A Comprehensive Map To Cleaning Your Kitchen

Two roads appeared before me and I took the one less cluttered.

Ahhhh… the kitchen. It’s where we make our first meal of each day. It’s where we pack lunches and prepare meals. It’s where we’re caught sneaking midnight snacks. The path to the kitchen is the one most traveled in all our homes. To keep traffic moving freely, follow these steps when cleaning your kitchen.

Keep your kitchen clutter-free and inviting.

Cluttered Counters of the Third Kind

Your countertops are not mailboxes, keyholders, or phone chargers. If it doesn’t need to be there, find it a new home—or get rid of it.

Highway to the High Spots

Start at the top. Use a dusting tool with an extension handle and clean the ceilings, light fixtures, and the top of your refrigerator.

A Cabinet in the Woods

After the ceiling and other hard-to-reach areas, clean out your upper cabinets. Empty them, vacuum debris, and wipe with a safe cleaning solution. White vinegar with essential oils is effective, but test surfaces first.

Next, clean your backsplash, hanging microwave, and anything else above waist level.

Your Crisper Is Not a Petri Dish

Clean your refrigerator regularly. Mold and bacteria can develop before you notice. Remove all food—discard anything expired or smelly. To clean debris, wrap a nylon stocking over your vacuum hose to prevent clogging. Soak drawers and trays in hot, soapy water and disinfect with a vinegar solution before drying.

Door to Door

The fridge, dishwasher, and stove doors are frequently touched. Use white vinegar to clean them, but avoid stone or marble surfaces. Don’t forget handles and knobs.

Double Down on Dishes

Fill the sink with hot, soapy water. Soak crisper drawers, dish racks, and microwave trays. After cooling, place them in the dishwasher for deep cleaning.

Small Appliances Get Big Attention Too

Clean the removable parts of your coffee maker, toaster, and blender. Wash and rinse with very hot water to kill germs.

Microwave Your Microwave

Fill a microwave-safe dish with white vinegar and water, plus lemon slices or essential oils if desired. Heat until boiling and let the steam loosen grease. Then, wipe the inside thoroughly.

Sterilizing Stove Tops

1. Brush off food or debris with a dry cloth.
2. Wipe with a moist cloth and hot water.
3. Turn on burners, pour vinegar on the surface, then turn off heat.
4. Sprinkle baking soda to react with the vinegar.
5. Let it fizz, cool, then clean with soap and water.
6. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

Countermeasures

Scrub counters and push debris into the sink. Avoid vinegar on stone or marble. For regular countertops, lemon-infused essential oils work wonderfully.

Sink or Swim

Drain the sink, coat it with vinegar, sprinkle baking soda, and let it fizz. Rinse with boiling water and don’t forget faucets and handles.

You Are Now Free to Clean About Your Lower Cabinets

Follow the same procedure as upper cabinets, ensuring you remove dust and debris from corners.

Finally, the Floor

Vacuum first, then sweep or use a Swiffer for hidden dirt. Move appliances and clean beneath them. Mop according to your floor type. Let floors dry completely before walking on them.

Trash Time

Take out the trash and clean the bin. Fill it with hot, soapy water, a cup of vinegar, and baking soda. Let it soak, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Toss in a lemon peel for a fresh scent.