How to Clean Your Kitchen – The Guide

Cleaning the kitchen may be a strenuous and boring task but there is nothing better than coming home after a long day at work and seeing a clean kitchen. Although you may already know how to clean your kitchen, you may not know how to clean it properly and keep it that way. By simply following these tips, you can always come home to an amazingly clean kitchen if you don’t have a weekly maid service.

Cleaning The Stove

When cleaning the oven, you will want to start with carefully removing the grates. Fill the sink with warm water and soap and then let it soak for several hours before trying to scrub anything off. It will become easier to scrub all of the dirt off after it has been soaking for a while. It is a good idea to use a scouring pad to scrub the grate.

Next is cleaning the actual oven. You should already be cleaning your oven often (every month or so). The good idea is to use a mixture of a quarter cup of salt, quarter cup of water, and three-quarter cups of baking soda. Be sure not to use this on any bare metal openings because it can become damaged. Covering them will foil should prevent this from happening. Also, if you have an electric stove, put the oven in cleaning mode and remove the racks. Use a cloth to remove any dirt leftover from the cleaning cycle.

Eventually, you will need to spread the mixture over the stove and let it soak in for a few hours, preferably overnight. You can use a plastic spatula to wipe the mixture off. Wipe the stove clean with a cloth. Eventually, replace the racks when they are dry.

Cleaning The Top of The Stove

Cleaning the burners is something you will have to clean now and then. You can remove your gas burner and wash it with your hands in warm water with soap. Some gas burners can go in the dishwasher, if you have one, simply put it in and scrub off any food or dirt left on it after. If you have an electric burner, use a sponge to wipe off any excess food.

Next, you will want to wipe down the stove surface. A good idea would be to use special wipes such as Clorox to break down the residue but if you don’t have that, you can simply use a sponge along with some soap. If you ever spill anything on your stovetop, you should clean it immediately as it will become more difficult to remove if you just let it dry up on its own.

Cleaning The Refrigerator

First, you will want to remove all contents from your refrigerator and sort everything out and get rid of anything that has expired. You should do this before you go grocery shopping so that you can easily replace the expired food. Next, you need to wipe down all surfaces in the refrigerator, make sure to scrub hard and get out all sticky stains. Wipe down all the drawers and shelves. After you have wiped everything down, use a damp cloth to wipe away any leftover residue and then use a clean towel to dry each surface.

While you’re at it, you should clean out the freezer as well. First, unplug the refrigerator and remove all of the frozen items from the freezer. Check to see what has expired and disposed of those items. Next, you can combine a cup of water, a teaspoon of white vinegar, a teaspoon of dish soap to create a cleaning solution. Putting in a spray bottle is a great idea because it will allow you to spray the whole freezer simply. If you can’t use the sprayer, then find a cloth or rag and soak it in the solution. Then wipe down every surface in the freezer. When you are done, wipe everything down again with a towel. Then plug the refrigerator back in and put the frozen foods back in.

Cleaning the Sink

You will want to start off by rinsing all of your dishes and cups, then put them back in the dishwasher if have one, or wash them in the sink. Whatever it is that you choose, make sure to do this before you start cleaning your sink. It would be exhausting to have a sparkling clean sink only to remember you still have a ton of dirty dishes to do. To avoid any mold or stains, wash the sink’s basin with warm water and some dish soap on a sponge. Make sure to rinse along the sides of the basin as well. Remember to clean the basin to remove any water stains. Next, you need to clean the hard to reach nooks and crannies of the faucet; you can use a toothbrush dipped in a mixture of warm water and dish soap. Clean out any water spots left behind with a dry cloth.

If your water has a very high mineral content, you may notice a mineral deposit start to form. To get rid of these deposits, mix water with white vinegar. Apply the mixture with a clean cloth, and then softly scrub away the deposit. Rinse the area and then leave it to dry.

You may notice your sink having a hard time draining, If you do, run the garbage disposal to get rid of anything that might be stuck down there. It is important to clean your disposal every once in a while as well. You could make frozen cubes of vinegar using an ice tray, drop them down the disposal and then pour boiling water into it as you run the disposal. Doing this will also keep your garbage disposal’s blades nice and sharp.

Cleaning Your Cabinets And Counters

Whether they contain food or your secret stash of candy, you should clean your cabinets out now and then. Make sure to throw away expired items and wipe the bottom and sides of the cabinets down with a wet, soapy cloth to remove dust, crumbs, dirt.

You should clean your counter with cleaning supplies every night after you are done cooking. You should use a sponge and soapy water to clean your counters. Then wipe them dry with a cloth or paper towel. You should also keep the kind of countertop that you have in mind. Some products are made specifically for certain types of counters.

Something that you may not have thought of is to clean the front of your cabinets. When you cook in your kitchen, grime and grease can build up on your cabinets. Wiping them down with wet cloths then dry the cabinets immediately to avoid color changing or distortion. If you have specific cabinets such as wooden, you may want to consider using a cleaning supply made of that material.

Finishing Up

Now that you have cleaned the refrigerator, freezer, sink, stove, cabinets, and counter, it is time to finish up. Start by sweeping the floor. It is best that you gather up any little bits of crumbs, dust, or garbage before you start sweeping. Use a broom and dustpan to sweep up anything left over.

If you ever spill something sticky on the floor, you will need to mop it up. Use a mop and bucket of soapy water to give your floor a really good clean and get rid of any sticky or wet substances on your floor.

After you have finished cleaning, you should take the time to put everything back in its proper place. This will save you a lot of time and frustration the next time you need to clean any of these items.

Now, that you have finished cleaning everything in your kitchen, you probably have plenty of things that you need to throw out. Whether it be expired food or simply things you don’t need anymore, you’re probably going to be throwing quite a good amount of things out. Take out the trash and be sure to wash your trash can with soap and warm water. Don’t forget to replace the trash bag either.

Extra Tips

• Play some of your favorite music while you clean to keep yourself motivated and entertained
  Clean your kitchen often so you don’t have to do so much in one cleaning session
• Replace your cleaning materials such as cloths and sponges often to avoid contamination
• Cover the tops of your kitchen cabinets with wax paper if they do not go all the way to the ceiling; it will collect the grease and dirt. When dirty, simply remove, throw away and then replace
• Use a kitchen spray that disinfects, such as Lysol, 409, or Fantastic to kill bacteria

Safety Tips

• Never mix products that contain bleach with products that contain ammonia – The mixture results in a very poisonous gas that could cause death
• Don’t use bleach on dark or wooden floors
• Never cook and clean at the same time as the poisons may contaminate food
• Always keep all cleaning supplies and chemicals away from children and pets