7 Cleaning Kitchen Tips to ensure a Spotless Kitchen

The kitchen is probably the one room in the house that gets the most use as well as the one that gets dirtiest the fastest.  Because the kitchen is where we prepare and store our food, it’s no surprise that this part of the house should be kept as clean as possible - as often as possible. Cleaning the kitchen can often be a daunting task, but in this article I will show you how to maintain and clean a kitchen using some effective cleaning tips.

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1. PREPARATION   
First off it’s important to gather and have ready the necessary kitchen cleaning tools and supplies.  I often carry around with me a carry-all bin for maximum cleaning efficiency. It has also been recommended by experts to wear a cleaning apron to hold all the items that you will need with you.  I personally don't prefer this technique but it might work for you. A nifty little tip that I learned that quickened my cleaning time, was to pick a starting point in my kitchen and then work my way around the room clockwise. I make sure to clean everything thoroughly before moving on to the next area – never backtracking!

Before you start it’s best to place all trash cans just outside of the kitchen.  If you have any rugs or mats in the kitchen also place these just outside the room flat on the ground.  Later on we will be coming back to vacuum the mats so it’s best to have them lying flat so you don’t have to flatten them out afterward.  When you begin cleaning keep in mind to work clockwise around the room, and clean all areas from high to low.  Getting the tougher spots out of the way first allows you to finish cleaning without much strain and it’s also a good strategy to implement to save you time and energy.

2. CUPBOARDS      
As recommended in the above paragraph when cleaning high areas like cupboards, it's best to start from the highest area to the lowest, working your way downwards to the counter-tops.  Usually areas like cupboards don’t require much cleaning, aside from some dusting and spot cleaning.  If you do happen to have stains on your cupboard use an all purpose cleaner to spray the area thoroughly, and then with your other hand wipe it down with a soft cleaning cloth.

When it comes to cleaning out any greasy buildup you may have in your cupboards an all purpose-cleaner and a cleaning cloth will generally work well.  For an alternate solution try dipping a damp cloth in baking soda and wiping the interior down.  Follow this up by wiping the interior down again with a cloth dipped in vinegar.

If you have cupboard odors, it’s recommended to wipe down the interior often with an all purpose cleaner or distilled white vinegar to keep the odors from increasing.  This will not only keep odors at bay, but will disinfect the area as well, killing two birds with one stone!              

3. COUNTER-TOPS
Counter tops can be cleaned using a wide array of surface cleaners.  It’s recommended before using any cleaners on your counters to check manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning products to use.  Generally, products like an all-purpose cleaner should work fine. If you’d like to use a more natural cleaning solution, try filling a spray bottle withequal parts white vinegar and water, then add a tablespoon of salt and mix well. When you run into areas on the counter where there is hard food build-up, it’s recommended to pull out a heavy duty scrubber to loosen the buildup first then clean the area with a surface cleaner. Or if you'd rather not risk scratching your counters you can soak the dried up food area with your cleaner, let it sit for a short period of time, then begin scrubbing it off gently. Soaking the build up will soften and loosen it's grasp from the surface, making it easier for you to remove. 

4. KITCHEN SINK                      
Cleaning the kitchen sink should always start above the rim, and with the faucet.  Clean this area thoroughly with an all-purpose cleaner.  Use an old toothbrush to get in between all of the little cracks and crevices where the faucet attaches to the sink, as well as the handles.  Wipe this area down with your cleaning cloth or paper towel and move onto the actual bowl of the sink. Start by wetting the sink bowl first, and then applying powdered cleaner to the bowl.  Scrub this area with a scrubber of your choice, and use your tooth brush to get the little cracks around the drain and garbage disposal.  Rinse the sink again to remove the cleaner.

To deodorize the sink and prevent grease build up, about every month pour a ½ cup of salt down the drain and follow that up with boiling water. If you have a plugged drain you can apply a drain cleaner of your own, or you can try pouring 5-6 tablespoons of baking soda followed immediately by 1 cup of vinegar.  Let the bubbling settle down then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to clear it out.

