photo: thekitchn

Your kitchen may be beautiful, but keeping it clean can be a challenge. With all the food storage, preparation, and eating, messes are a constant factor in this part of the house. People spend money on cleaner solutions, brushes, and towels to deal with the maintenance.

If there was the best way to clean a house, what would that be? If you come from an active or busy household, as a family with kids, you are probably looking for easiest.

The key is not just doing these tasks, but doing them in THIS ORDER so that you are not repeating. There’s nothing more frustrating than cleaning something and immediately having to do it again.

Here are some tips for the easiest way to clean different kitchen surfaces.

First, play “which of these things don’t belong?”

Just from living, you are likely to have items that don’t belong in your kitchen end up there by circumstance. Very few people think to start cleaning up the items that don’t belong in the kitchen. However, this is where people doing minor tasks of putting individual items away can get distracted. The fastest way to clean is to put items that don’t belong in a bin and deal with them later.

The temptation to unload that bin of unplaced items is high. However, if you start moving items out the kitchen to their places, the chances of finishing the kitchen lower greatly.

Steps to Clean Your Kitchen

1. Start with the kitchen sink

Image result for cleaning kitchen sink
photo: Angie’s List

A saying goes if you start cleaning the kitchen the sink first, you’ll end up cleaning the rest of it. It is the most used active appliance in the room that is often the dirtiest and most exposed.

When cleaning the sink, dampen it first. If you have a ceramic sink, use bleach to disinfect, let sit for five minutes, and rinse with warm water. If you have a stainless steel sink, cover the sink with baking soda, then scrub with a brush.  Many places also recommend a cleaner called “Bar Keepers Friend” for stubborn stains that are persistent in your sink.

2. Dust busting

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photo: Foodal

If you are prone to allergies or have open shelving, you should include this step before getting into other cleanings. Otherwise, you will wipe down your countertops, get dust on them, and need to perform that task again.

Start from the top shelving, including cabinet tops where dust collects if they do not reach the ceiling. While a hand duster can do the job, a long brush with extension makes this job easier. Don’t forget the tops of light fixtures, corners and anything that is generally out of reach.

3. Spray and wipe down countertops

This sounds pretty easy: wipe and spray down, but there are ways to make this easier. First, use an all-purpose cleaner (unless the surface requires a specific cleaner like granite) liberally over the countertop. Let the cleaner do all the work and then wipe down with a cloth.  

Some people tend to wipe and catch dust and crumbs into their hand. However, it’s easier to let them fall to the floor and sweep up collectively, keeping your hands tidy.

4. Cleaning your stove

Image result for cleaning kitchen stove
photo: Consumer Reports

The best way to clean a stove is going to depend on the type of stove you have. If you have a glass range stovetop, use a non-abrasive cleaner, let sit and wipe down with microfiber towel. With an electric stove, remove the hotplates from the stove and clean with a strong cleaner and brillo pad. If you have a gas stove, wash the burners with detergent and water and scrub the stains with a toothbrush.

5. Cleaning out the refrigerator

WomanCleaningFridge
photo: Home Made with Aaron’s

While you can empty the refrigerator by eating everything in it, you should start with tossing the expired food first. Take any drawers or storage containers in the refrigerator and wash them with soapy water in the sink. Spray with an antibacterial cleaner and wipe down the shelves with a damp cloth. Keep a box of open baking soda to eliminate any foul odors.

6. Wiping down vertical surfaces, including cabinets

Image result for cleaning kitchen cabinets
photo: Foodal

If you want to do a quick job, warm soapy water and a terry cloth or microfiber rag are sufficient. But if you want to make your kitchen look impressive for company coming over, special cleaners for cabinets are available. Cleaners like Magic Cabinet and Wood Cleaner clean dirt and create a coating that is resistant to further soiling.

7. Sweeping up or cleaning the floor

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photo: Love to Know

After the dust, dirt and other particles have fallen from the tops of other surfaces, time to sweep or mop. When sweeping, start from the corners or areas furthest from the entrance. If your kitchen door leads outside, the dirt can be swept outside. If mopping, use a bucket and when disposing of dirty water, dump into a toilet rather than the kitchen sink.

8. Take out the trash

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photo: She Loves Magazine

Because taking out the trash is an easy task to make things clean, people tend to do this first. However, this should be your final step if you want to take out all the debris out at once. Wipe down the trash bin with an antibacterial cleaner and paper towel and line your bin with a trash bag.  

Is there an easier or more efficient way to clean your kitchen? Is there a critical step missing from this process? Leave your kitchen cleaning tips below!

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