This Is How Often You Need to Deep Clean Your Kitchen
The kitchen certainly witnesses a lot of activities on holidays. That mess means it’s time for deep cleaning. Here we show you a cleaning guide with tested cleaning methods. Also you can contact one of our cleaning companies here.
Following this comprehensive guide will help you transfer your countertops, appliances, floors, and more into sparkling like new.
Appliances
A lot of your deep-cleaning efforts should target the spots that witness the
most effect from spills, splatters, and others.
The fridge is one of the appliances that get out of control so quickly.
Leftovers, forgotten food, and leaky containers, and before you realize it,
you’ll be afraid to open the refrigerator door to grab anything.
Experts recommend a comprehensive cleaning at the end of every season but at
least twice a year.
Start by taking all the food out of the fridge and putting it in a cooler. Then
take out the shelves and drawers and place them aside.
Prepare a baking soda and water solution and use it to wipe the inside thoroughly. For stubborn, sticky spots try a nonabrasive scrubbing tool or apply warm wet paper towels on top to remove the spot.
Dishwasher
We usually assume that the dishwasher and the washing machine are self-cleaning. But that’s not true.
Limescale, soap scum, and food particles make
the machine operate ineffectively.
It’s recommended that you clean your dishwasher and washing machine every four
to six weeks.
A clean dishwasher starts with hot water. So, check to ensure that your
hot-water heater is working at the highest temperature of 120 degrees
Fahrenheit (about 49 degrees Celsius).
Then, empty the filter of food and debris, take out and wash the racks, and clean the inside with a dry cloth or sponge.
Never use hand soap or dish detergent, which may damage the machine’s components. Next, use white vinegar or baking soda to tackle hard-water stains.
Microwave
Food splatters
are not avoidable when having this appliance. Even if you can survive with having
a mess every time you heat your food, be aware that food remains can cause your
machine to work less efficiently.
The microwave needs daily maintenance and also don’t forget to steam clean
every week.
Prevention is the key here. Make sure to cover your food to prevent splatters,
and wipe the inside of your microwave every day with a wet sponge or towel
before the food gets a chance to harden.
For more stubborn spots, heat about 1 cup of water in a microwave-safe
container on high about three minutes. The steam will help loosen the hard
spots.
Then, use white vinegar to clean the inside. And make vacuuming your microwave’s vents part of your vacuuming routine.
Range and oven
This appliance certainly
had the lion share of your holiday cooking mess. It’s not the simplest or
quickest place to clean, but as the main thing in your kitchen, it’s very
important.
Take out the burners and trays and put them in soapy water for 20 minutes, then
scrub using a sponge. Wipe down the stove-top.
For the oven, take out the racks and soak them in sudsy water in the sink, then
clean with a sponge.
Look to the manual for the proper cleaning method for the oven, but you can start with vacuuming out the crumbs on the bottom and cleaning the inside with a wet sponge.
A commercial oven cleaner will be your best choice but there are alternative methods as well.
Stainless steel appliances are used a lot in most kitchens. While the name reflects certain built-in cleanliness, steel surfaces including counter tops still can get rust and stains. Stainless steel needs to be cleaned daily.
Use soft sponges and microfiber cloths to clean steel surfaces. Avoid steel scouring pads, which may scratch surfaces. For hard spots, use plastic scrubbing pads.
For brushed or polished steel surfaces, make sure you wipe or scrub with the grain direction. Use CLR for any hard-water stains, and diluted vinegar, baking soda, alcoholic solvents and chloride-free glass sprays elsewhere.
Counter tops
Spots and stains on counter tops are certainly the most noticeable messes in your kitchen. Each material is different, so do some research before you apply any cleansers, which could cause unrepaired damage to your counter top.
Marble. Few materials give the beauty of marble. But it comes with a price, both in terms of cost and maintenance. Etching from lemon juice, alcohol, or tomato sauce may ruin your precious marble surfaces.
Marble needs to be cleaned every day and sealed once a month.
Don’t use acidic materials on your countertop. Also avoid using cleaning products such as vinegar, lemon juice, and bleach.
Clean with mild soap, water, and a non-abrasive sponge. At least once a month, it’s recommended to apply a spray sealer to reduce stains and etching.
