Efficient Kitchen Cleaning Guide: Transform Your Messy Kitchen with Pro Tips

Are you fed up or disgusted by the lack of cleanliness in your kitchen? Have grease and grime made a permanent home pretty much everywhere you look? Well, that’s what happens when you don’t clean your kitchen the way it is intended to be cleaned! By this, we mean using cleaning methods that tackle bacteria and stains to truly reveal a sanitary and shiny surface below.

We understand that kitchen buildup is hard to clean and therefore, often neglected due to the extra elbow grease needed to remove it. From a sticky and stained backsplash to a greasy stove top and grimy counters; there are several areas in the kitchen that get dirty on a daily basis. On top of this, kitchen appliances, cabinets, the pantry, and drawers are also subject to all kinds of buildup overtime. Taking this into consideration, it’s worth noting the importance of both daily and deep cleaning your kitchen. 

So, today MaidForYou is giving you a complete guide to kitchen cleaning by really getting into the nitty gritty of it all! This includes how to deep clean your kitchen once a month, or as and when needed, and the everyday kitchen cleaning tasks that will help keep the space clean and sanitary. Throughout the guide, we will also be sharing useful kitchen cleaning tips that ensure both thoroughness and satisfactory results for all your efforts. Now, let’s get started!

How to Clean Your Kitchen Like the Professionals Do

Believe it or not, in most cases, cleaning has less to do with technique, and more to do with the products and tools/materials used. This is especially true when cleaning kitchen areas because you are often dealing with stubborn grease and grime which simply cannot be broken down effectively if the wrong cleaning agents are used.

So, to learn how to clean your kitchen like a professional, you first need to know what it takes to achieve those sparkling results. Of course, if you don’t want to use commercial products or harsh chemicals, you can easily substitute them with natural ingredients that serve as non-toxic cleaning agents.

The Importance of Environmentally-Friendly Kitchen Cleaning

It’s hard to ignore the correlation between chemical household cleaners and health issues such as respiratory problems, headaches, skin irritation, and various allergic reactions. Even worse, the ill effects are more severe among those with compromised immunity including babies, young kids, the sickly, and the elderly. 

With that in mind, consider how much more harmful it is to have residual chemicals lurking around your kitchen — the place where you prepare meals, and perhaps even eat sometimes. To really put things in perspective, think about the last time you made a sandwich and ate it right off your kitchen counter! Well, unless you’ve been using non-toxic cleaning methods on your kitchen countertop, this is an absolute no-no!

For years, homeowners have been exposing themselves, their families, and their food to harmful, chemical-based kitchen cleaning products, making them susceptible to a long list of health problems that can easily be avoided. This, of course, is by simply switching over to eco-friendly kitchen cleaners which are not only economical, but super easy to make using natural ingredients. Learn more below.

What You’ll Need to Clean Your Kitchen:

How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen Strategically

We’ve all heard of the phrase ‘work smarter, not harder’; well, these inspirational words have led to a whole new way of cleaning which saves both time and energy! Particularly for a big job like deep cleaning the kitchen, where there are many areas of cleaning and tasks to complete, it certainly pays to work in a more strategic manner.

For that, we have created a well thought out, step-by-step approach to clean your entire kitchen. So, gather the cleaning tools and products mentioned above, and follow the kitchen cleaning guide below.

1. Clear the Clutter

Countertops and other kitchen surfaces tend to get cluttered with random kitchen items that have been used and left out of place. Sometimes, you will even find things that don’t belong in the kitchen to begin with! All of this clutter makes it harder to clean the surfaces that need a thorough wipe down, and therefore, must be cleared out first. Starting at one end of the kitchen, begin putting everything back in its respective place so that you can actually start cleaning your kitchen!

2. Clean the Dishes

Dirty dishes also get in the way, especially since you will need to use the kitchen sink from time to time before eventually cleaning it. If you have a dishwasher, load the dirty dishes in there, or simply clean your dishes by hand. Be sure to dry, and store the dishes after so that nothing is left out of place once you are done. 

Remember, it is important to learn how to clean your dishwasher to keep it sanitary and running well. Dishwasher care and maintenance is typically required once in 2-3 months. 

3. Dust High Surfaces

Any overhead surface or fixture should be dusted before cleaning lower surfaces and appliances. This includes light fixtures, shelves, and the top of your refrigerator and wall-mounted kitchen cabinets. A pro tip is to use a damp rag when cleaning higher up surfaces to minimise the amount of dust and dirt that gets knocked off.

Of course, you will also need to clean your fridge at some point, however, you can save this for another day if you are short of time (and/or energy). Similarly, as part of kitchen cleaning, it is necessary to clean and organise the kitchen cabinets when time permits.

