The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is the place to cook food, serve meals, and come together with loved ones on special occasions. Since it is arguably the most important room in any home, it is essential to keep this space clean, organized, and welcoming at all times. Sometimes that can become overwhelming, especially if you have little ones at home or cook multiple meals a day.
Before You Begin
The good news? Keeping your kitchen clean doesn't have to be a headache. If you chunk each part of the room up into smaller tasks, you can easily move through the kitchen, getting every sticky nook and hard-to-reach cranny until it sparkles.
Read on below to find our easy-to-follow checklist for making sure every inch of the kitchen is cleaned.
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
- 1 sponge
- 3 microfiber cloths
Materials
- 1 bottle of all purpose cleaner
- 1 container of oven cleaner or baking soda
Instructions
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How to Clean Your Kitchen Step by Step
Start With Dusting
When cleaning any room, it's a good idea to move from top to bottom, starting with high dusting. This will allow you to catch any extra dust or dirt that might fall from your ceiling fans and light fixtures as you work your way down.
- First, wet and ring out a microfiber towel and spray the towel twice with your favorite all-purpose cleaner. Microfiber is great for catching small dust particles and pet hair, if you've got a furry friend in the house.
- Dust light fixtures, vents, ceiling fans, windowsills, towel racks, shelves, blinds, cabinets, woodwork, appliances, and everything else you have in the kitchen that needs a good wipe down.
- As you dust, rinse your towel and reapply the all-purpose cleaner as needed.
The 9 Best Dusting Tools of 2024
Tackle the Oven
Cleaning your oven can seem intimidating, but it's simpler than you might think.
- Start by filling up your sink with hot, soapy water. Dish soap works great here.
- Remove the oven racks and soak them.
- As the racks are soaking, spray down the inside of the oven with your favorite oven cleaner. If you're looking for a nontoxic method, create a paste with one part water to four parts baking soda.
- Spread the paste all over the oven, avoiding the heating elements, if possible.
- Return to the sink and give the oven racks a good scrub down with a scrubber sponge or some steel wool, then place them on towels on the countertop to dry.
- Leave the oven cleaner or paste intact while you complete the rest of the kitchen (the longer it sits, the more effective it is).
Clean the Stove
How you clean your stove depends on if it runs off electricity or gas. For an electric stove, check out this article on keeping a ceramic or glass cooktop in great shape. For a gas stove, start by removing the grates and hood vents and soak them in hot, soapy water in the sink.
While those soak, clean the cabinets above the stove, the hood, the backsplash, and the stove top with dish soap, hot water, and a sponge. Return to the sink to scrub down the soaked grates and vents. Dry the grates, vents, and stove area with a microfiber cloth, then replace.
Deep-Clean the Refrigerator
To really get the fridge clean, you'll want to do the interior first.
- Remove every item from the first shelf/drawer, then, remove the shelf/drawer from the fridge and wash it in the sink.
- When you're done, dry, replace, then organize all the food and put it back.
Once you've done the entire interior, you'll move to the exterior.
- Grab your ladder and wipe off the top with a wet microfiber towel to grab any dust.
- Then, clean the front according to the surface you have in your home.
- For stainless steel, wet a sponge and add a touch of stainless steel cleaner.
- Wipe in vertical motions following the grain, then rinse completely with a wet microfiber towel.
- For any other surface, a wet sponge and a few drops of soap will do the trick to get it nice and clean.
- Wipe down, then rinse and dry with a fresh towel. Don't forget to get all sides of the handle.
Scrub the Countertops, Cabinets, and Backsplash
Grab your sponge, hot water, soap, and scrub these surfaces before rinsing and drying with fresh microfiber towels. You might be asking, "But can't I just wipe them down?" Sure, you can. But remember that when we wash our hands, we use soap, hot water, and we sing our ABCs. You probably eat off your countertops, so make sure they are clean.
Clean Floors and Remove Crumbs
To get your floors super clean, a great vacuum is key. Make sure you have the round brush, crevice tool, and floor brush attachments to reach every inch. Use the round brush on baseboards, the crevice tool on edges, and the floor brush on the main floor. Once you're done, mop the floor with water and a few sprays of all-purpose cleaner. Let floor dry.
