23 Jul 2007 , 2:38am
post #29 of 61

I certainly have nothing to add on keeping the kitchen clean, but thanks for all of these great ideas. I do however, keep a tupperware container by the sink full of hot soapy water that I drop all of the dirty tips into. Before I put them in the dishwasher, I put the lid on and give it a good shake and the tips are clean and ready for the dishwasher.

Cake_Princess Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Cake_Princess Posted 23 Jul 2007 , 3:51am
post #30 of 61
Quote:
Originally Posted by rachpizano

Okay so I totally love decorating cake BUT I'm really getting burned out on having to clean the destaster that awaits me after I'm finished. I really need some advice how to keep me from having to spend hours cleaning up after I'm done. We are starting to do a lot of bussiness now and the problem is getting a lot worse. I know it sounds really silly but after your been working for several hours on cakes having to spend another three hours cleaning just sucks!!! Any advice would be helpful.
Thank
Rachel M Pizano




Sounds like an issue of being disorganized in the kitchen. If you are cleaning up as you go you should not be stuck cleaning up three hours after you are finished with a cake.

i would suggest sitting down and thinking about the steps you need to go through for each cake. Make your self a list anf try to follow this in the kitchen. You dont need to go in to details but it could be helpful with keeping you organized.

Example

Make cake:
- assemble equipment and ingredients
- prepare pans and preheat oven
-mix cake and put in oven.

While cake is baking & cooling:
-wipe down equipment not needed anymore and put away
-wash up equipment that was used.
-put away anything not needed anymore.
-assemble items needed to make your icing.
-make icing and color as needed.
-prep piping bags.
-relax

Decorating:
- wash up items as you go.
- load dishwasher as necessary

If you come up with a simple task reminder like this it should help to prevent you from having to spend 3 hours cleaning up.


Personally, I don't line my counters when I work. I keep plate in my work area and I rest my utensils on that.

My piping bags are fulled and kept in a little caddy that I got from the dollare store. If I am working with royal icing I line it with a damp paper towel to prevent the tips from clogging.

I wipe down countertops throughly between stages.

Keep a damp cloth handy to wipe up spills.

Hope that helps.

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%