4. Clean the Stove + Oven

If you’ve left your stove top dirty for days or weeks, you will probably find this task to be challenging. Nevertheless, if you want to know how to clean a glass stove, or even a stainless steel stove top for that matter, the best method below is the best one out there:

• Use a rag to clean off crumbs and loose debris. Don’t worry if some of it gets knocked onto the ground since you will be cleaning the kitchen floor later.

• Spray the stove top with undiluted white vinegar, ensuring to soak sticky spills and stubborn grease in particular.

• Sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda over the vinegar, and allow the ingredients to react.

• Soak a kitchen towel in hot water, wring it, and place it over the stove for an additional 10 minutes.

• Remove the towel, and wipe off the cleaning agents with a bunch of paper towels.

• Check for residue stuck to the surface, and gently remove it with a plastic scraper.

• Give the stove top a final wipe down using a spritz of vinegar and a clean microfibre cloth.

Don’t forget to give the rangehood a good wipe using a clean, damp microfibre cloth. Here, a little spritz of vinegar can help, too. Consider cleaning the rangehood while you give the vinegar-baking soda time to sit. 

After that, deep clean your oven including the exterior glass, display, and buttons/knobs.

5.  Wipe Down Appliances

Do you ever find your kitchen appliances caked with sticky grease and grime? That’s probably because you don’t have enough ventilation in your kitchen to draw out grease fumes from cooking. Overtime, this buildup on your kitchen appliances can become quite stubborn to remove which is why we suggest using a cleaning solution consisting of warm water and liquid dish soap. 

Depending on how greasy the stainless steel surface is, combine 1 - 2 cups of warm water and 1 - 1 ½ tablespoons of dish soap, and pour it into a spray bottle. Use this to dampen a microfibre cloth, and thoroughly wipe down the exteriors of your kitchen appliances including the microwave, toaster, blender, kettle, air fryer, coffee maker, and large appliance like your refrigerator. If the cleaning solution is too soapy, do a once-over with a clean, damp cloth, and then dry the surface with a kitchen towel.

6. Clean the Backsplash

It’s hard to keep food from sputtering and splattering when you are cooking. In fact, it’s inevitable, and while a lot of it gets on your stove, you will find a fair amount of food and oil stains on your backsplash as well. Fortunately, this is nothing a quick wipe down can’t take care of. All you need to do is spray the tiles with equal parts water and white vinegar, and then clean them off with a sponge or scrubber. Wipe the area with a clean, dry microfibre cloth to finish off.

7. De-stain Countertops

A damp kitchen cloth works perfectly well for wiping up a fresh spill, however, when you need to deep clean kitchen counters, you have to break out the products that bring back the material’s shine! This is where the use of environmentally-friendly kitchen cleaning products is critically important because you never want to leave traces of chemicals on the surface.

NOTE: Some natural ingredients like white vinegar and lemon extract are damaging to natural stone and therefore, must be avoided.

For a safe and non-toxic method to clean kitchen countertops made from any material, do the following:

• In a spray bottle filled with 1 cup of water, add a few drops of liquid dish detergent, and shake it up well. 

• Clear the counter entirely, and spray the surface as evenly as possible, one section at a time. 

• Take a clean microfibre cloth, and wipe the area using quick, circular motions. 

• Clean the next section but be sure to overlap the previous one so that no spots are missed.

If needed, use the plastic scraper to remove stuck-on grease and stains. 

8. Wash the Sink + Splashback

Obviously, the kitchen sink is subject to grease and grime because it gets loaded with dirty dishes on a daily basis. Overtime, this buildup is not only unpleasant to look at, but it starts to smell foul due to the bacteria. 

For an effective way to clean a kitchen sink and kill the nasty bacteria, follow the steps below:

• Plug the sink and fill it with hot water (up to 3/4th of its capacity). The temperature of the water should be above 65°C to effectively kill bacteria.

• Add 1 - 2 squirts of liquid dish soap, and use a long wooden spoon to stir up the water. A little swishing will help combine the soap and water well. When the solution is mixed, leave it to sit for 5 - 10 minutes.

• While you wait for the cleaning solution to soak up grime in the sink, mix equal parts water and white vinegar, spray it onto the splashback area, and wipe it clean with a microfibre cloth.

• Next, carefully drain the water, and immediately scrub the sink with a sponge. If needed, add a few drops of dish soap to the sponge, and then wipe down the interior and surrounding area of the sink, as well as the faucet/tap. An old toothbrush is great for getting into the nooks, crannies, and corners around your kitchen sink.

• Lastly, rinse all the scrubbed areas thoroughly, and then dry them with a clean towel.

9. Clean Trash Cans + Garbage Disposal

Of course, taking out the trash is typically a daily task, however, on the day that you are deep cleaning your kitchen, you should also clean and sanitise your bins. Obviously, bacteria accumulates quickly, especially if the garbage isn’t taken out on time. So, the first thing you want to do is take the bin outside, tie up the bag, and dump it in its respective outdoor garbage collection bin. 