Revisit the Oven
Remember the oven cleaner or paste you let sit? Go wipe that down, replace the racks, and you're done!
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Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Clean Longer
- Maintenance is key. Don't let a huge mess pile up before you take action. Clean as you go and your kitchen will stay tidy for longer.
- Make sure everything has a place. Putting things away in storage not only reduces clutter, it also means you have fewer items to dust when it's time to clean.
- Be sure to pick up any rugs you have in the kitchen and give them a good shake outside.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert in maintaining a clean and organized kitchen, I can provide you with valuable information and tips to help you keep your kitchen sparkling and welcoming. With my expertise, you can tackle the cleaning process efficiently and effectively. Let's dive into the concepts mentioned in the article and explore each one in detail.
Dusting
When cleaning any room, it's important to start from top to bottom. Begin by dusting high surfaces such as light fixtures, vents, ceiling fans, windowsills, towel racks, shelves, blinds, cabinets, woodwork, and appliances. To effectively capture dust particles, use a wet microfiber towel sprayed with your favorite all-purpose cleaner. Rinse the towel as needed and reapply the cleaner.
Tackling the Oven
Cleaning the oven may seem daunting, but it's simpler than you might think. Start by removing the oven racks and soaking them in hot, soapy water. While the racks are soaking, spray the inside of the oven with an oven cleaner or create a paste using one part water to four parts baking soda. Spread the paste all over the oven, avoiding the heating elements. Afterward, scrub the racks with a scrubber sponge or steel wool and let them dry. Leave the oven cleaner or paste on the oven while you continue cleaning the rest of the kitchen for maximum effectiveness.
Cleaning the Stove
The cleaning process for your stove depends on whether it runs on electricity or gas. For an electric stove, refer to specific instructions for keeping a ceramic or glass cooktop in great shape. For a gas stove, start by removing the grates and hood vents and soaking them in hot, soapy water. While they soak, clean the cabinets above the stove, the hood, the backsplash, and the stove top using dish soap, hot water, and a sponge. Scrub the soaked grates and vents, then dry them along with the stove area using a microfiber cloth. Finally, replace the grates and vents.
Deep-Clean the Refrigerator
To thoroughly clean your refrigerator, start with the interior. Remove every item from the first shelf or drawer, then take out the shelf or drawer and wash it in the sink. Once dry, replace the shelf or drawer and organize the food before moving on to the exterior. Wipe off the top of the refrigerator with a wet microfiber towel to remove any dust. Clean the front surface according to the material, such as using stainless steel cleaner for stainless steel surfaces. Wipe down all sides of the handle as well. For other surfaces, a wet sponge with a few drops of soap will suffice. Rinse and dry the surface with a fresh towel.
Scrubbing Countertops, Cabinets, and Backsplash
Use a sponge, hot water, and soap to scrub countertops, cabinets, and the backsplash. Rinse and dry these surfaces with fresh microfiber towels. It's important to thoroughly clean countertops, as they come into contact with food and should be kept hygienic.
Cleaning Floors and Removing Crumbs
To achieve super clean floors, use a vacuum with attachments such as a round brush for baseboards, a crevice tool for edges, and a floor brush for the main floor. After vacuuming, mop the floor with water and a few sprays of all-purpose cleaner. Allow the floor to dry completely.
Revisiting the Oven
After completing the rest of the cleaning tasks, it's time to wipe down the oven cleaner or paste that has been sitting. Replace the oven racks, and your oven will be ready to use again.
Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Clean Longer
To maintain a clean kitchen for longer periods, consider the following tips:
- Clean as you go: Don't let messes pile up before taking action. Clean up spills and messes immediately to prevent them from becoming more difficult to clean later.
- Give everything a place: Organize your kitchen items and put them away in designated storage spaces. This reduces clutter and makes cleaning easier.
- Regular maintenance: Incorporate regular cleaning routines into your schedule to prevent dirt and grime from accumulating.
- Clean countertops: Since you prepare food on countertops, ensure they are clean to maintain a hygienic environment in your kitchen.
By following these tips, you can keep your kitchen clean and organized, making it a pleasant space for cooking and gathering with loved ones.
I hope these insights and tips help you maintain a clean and welcoming kitchen. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to ask!
