It’s not that you hate cleaning, but cleaning your kitchen is a nightmare! Does that sound familiar? Many people would agree with you. Cleaning the kitchen, especially if you’re a messy cook, is the worst.
So, what can you do about that and how can you make kitchen cleaning less tedious? Here are 8 useful tips that can help you maintain your kitchen.
1. Declutter your kitchen
Our first tip is dedicated to clearing up the mess in the kitchen. In most households, kitchens are the busiest rooms, so it’s no wonder that they get messy really fast. If you’re a messy cook, the situation gets even worse. There are dishes everywhere, different kinds of kitchen appliances on every countertop, empty packaging, and tons of other items.
To be able to clean your kitchen and properly maintain it, you’ll first need to declutter. So, start by getting rid of all the empty packaging, containers, washing the dishes, and storing away all the appliances you don’t use as often. Try to keep your countertops as clean as possible and also try not to clutter them. Too many items on the countertops make the kitchen look messy and untidy.
2. Get rid of the trash
Don’t wait until your trashcan is overflowing with trash, instead, try to dispose of any food leftovers and trash as soon as possible. Trash can make your kitchen smell bad, and you may not even notice it at first. This is especially the case with trashcans that don’t have a lid on.
No matter how clean your kitchen is if you don’t take out the trash in time, the smell will say the opposite. Not to mention that leaving trash for too long in your kitchen can cause the food in it to rot and maggots, worms, and flies to grow. And that is pretty disgusting.
Once you take out the trash, don’t forget to wash the trashcan as well. Put on a pair of rubber gloves, take the disinfecting spray, and thoroughly clean your trashcan before using it again.
3. Wash the dishes after every meal
The worst possible scenario is coming home after a long day at work to a sink full of dishes. There really is nothing worst. So, to avoid this, make sure you wash the dishes after every meal. If you have a washing machine, then load and turn it on.
If you wait too long after the meal, the dishes will get crusty, and washing them will take even longer. Not to mention that dirty dishes if left in a sink for too long will start to smell really bad.
So, in order to keep your kitchen clean and fresh smelling, make sure you get into the routine of washing the dishes after every meal or at least loading the dishwasher.
4. Wipe the countertops
Spills and messy countertops are normal thing in a kitchen that is often used. However, if the spill happens, make sure you clean it up immediately before it stains or becomes sticky. If you clean the spills right after they happen, you won’t have to scrub the countertops later.
Also, don’t forget to clean the counters after every use. Coming back to a clean kitchen is better than having to clear and clean it before every cooking.
5. Wash the sink regularly
Sinks are ideal places for the growth of bacteria, and they are even worst than trashcans. This is because bacteria thrive in wet places. And your sink is a perfect place.
That’s why you’ll need to wash your sink every day. Hot, soapy water and a rag are enough to clean your sink, but if you feel like your sink needs a deep cleaning, use a diluted bleach mixture to wipe down your sink. In case you have a garbage disposal installed under your sink, make sure you clean it once a week.
6. Don’t forget to clean the oven
Probably the most overlooked appliance in your whole kitchen when it comes to cleaning is your oven. The oven is often used and if you fail to clean it regularly you risk it becoming less efficient in reaching high temperatures if you leave the food and grease just pile up. At some point, the oven may stop working altogether.
To avoid frequent oven repairs, regardless of how good your appliance repair center is, make sure you clean your oven at least once a month. The great thing about oven cleaning is that it isn’t complicated. All you have to do is put a bowl of water mixed with soda bicarbonate in your oven and turn it up high. This mixture is guaranteed to loosen up dried grease and dirt.
When it comes to the oven doors, you can wipe them down once a week. Regularly cleaning your oven is what will keep it working for a long time.
7. Clean out fridge and freezer
Your fridge is another place that gets cluttered over time. To keep it clean and organized, make sure you clean it out from time to time. Toss out expired and old foods, empty containers, and things you don’t use anymore. After that, you should wipe the fridge selves and the inside of the fridge with hot soapy water.
The same goes for your freezer. Additionally, over time, ice will build up in your freezer and unless you have a defrost fridge, you’ll need to defrost it yourself from time to time.
8. Mop and sweep kitchen floors every day
If there are spills in your kitchen, make sure you mop the floors right away. The same goes for crumbs and dust, make sure you sweep the floors right after every meal. At the end of the day check the floors and if needed sweep them.
When it comes to mopping, you don’t need to do it every day, once a week is enough. Fill the bucket with warm soapy water or with a floor cleaning solution and dip your mop into it. Before mopping the floors make sure you squeeze out the excess water.
And there you have it, eight easy tips on how to keep your kitchen clean without breaking your back. If you take time to clean your kitchen every day, it will never be that bad that you have to scrub it clean for a whole weekend. Hopefully, some of our tips have inspired you to clean your kitchen!
Author – Jasmine Anderson is a Sydney-based lifestyle blogger and a toddler mom. She loves to spend quality time with her family, go thrifting, and spend just a little bit too much time on the internet.