Common Kitchen Items We Need To Throw Away Or Clean Immediately

For most kitchen accessories, it's easy to see when the trash can is calling: cabinet doors wear chipped paint like an ugly dress, and fork prongs bend like a champion gymnast. But not every dish is so obvious. some items give off far more subtle signs of wear and tear. To class up your culinary domain, double-check these common tools and items to make sure they can still stand the heat of the kitchen.

1. Non-cast iron

Are all your non-stick pans getting that odd brown hue that whispers carcinogensssss up at you while you cook an egg? Ditch it. When you get the hang of cooking with cast iron, the benefits reveal themselves. If you have the budget and patience to clean properly, consider switching out your skillets.  

2. Old liquor

It’s probably best that you didn’t drink the entire bottle of gin by yourself, especially considering how long ago you probably bought it. Generally, alcohol goes bad — and loses any of the enjoyable flavor — after a year of being opened. So toss out that handle you've had since college.

3. Grated parmesan

In general, leave the shredded parmesan on grocery store shelves. To stop the cheese from clumping, manufacturers coat the pieces in cellulose, which is made from tree bark and other plant fiber. Try rubbing fresh cheese on a grater instead.

4. Spices

We often have spices we never use. Not the worst thing, but it’s still a good idea to scan pantries for spices that are just taking up space because you heard ten years ago it's supposed to be good for arthritis but you haven't put it in any tea yet.