byronreese
By Jody L. Campbell
Cleaning the Kitchen
Cleaning the kitchen is probably not your favorite chore, but there are a few tips for making the job a little easier. Whether your use organic or commercial cleaners, you can do the job yourself pretty easily with a little planning.
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By Jody L. Campbell
OverviewThe kitchen and the bathroom, for obvious reasons, are the two rooms in a common household that require more maintenance than the others. A couple of rules of thumb to keep up with kitchen cleaning are “work top-to-bottom/left shoulder-to-right-shoulder” and “clean as you go.” “Top-to-bottom/left-shoulder-to-right” (or right to left) ensures that you don’t skip around and overlook one or more of the areas to clean, or that you don’t do something like clean the floor first and then mess it up when you clean the counter tops or appliances. “Clean as you go” is a great preventative-maintenance measure instilled in employees of many industrial kitchens.Step 1Choose a starting point. As mentioned in the introduction, a left-shoulder-to-right-shoulder technique can be applied to prevent missing an area of the kitchen. However, while starting with one corner of the kitchen and working your way around clockwise or counterclockwise may help prevent forgetting an area, it also may require extra steps and extra time. For example, cleaning the kitchen in groups (appliances, counter-tops, cupboards, sink area/dishwasher, trashcan area, and walls and floors), may make more effective use of the cleaning materials and tools needed to do the job. It may make the most sense to clean in groups, but clean from left to right within those groups.Step 2Clean all the appliances inside and outside. Refrigerator, freezer, stove top, oven (inside and out), microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, can opener, and any other appliance present in your kitchen should be thoroughly cleaned. While some of the smaller appliances can be wiped down after each use to help prevent buildup, they should not be overlooked when performing a cleaning overhaul of the kitchen just because they’re wiped down from time to time. Hot soapy water and a cloth to clean is effective; then wipe the appliance dry with a towel. If desired, antibacterial sprays and soaps can be applied to surfaces of the appliances. Don’t forget the handles of the doors on all appliances.Step 3Wash the kitchen sink. The sink should be an area of focus during every kitchen cleaning, no matter how often preventive maintenance is applied. The surface of the sink basin, edges, faucet, faucet handles (including the sprayer), dish basin and dish strainer (if applicable) should all be washed down thoroughly with a diluted bleach solution (see bleach container for proper solution mix) or an antibacterial kitchen cleaner if desired.Step 4Move the kitchen trashcan and clean all the wall and floor surfaces around it. Often kitchen trashcans have splatter on the walls and floor nearby caused by careless cooks and other residents. Remove the trash bag and wash the inside and outside of the trashcan with hot soapy water and, if desired, an antibacterial kitchen cleaner.Step 5Wash down the counter tops and walls with hot soapy water and spray with antibacterial spray. Always wipe dry with a clean towel. Spraying the antibacterial cleaner on the surfaces first and allowing it to soak in before washing with hot soapy water is also an effective way to remove dried-on foot particles and other contaminants. Remove all objects on the counter tops. Items like canisters or any other object(s) should be washed or wiped down (including handles) before being replaced to their original location.Step 6Wipe down cupboard and drawer handles with antibacterial spray or a diluted bleach solution. While appliance handles and sink handles should be cleaned when detailing them, do not forget all the other handles in the kitchen where hands are used to open and close. Wipe down the outside cupboard and drawer surfaces. Cleaning inside the cupboard shelves and drawers requires removing the contents. This will not be necessary as often as cleaning other areas, but should be considered at least every few months.Step 7Wash the floor of the kitchen last with a mop and bucket.Step 8Create an organized cleaning schedule that integrates and prioritizes concentrated areas of the kitchen. As mentioned, interior cupboards and drawers will not need as much attention as kitchen sinks and trashcan areas. While cleaning spot messes right away (cleaning as you go) is recommended to reduce the effort involved in cleaning, adhering to a cleaning schedule to organize the most important areas of the kitchen to the least important will ensure your kitchen is safe, clean, and functional.Step 9Change the cleaning cloths and towels often, and also change the hot soapy water solution often during the kitchen cleaning. Using dirty water will not effectively clean the kitchen.skill3ingredientCleaning bucket(s)
Spray bottles
Bleach
Kitchen cleaning sprays
Antibacterial cleaning sprays or soap
Cleaning cloths and towels
Oven cleaner (if desired)
Mop and bucketingredientsCleaning bucket(s)ingredientsSpray bottlesingredientsBleachingredientsKitchen cleaning spraysingredientsAntibacterial cleaning sprays or soapingredientsCleaning cloths and towelsingredientsOven cleaner (if desired)ingredientsMop and bucketkeywordoverall kitchen cleaningkeywordsoverallkeywordskitchenkeywordscleaningResourcesreferenceHow to Thoroughly Clean a KitchenreferenceKitchen Cleaning TipsreferenceCleaning a Kitchen Thoroughly and Effectively
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