The cookbooks that I leave in my kitchen get all dusty/grimy -- best way to clean up?

[applecrisp]

I have some cookbooks in a rack on top of my frig, and some on a shelf in my kitchen. So, in my end of year cleaning marathon... I took down some of the books and they are dusty etc. My kitchen is tiny, so the books are two steps away from the stove.... so the books are a magnet for dust, dirt.

I know I should move the books somewhere else (I am working on that), but in the meantime what is the best way to clean them? I ususally use a vacuum attachment, a dry clean cloth. Just wondering if any other tips.

So for those that store your cookbooks int the kitchen, do you store them in a cabinet, enclosed shelf etc, or just out in the open. I think that the fact that my kitchen is so small, doesn't help things.

Thanks,

[Natasha]

I don't have any tips for cleaning the cookbooks, unfortunately, but hopefully others will.

As for your second question about storage, I store my cookbooks in my island. The top shelf in the island is all cookbooks, and the second shelf is half cookbooks and half magazine holders with cooking mags organized by publication or by theme (e.g., Thanksgiving, Christmas). I love having them all there because they are right at hand yet out of the way. Not sure if this is viable for you, since you mentioned your kitchen is quite small (maybe a small island/cupboard would work?) but if it is, I'd highly recommend it.

[HejazSunKat]

How about buying a few clear plastic book covers (that could be cut to size) so that you could just wipe them clean with a damp cloth? That way you'd still be able to see the book's title.

[masimmons]

I don't have any suggestions, but I can tell what cookbooks I've actually used - and what recipe - by the finger prints or which pages stick together.
I keep most of my cookbooks in a big big shelve in the hall foyer but that isn't nearly as convenient as the kitchen.

Natasha - where do you buy your magazine holders? I could really use some of those.

[applecrisp]

Thanks everyone.

masimmons --- funny that you mentioned about the fingerprints on the pages you used. My mom has really no interest in cooking. Really just did it because she had to. In her cookbooks, there is ONE page that really has any splatters on. It is a cranberry relish from the NYT cookbook. She has made it millions of times. And after 30+ years, she certainly knows it by heart.

My apartment is too small and I don't have many options. I think my best bet is to try to move some of the cookbooks from the kitchen (the heat etc is no good) and move to a bookshelf in my living room. Oh did I mention it is two steps from my kitchen.


Thanks again,

[Natasha]

Sorry for the delay, Mary Ann. The magazine holders I have are the not terribly interesting kind. They're along these lines:

Magazine Holders (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FDL6K0?smid=A16CJD9YV40E5B&tag=nextag-kitchen-mp-20&linkCode=asn)

But they do the job just fine for what I need. I get them at the office supply store or the home organization store.

Hope this helps!

[lizzieb75]

I third the comments about knowing which ones get used the most by the stuck pages! As for cleaning the front, I just spray a little all-purpose cleaner on a paper towel and wipe down. As for the pages, well, those just stay dirty. If I get something on a page and can't read an ingredient or step, I just search for the recipe online and fill in the holes in the book. You might also consider a cookbook holder that has a splash guard so that the book stays clean while cooking then you just have to wipe down the splash guard. HTH!