Next, using an outdoor hose, spray the interior and exterior (including the lid) with a steady, high pressure flow of water. If you live in an apartment, you might have to settle for doing this in your bathroom, or a balcony. Next, spray the bin with a generous amount of cleaning solution — consider making a homemade garbage bin cleaner using  ½ cup dish soap, 1 - 2 cups water, and 4 cups of white vinegar. Scrub the entire bin using a cleaning brush with a long enough handle. Ensure to rinse off the bristles, and reapply the cleaning solution as you go. Keep a basin or bucket filled with some water to quickly rinse the brush.

After scrubbing and rinsing the garbage bin, allow it to air-dry before spraying it with a disinfectant, or sanitising it with anti-bacterial wipes. If you have time, go ahead and clean and freshen up the garbage disposal, or save it for the next day.

10. Clean the Floor

Aside from the dirt that has been knocked onto the floor from higher surfaces, your kitchen flooring is also prone to crumbs and sticky stains due to drips or spills. In fact, even a sprinkle of water on the floor can lead to unsightly marks caused by foot traffic. 

So, after everything else has been cleaned in your kitchen, the last thing you need to do is sweep or vacuum the floor, and then mop it with an eco-friendly floor cleaner of your choice. A microfibre mop pad is highly recommended for cleaning kitchen floors as the material scrubs away stains almost effortlessly while also getting the dirt between tile grout. Combining 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts water, along with a few drops of essential oil, makes for a great, natural homemade kitchen floor cleaner.

This brings us to the end of our deep cleaning guide for a messy kitchen! Next up is tackling those daily kitchen cleaning chores.

How to Quickly Clean Your Kitchen Everyday

The great thing about daily kitchen cleaning is that there isn’t much to do! The few areas that do need attention are quick to address, and moreover, if you are consistent with daily cleaning, you will have a much easier time deep cleaning your kitchen when the time comes.

It should also be mentioned that not all daily kitchen cleaning tasks are necessary if your kitchen isn’t used every day. Therefore, the checklist below may not be applicable to you in its entirety, however, it is convenient to refer to it to ensure that you aren’t neglecting anything or letting grease and grime build up. 

Here are the general kitchen cleaning tasks to do on a daily basis:

Do the Dishes

Get into the habit of cleaning your dishes after cooking and/or eating a meal instead of allowing them to pile up. If you have a dishwasher, load the dirty dishes directly into the sink after rinsing them off. This prevents your sink from piling up with dirty dishes which also causes the stainless steel to become soiled far more quickly. Similarly, if you clean your dishes by hand, be sure to keep them soaking for a little while to minimise the amount of time and elbow grease needed to clean them.

Wipe the Stove Top After Cooking

When the stove is cool to touch, give it a quick wipe using either paper towels or a microfibre cloth. If you are tackling food spills or cooking grease, dampen the cleaning tool with some vinegar, and spot clean the affected areas.

Declutter Surfaces

Very important! When it comes to clutter, things can get out of hand very quickly if you aren’t observant. For this reason, we advise homeowners to take a quick look around their kitchen before leaving the room, and to put away anything they spot left lying around or out of place.

Clean the Counters After Meal Prep

Preparing a meal leads to a lot of spilt crumbs and other food debris that ends up on your counters. While it may be tempting to just dust off the crumbs, using an all-purpose cleaner and paper towels to clean your kitchen countertop after meal prep will leave the surface looking and feeling a lot cleaner. It’s also a good idea to follow up cleaning your countertop with sanitising it, especially if the surface has encountered raw meat or poultry. 

Spot Clean Grease, Grime, and Dirt

If you spot something that needs cleaning, especially if a quick wipe with a paper towel can handle it, do it! Spot cleaning areas in your kitchen will go a long way in maintaining cleanliness. This includes cleaning up spills on your stove and counters, wiping down the kitchen sink, sweeping up crumbs from the floor, wiping away grease or stains on appliances, etc. 

PRO TIP: Always use a cleaning spray to quickly and effectively remove grease, grime, and the likes. It is also advisable to keep your kitchen cleaning tools and products/sprays in the kitchen itself, perhaps on a shelf that is easy to access.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Yes, it can be overwhelming to clean your entire kitchen, especially when you haven’t addressed areas that require daily attention. In fact, it can take days to clean the whole space including each appliance, cabinet, drawer, and surface. However, that shouldn’t stop you from learning how to clean your kitchen because it is easier to maintain when you do a little every day. Start by prioritising specific areas of the kitchen cleaning such as the stove top, sink, and countertops that require basic cleaning or wiping daily, and leave the bigger tasks like deep cleaning appliances, cabinets, garbage bins, and the pantry for other days. This way, you can get through cleaning your kitchen without wearing yourself out! If you can't find the time to clean your kitchen yourself, consider hiring a professional cleaning service to uphold the regular maintenance and cleaning of your kitchen.