5.White Refrigerator

Whencleaning the outside of the refrigerator sometimes all that is required is a light dusting of the top area of the refrigerator.  If the refrigerator needs a cleaning then you can use an all-purpose cleaner to get the job done.  If you’d rather use a home solution you can use a mix of a ½ cup of bleach, 8 cups of water, and ½ cup of baking soda.  Apply this with a cleaning cloth and then follow up with a wash down of water and dry with a cleaning cloth.  To finalize the process wash the refrigerator off with a mix of 1 cup vinegar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. 

STAINLESS STEEL REFRIGERATOR
This refrigerator can easily be cleaned with a wipe down of baby oil, and then a rinse off with club soda.  This method proves to be quite effective to remove finger prints and stains you may have all over your refrigerator.

REFRIGERATOR INTERIOR
The interior of the refrigerator should be periodically wiped down with a cloth dampened with vinegar.  This will keep the interior of the fridge sanitized and prevent mildew from building up.

6. STOVE

GAS RANGES
Cleaning the stove can often be one of the more daunting tasks in the kitchen area.  When cleaning the gas ranges you’re going to want to make sure to remove the grills off your stove by placing the grills on the left side, onto the grills on the right side.  You will repeat this process once the left side has been cleaned.  Make sure to remove any debris before you actually begin cleaning.  Next use an all-purpose cleaner to scrub down any stains that might have accumulated in the grill areas. You will often need to use an abrasive scrubber, to remove any burned on substance in this area.  If the substance is persistent, apply a small amount of of powdered cleaner and scrub lightly.  Repeat this process with the grills on the right. 

FRONT OF STOVE
For the front of the stove, apply your all purpose cleaner first to the burner control knobs.  Use your old toothbrush to scrub these areas down.  Next go ahead and remove the knobs by pulling them straight off and laying them down in their respective order - in the order that you removed them.  Now clean the area of the front of the stove that was blocked by the knobs, and make sure to clean the area dry once you finish, before placing the knobs back on.  Next, take your glass cleaner and spray it on the oven window and rub it down with your cleaning cloth.  Do the same for the interior window.  After this go ahead and wipe the rest of the exterior stove as necessary.

7. FLOORS
Cleaning the floor is the home stretch when it comes to cleaning the kitchen.  For this job you are going to need your mop, a floor cleaner that is compatible with your type of flooring, and your kitchen sink.  A recommended tip before cleaning the kitchen floor, or any floor that needs to be mopped, is to start at the furthest end of the room, and work your way out the door.  This will help you to avoid trapping yourself in when mopping.

Start out first by either vacuuming or sweeping the floor to pick up any excess debris that might be hanging around on the floor.  Depending on your type of flooring there are two methods that were recommended to me, that should clean your flooring depending on its type.  The first methods is for “no wax” vinyl, hardwood floors coated with polyurethane, or tile floors. This method consists of using a mixture of ammonia and water. Close the sink and fill it with enough hot water to just cover the head of your mop.  Next, add ammonia into the water (3 tablespoons) and rinse the mop in the solution.  Leave the mop soaking wet and start in the farthest end of the room working your way out towards the exit.  When there isn’t enough water in your mop, return to the sink and repeat the process until complete.

The second method is for “wax” or “no wax” vinyl flooring, or linoleum.  This method consists of filling your sink with hot water, soaking your mop, and spraying floor cleaner from left to right, keeping it away from walls or cabinets.  Mop the area up working your way from the farthest end of the room towards the exit.  This method is meant to give your flooring a nice shine while cleaning and picking up dirt with the mop at the same time. 

If your sink water becomes so dirty that it almost appears black, it’s time to drain the water, refill the sink and reapply the cleaning method that is appropriate for your flooring.  As you finish your mopping, take your mop and rinse it out in the sink, discarding any dirt that is left over.  Drain the water in your sink, and use a cleaning cloth to touch up any areas of the faucets or counters that might have been splashed on.  As you finish up back out of the room and mop up any of your foot prints that might be left over.

Conclusion
Cleaning kitchens can seem tedious but the more we keep up on the main areas of use in the kitchen, the less we will have to clean them.  Once we get into the habit of regular kitchen cleaning the task becomes easier, and allows us to breeze right by it without breaking a sweat.

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