Granite. Granite is somehow
easier to clean. You need to clean it every day and seal once a year.
You can clean with a soft cloth and warm water, or cleansers made specifically
for granite.
Every year or two, seal your slab with an
impregnating water-based sealer made especially for granite.
You should avoid using acidic substances and citrus. And don’t use steel wool,
which may scratch any countertop.
Besides, don’t put a hot pot or pan on a countertop surface. Always use a trivet for protection.
Butcher
block and cutting board. Even if you don’t have butcher block countertops, you may
have a hefty cutting board that needs cleaning after each use.
Unlike laminate surfaces that take time for stains to collect, wood surfaces need
fast-acting.
After you finish cutting or chopping, remove food remains, and clean the
surface with soap, then dry it.
To disinfect, don’t use chemical cleaners whose residues can taint food. As an alternative, use undiluted vinegar.
For hard stains, use lemon for table salt, or baking soda. Later, your wood may require an oil boost. Apply it evenly, leave for 15 minutes, then remove any excess with a clean towel.
Pantry
It’s difficult to get relieved that you’re working in a clean kitchen when you’re
fully aware that a huge, disorganized mess hides behind your cabinet doors.
This mess has to be cleaned whenever needed.
Take everything out and classify them by what you want to keep and what you
want to give away. Then clean all the shelves and walls to remove stains and
any food remains.
This is quite the time to rethink what you may do to enhance storage and organization.
Walls
Walls have their fair share of mess from splatters, scuffs, and dings. They should be cleaned monthly or whenever needed.
Clean your walls every time you do your vacuuming routine. This will keep dust from collecting and turning the walls to look drab.
To remove spots, wipe clean with a damp cloth. For harder areas, apply a thick paste of baking soda and water. If it doesn’t work use a Magic Eraser.
Floors
A clean floor starts with regular vacuuming. But food stains and scuff marks require
more attention. It needs daily cleaning or whenever needed.
Laminate floors only need a damp mop and a little amount of mild cleanser. For hard
spots, you’ll want to get down on your hands and knees and scrub the spot well.
The same applies to tile floors, but grout lines will need more work.
Hardwood floors are different and will depend on the type of finish that’s on your wood: polyurethane, shellac, wax or varnish.
You can reduce dirt by not wearing shoes inside your home. Next, vacuuming, sweeping and dust mopping with a solution of dish washing soap and water will keep it always clean.
Garbage Disposal
Regardless of how clean your kitchen looks, if it smells off, it will feel dirty. Garbage disposals need to be cleaned regularly.
There are many ways for preventing your sink of stink. Prepare a pasty liquid with lemon juice and baking soda and pour that mixture into the disposal. Leave it for a few minutes. Run cold water and turn on the disposal for a minute.
You can also apply baking soda down the drain, then pour in the vinegar and leave it for about five minutes. Run hot water for 30 seconds and repeat whenever needed.
Or you can cut up a lemon and put a slice into each slot of an empty ice cube tray. Fill the tray with vinegar and freeze. Place many cubes into the disposal every few days and run it with cold water until they’re crushed.
Windows
What good is a view if it’s blurred by dirt? Don’t forget to include windows in your cleaning routine.
Cleaning your windows is always up to you, but two to three times a year is better.
Before you begin, make sure you protect your floors, walls, and countertops from any drips of cleaning materials you use.
A solution of warm water and gentle dish soap is a safe choice. Use a sponge to scrub down the windows, getting into the creases and corners. Then use a squeegee and wipe dry with a clean towel.
Pots and Pans
A dirty pan will make even the cleanest kitchen feel dirty.
Pots and pans should be cleanedafter each use.
Cleaning by hand using dish soap and warm water after each use is a perfect way, but you’ll need to apply different methods for different materials.
Fruit
Flies
Finally, what use of cleaning your kitchen if you’ve got fruit flies buzzing
around?
Fruit flies enter your house, so make sure your windows and doors are closed
properly.
Next, make a trap by putting some vinegar or
red wine into a dish and cover it with plastic wrap. Then make a few holes
through the top and leave the trap out on the counter to attract the flies. The
flies will enter and drown or get stuck and die.
But it’s best to take preventative measures, such as
using mesh covers or glass containers for your fruit.