Kitchen Cleaning Hacks: A Comprehensive Guide

The kitchen, for many, is either the heart of the home or the place you look at with dread. We must spend time in the kitchen; we all need to eat! However, unless it is clean and organized, making healthy meals can be a real chore. Unfortunately, it’s always easier said than done to maintain the kitchen.

Everyone is in and out, grabbing snacks and leaving dishes. So, today let’s change all that. Below are some tips for cleaning and organizing the kitchen once and for all. An organized space tends to stay that way.

Kitchen Cleaning is Good for You

The kitchen is usually the most used room. Is your kitchen nicely clean and organized? Does everything have its place? A cluttered kitchen can be a little daunting. The saying “cluttered space, cluttered mind” rings true for a reason. In addition to the link between messy spaces and high stress, a dirty kitchen can be highly unsanitary. Cutting boards, pans, and counters used to prep raw meat must be sanitized. Wet dishcloths can breed bacteria. Appliances that short out can cause fires. Leaking pipes can cause mold. Your kitchen should inspire health; keeping it clean is the first step to both physical and mental well-being.

Let’s Dive into Kitchen Cleaning

The Kitchen Purge

Purging is the first step in reclaiming your kitchen. Grab some garbage bags, a big box for food bank donations, and a sturdy tote for things going to Value Village or Goodwill, etc. Now, let’s begin.

Clean and Sort the Pantry

For a comprehensive guide, please see our separate blog Keeping the Pantry Clean and Organized. However, here are a few tips to get you started:

• Go through the pantry and sort everything into piles for staying, donating, or tossing away.
• Arrange in a separate pile the items you are keeping.
• Once you have thoroughly cleared out the pantry, wipe down all shelves and sweep and mop the floor.
• Put the items you are keeping back in the pantry in an organized way but leave a couple of shelves open. The reason will become apparent later.
• Wipe down the door and the door frame to get rid of any dust.

Sort Cupboards and Drawers

Go through each kitchen cupboard and drawer and ask yourself whether you are keeping stuff you don’t need. What can be given or thrown away, and what does that leave? What pots, pans, crockery, and utensils should you keep?

• If there are plastic dishes with no lids, toss them. Baby dishes you no longer need, donate them. Too many mugs? Curtail the collection. Be ruthless!
• Wipe down each cupboard once empty, including the doors and handles. Before you put things back, do you need shelf liners? Can you double the space by sliding in an adjustable rack?

Declutter the Surfaces

The clearer the countertops, the easier the kitchen is to work in. Put dirty crockery and utensils in the dishwasher. Wash any items not suitable for the dishwasher separately, dry them, and put them away.

Now it is time to tackle those items you tend to leave permanently on your countertops. The more space you have, the easier it is to clean and make healthy meals. Remember those shelves we left open in the pantry? Take a good look at what sits on your counters. If you have seldom-used small appliances, like a fryer, crockpot, or bread maker, move them to the pantry. You can take them out when needed and then tuck them back away afterwards.

Remove things that simply don’t belong on the counter. It may mean adding hooks and shelves to walls. Do you let the mail pile up on the countertop? Get a wall-mounted mail rack and put it in the office or foyer. Kid’s toys? Those go into their rooms. Piles of homework? Get bins for homework assignments and hooks for backpacks.

Make Room with Some Organization Hacks

You can squeeze some extra room out of even the smallest kitchen.

• Pan, lid, and pot holders are cheap and slide right into the cupboards.
• Short on cupboard space? Hang the pots from the ceiling or hooks on the wall.
• Over-the-door organizers can be used for everything from spices to cutlery to cutting boards. Or consider a chopping board organizer.
• Magnetize a surface to hold knives and other metal objects.
• Use a cupboard door towel holder for foil, cling film, or even a roll of garbage bags.
• Get creative with plastic food container storage.
• Put a grocery bag dispenser in the pantry. Have one for reusable bags and one for plastic bags.
• You can get some great ideas for under-the-sink storage, such as extra dish soap, paper towels, etc.
• Everyone has a junk drawer – a designated spot for junk. Set aside half an hour to sort the junk drawer.
• Create wall hooks for cups and mugs. Even if you are not handy in the DIY department, there are strong, stick-on hooks to make a neat Coffee Station.
• Remove the box containers from food and use small freezer bags and organizers instead.
• Take a look at this video on 9 Clever Kitchen Organization Hacks.

Kitchen Cleaning Tips

A Thorough Kitchen Cleaning

Cleaning will be so much easier now that you have decluttered the kitchen. Pull out the larger appliances and clean behind them and then on top of them. Wipe down surfaces, cupboard doors, regular doors, ledges, crown molding, decorative items, light fixtures, windows, walls with a kitchen or disinfectant cleaner. Leave no surface untouched!

• Consider dusting and wiping inside cupboards if they are starting to get full of crumbs or sticky messes—the same with any drawers. Next, scrub the sink with a liquid detergent and a cloth or soft brush, rinse, and towel dry. An old toothbrush and some kitchen CLR are great for stubborn scaling, especially around the taps. Baking soda works well with stainless steel sinks.
• Sweep and vacuum the floor.
• Mop the floor. Perhaps it’s time for Professional Tile and Grout Cleaning?

Garbage Can Cleaning

• It might seem like common sense, but regularly replacing the trash bag will reduce unpleasant smells.
• Take out the compost and the items for recycling.
• Soak the garbage can lid in soapy water. If the lid is attached, turn the can upside down and soak it in the sink.
• Add a pile of newspaper or kitchen paper towels to the bottom of the can in case of leakage.

Conclusion

Cleaning and organizing the kitchen is a big job. However, you could tackle this task as a family and split it up into three or four days.

We must emphasize that the best way to clean a kitchen once it is clean is to do it daily as you go.

Related

• How to Clean Burnt Pots and Pans
• How to Clean Your Kitchen Sink Daily
• Expert Guide: Essential Cleaning Supplies for High-Traffic Homes
• The Hidden Impact of Neglecting Room Cleaning: Consequences You Can't Ignore
• Efficient Office Spring Cleaning Tips

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