When you move into a new place of your own, it is easy to start from fresh. You are buying most of the appliances, and as such do not need to worry about what they were used for in the past. However, when renting an apartment, you have to kasher any appliances, as well as pots and pans, that are already there.

The good news is that kashering a rented apartment is not as hard as you might think. With a few simple tips, you can get it done in no time.

There are a number of unexpected things to take care of when renting an apartment. If you haven’t insured your possessions yet, getting an online renters insurance quote is easy but crucial to take care of. With your things covered by renters insurance, you can focus on getting your apartment’s kitchen ready for use.

Here is what you need to know about kashering your rented apartment.

Learn the basic principles

When it comes to kashering, there are many people who will simply be as strict as possible and start with a fresh slate. But when you are kashering a rented apartment, you cannot afford to waste money replacing pots, pans, and appliances. Fortunately, you do not need to go the strictest route to properly kasher your home.

The reality is that the more of the basic principles of kashrut you understand, the more lenient you can afford to be. You will better understand which items can be kashered and which cannot. You will learn when you can use items without having kashered them first. You will know what to do if you make a mistake along the way.

All of this applies even without knowing the finer details. Strictness for its own sake can be wasteful and is, in some ways, a less committed approach. Take the time to brush up on the basic principles of kashrut and save yourself a lot of time and money.

Replace the crockery

While you can probably kasher most of your pots, pans, and appliances, you won’t be so lucky with the crockery. Crockery that has been used in the past for treif food can almost never be kashered. For this reason, you are going to have to buy your own crockery.

This is not a bad thing in and of itself. Even if your apartment came stocked with crockery, it is worthwhile getting a set of your own. It will be the start of your collection which will eventually inhabit the cupboards of your future home.

Of course, it is important to get two sets of everything. You may be tempted to buy four sets, thinking ahead to Pesach, but rather wait until the chag comes around again to take care of it.

Start with the easy stuff

Kashering a rented apartment can feel overwhelming, but if you do it systematically, it does not have to be. Start with the easy stuff – your oven, stovetop, and microwave can all be kashered by following some simple steps. It is when you get to pots, pans, utensils, and cutlery that things get trickier.

Determine what can be kashered

The good news is that steel items can be kashered. The bad news is that handles made from plastics and other non-metal materials make everything more complicated. If the cutlery in your new apartment is completely metal, you can boil it all in hot water. Similarly, pots and pans are also easy.

But if there are handles, you may need to take these off. In some cases, it may be impossible to properly kasher the item and you may need to replace it. Wooden items fall somewhere in the middle.

If you are unsure about the status of a particular item, ask your rebbe for guidance. In this day and age, when you can easily send a photo of the item, you can get quick answers without having to stress.

Kashering a rented apartment can be tricky. However, if you understand the basic principles of kashrut, you will be able to do most of the work without facing any major issues.