Keeping your kitchen clean and organized is essential for a healthy and enjoyable cooking experience. Follow these expert cleaning tips to transform your kitchen into a spotless and inviting space. While this may seem like an overwhelming project, take it piece by piece!

Clear the Counters: Clearing your kitchen counters is the first step toward achieving a clean and organized space. Remove any items that don't belong on the counters, such as mail, cookbooks, or stray papers. Create a clutter-free workspace for efficient cleaning. As you clear the counters, take the opportunity to categorize items and de clutter. Separate things into different categories such as kitchen tools, appliances, and miscellaneous items. Determine what you really need and what can be stored away or donated. By reducing clutter, you'll create a more functional and visually appealing kitchen.

Tackle the Refrigerator: Since we’re on the topic of discarding, lets take a look at the refrigerator. First, empty your refrigerator, check those expiration dates and begin discarding any expired items. This goes for old leftovers to! Place dirty food storage containers in the sink to soak. Wipe down the shelves from top to bottom using a paper towel or a cloth sprayed with a nontoxic all-purpose cleaner.

Soak and Scrub: Fill your sink with hot water and a few squirts of dish soap. Drop in items that require soaking, like the crisper drawer, storage containers, dish rack, and microwave turntable. Allow them to soak while you clean other areas.

Dust High Zones: Start dusting from the high zones, like upper corners, light fixtures, and the tops of cabinets. Knock the dirt and debris down to the floor, where you'll clean it up later. Use a telescoping duster and work your way around the room, ending at the sink.

Clean Upper Cabinets: Wipe down the upper cabinets, mounted microwave, and anything else on the walls. If your microwave has a center tray go ahead and remove this and Spray the interior of the microwave with an all-purpose cleaner and let it sit for two minutes. Use a damp, soapy cloth to clean the exterior, and choose a microfiber kitchen towel for the best results. Stainless steel surfaces can be cleaned with a cloth moistened with diluted white vinegar to remove fingerprints. Don't forget to wipe the cabinet doors, pulls, frames, hooks, and vent grates.

Microwave Maintenance: Return to the microwave after two minutes and wipe the interior clean using a dry cloth. Any crumbs that fall onto the stove or floor can be dealt with later. Hand wash the center tray in your sink with warm water and dish soap, dry it off, and place it back inside of your microwave.

Stovetop Care: Spray the stovetop with an all-purpose cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes. For stubborn stains, add a powdered scrub that won't scratch the surface. Wipe the stovetop with a clean, dry cloth, allowing any crumbs to fall to the floor. Change the cloth if it becomes too greasy to avoid transferring grease to other surfaces.

Dishwasher Duties: Load the dishwasher with the items that were soaking in the sink or hand wash them if necessary. Don't drain the sink just yet, we’ll get back to this.

Small Appliance Cleanup: Clean small appliances such as the coffeemaker, toaster, and stand mixer from top to bottom. Use a glass cleaner, multi surface formula (sprayed onto the cloth), or cleaning wipes. Dip drip trays or crumb catchers in the leftover warm, soapy water from the sink, then rinse and dry them.

Scrub Countertops: Scrub the countertops using small, circular motions with a cleaner suitable for the surface. Choose a cleaner specifically formulated for your countertop material. Sometimes a simple warm water and soap mixture is the way to go!

Refresh Appliance Doors and Handles: Use a cloth dipped in clean, sudsy water or diluted white vinegar (for stainless steel doors) to clean the fridge doors, dishwasher front, and oven. Pay attention to handles and edges. For tight spots, like the folds of the refrigerator seal, use a soft toothbrush or a cloth-wrapped spatula. Wipe the sides of the dishwasher door with an all-purpose cleaner or a cloth dipped in a solution of hot, soapy water and white vinegar. Avoid using this mixture on marble, granite, or porous stone countertops.

Lower Cabinet Cleanup: Clean the lower cabinets and drawers with a damp, soapy cloth to remove any dirt or grime. Oh and don’t forget the music!

Draining the sink: Lets move back over to the sink. Remove any standing water or debris. Rinse the sink with hot water to thoroughly clean the basin. Use a mild abrasive cleanser and a microfiber cloth to scrub the sink, paying attention to areas with stains or buildup. Rinse the sink again with hot water to ensure all traces of the cleanser are removed. Wipe down the faucet and handles using a damp cloth or cleaning wipe. Finally, dry the sink with a clean cloth or paper towel to prevent water spots and keep it looking shiny.

Take out the trash: Empty the trash can, tying the bag securely, and dispose of it in an outdoor trash bin or community dumpster. While the trash can is empty, wipe down the inside using a cleaning wipe to remove any residual debris or odors. Pay attention to the interior walls, bottom, and lid. Once the trash can is clean and dry, insert a new trash bag, ensuring it fits securely and is properly aligned.

Sweep the floors: Last but not least, lets clean those floors! Using an electro-static dry duster, such as a Swiffer Sweeper, start from the farthest corner of the room and work your way towards the entrance. Pay close attention to baseboards and areas under cabinets where crumbs and dirt tend to accumulate. If possible, pull out movable appliances to access the areas near the walls and sweep or vacuum these spots. Next, mop the floor using a mop and a suitable cleaning solution for your flooring type. Start from the farthest corner and work towards the exit. After mopping, dispose of the dirty mop water either outside or down the toilet. Allow the floor to air dry or use fans to speed up the drying process. Ensure the floor is completely dry before walking on it or placing any rugs or mats back in place.

There you have it, your kitchen should shine! Make sure to practice these steps every couple of weeks. Trust us, these routine tasks are much easier than a monthly deep clean. If you need help, please reach out!