How clean is your kitchen?
Look around: You can probably spot a dirty surface or two, and maybe there are some dishes in your sink. But that’s not all. A recent report shows that your kitchen is probably dirtier than your toilet seat.
Now that you’re thoroughly disgusted, you probably want to get to scrubbing that kitchen as soon as possible. Before you do that, though, here are some clever kitchen cleaning tips to help you tidy up and maintain the cleanliness long term.
Listen to one of our editors Tammy talk about the top tips:
1. Put Your Cleaning On a Rotating Schedule
Do you use a cleaning schedule, or do you just clean your kitchen whenever it seems dirty?
Using a rotating cleaning schedule can keep you from being overwhelmed with cleaning your home in general. It can also prevent you from spending hours deep-cleaning your kitchen.
Try a rotating schedule that feels comfortable for you. For instance, deep-clean bathrooms on Tuesday, tackle bedrooms on Wednesday, and clean the kitchen on Thursday. This way you always know that Thursday is kitchen day. You’ll form a habit of cleaning it each week, so it stays cleaner in general.
2. Clean While You Cook
Some home chefs think they can’t cook an excellent meal without making a gigantic mess in the process. The idea is that one can’t concentrate on cooking if they’re preoccupied with cleaning.
Don’t stay married to that mindset. In fact, a clutter-free kitchen can inspire you to be a better cook. You can enjoy making a meal without feeling down about having to clean up after you eat.
Just wash each bowl, utensil, and kitchen appliance as you wait for your food to cook. Unless you’re making a cold dish, you usually have some time to spare between food prep and sitting down to a wonderful meal. Take that time to stay in the kitchen and tidy up.
Besides, it’s important to clean your surfaces throughout the food prep process. Doing so helps you avoid cross-contamination.
3. Do a Family Dinnertime Dishwashing Challenge
If you’ve spent time cooking (and cleaning as you go), it’s normal to feel burned out about doing the dishes after the meal is eaten. Who says you have to be stuck doing the dishes by yourself anyway?
Here’s a clever hack to get your household to pitch in:
Start a family dinnertime dishwashing challenge. Everyone has to clear their space at the table and wash the dishes they used during that meal. (It counts if they just rinse off the dishes and place them in the dishwasher, too).
Start with a two-week challenge. Plan on a family treat at the end of the two weeks if everyone does their part. It’s a great way to keep one another accountable, and to make sure kitchen cleaning duties don’t fall on one person alone.
4. Set a Reminder to Clean Your Fridge
Do you ever look through your fridge, thinking: What the heck is this meat in that container?
It’s demoralizing and disgusting to have to toss food from the fridge that should’ve been gone weeks before. It’s also difficult to scrub the inside of your fridge if you rarely clean it out.
Set a reminder on your phone to deep clean your fridge every two weeks.
- Take everything out of your fridge
- Toss anything that looks questionable or is past its expiration date
- Clean all shelves and drawers with some baking soda and vinegar solution
- Put food away drawer by drawer to minimize clutter
If you get into this routine, it’ll take just a few minutes to clean the fridge each time. You can even coordinate your fridge cleaning with your grocery runs. Clean the fridge beforehand, and then stock it with fresh food.
5. Declutter Your Countertops
What’s on your counters?
If appliances, decorative vases, and random dishes occupy your counter space, you’ll never be able to keep your surfaces spick-and-span. Declutter your counters and aim to keep them that way.
Then, try to wipe them down every day with a natural cleaning solution or your favorite all-purpose cleaner. Keep in mind that some cleaning chemicals aren’t meant to be used in the kitchen.
6. Remember to Wash These Extra-Dirty Spots Often
You spot-clean your kitchen as needed, and you do a scheduled wipedown of all the countertops and appliances. But do you clean the hidden places no one ever thinks about?
For instance, do you regularly clean or polish your cabinet and appliance handles? They are the dirtiest surfaces in your kitchen.
Here are a few more dirty nooks to stay on top of:
- The tiles behind your sink faucet and under your range hood
- The kitchen sink, including the faucet
- Your silverware drawers (and their dividers if you have them)
- Your spice racks and spice containers
- The inside of your microwave and any other small appliances
You should also sanitize your dish sponge more often than you probably do.
7. Brainstorm Kitchen Cleaning Tips With Your Family
How much does your family help with cleaning?
Take the above family dishwashing challenge a step further, and get your household to brainstorm more cleaning tasks. Make a list of all the ideas, and then put each household member in charge of a task on a regular basis.
If everyone takes on a cleaning task, your kitchen can stay clean every day. Besides, it’s beneficial for kids to help with chores no matter their age.
8. Use An Easy-to-Clean Tablecloth
Do you use a decorative tablecloth over your dining table?
If not, you should. For starters, it protects your table from random spills and grease stains. If you have a wooden table, it can last in great condition for much longer under a durable tablecloth.
Make sure to choose a tablecloth that can be easily cleaned with some all-purpose cleaner. Opt for a plastic cover rather than a traditional cloth cover; this way you can clean it without the use of a washing machine.
9. Hire a Housekeeper
Who has the time to keep your home fresh and tidy?
Who knows the secret hacks for deodorizing your kitchen?
Now that you’ve gained some useful kitchen tips, it’s time to decide if you can keep your kitchen clean on your own. If not, you may want to consider some outside help.
Hiring a housekeeper is a convenient way to keep your kitchen as clean as possible. You can be free to stay productive in other areas of your life and still enjoy a clean home.
Keep your kitchen clean on your terms. Book a housekeeper to visit your home today.
