Cleaning tips for the kitchen – The complete checklist

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms to keep clean in the home. But there are quite a few different things in the kitchen that need to be maintained and cleaned, and sometimes we get asked how best to do a thorough clean. So we thought we would share our best tips so you can do a proper deep clean of your kitchen this weekend!

What you should clean every day in the kitchen

Saying that you need to clean the kitchen every week is a complete understatement; here you should clean a little bit every day. It goes without saying that dishes need to be taken care of continuously, but what else do you need to clean?

After you have washed the dishes and cleared the sink and work surfaces, you should use a cloth to wipe thoroughly. Start by brushing away crumbs and other small debris that have ended up there. Then use a cloth with either some sort of kitchen spray or water with a bit of dish soap. Wipe thoroughly, including beneath items you permanently have on the counter, such as bottles of oils, spices and kitchen utensils.

Then you should go over everything quickly once more with just water on the cloth to remove any cleaning residue so it doesn’t end up in the food. Also wipe the hob in the same way. It’s also good to clean the tap every day. If you want to get it really shiny clean you can use window cleaner. Don’t forget to keep the area dry where the tap meets the sink to avoid limescale or mould buildup there.

It is also important to take out the bin waste every day to keep the cupboard under the sink fresh. If you collect food waste in paper bags, a good tip is to put some kitchen paper under the bag in case it leaks a little.

What you should clean every week in the kitchen

In addition to the daily tasks, there are some things you can do about once a week. This includes wiping down the coffee maker and toaster, dusting bottles, wiping the tiles (if they get splattered during the week, of course clean those immediately), and cleaning light switches, handles and knobs.

Everything that you touch frequently needs to be cleaned. Don’t forget the fridge and freezer handles. Use a dish sponge to make the sink really clean inside as well, but keep in mind that there are lots of bacteria in the sink, so do not use the sponge to wash plates afterwards.

The microwave also needs to be cleaned once a week if you use it often. Feel free to use a microwave cover to prevent food from splattering everywhere when heating things up.

What you should clean once a month in the kitchen

Every month you should clean the oven, clean and sort out old food in the fridge, and possibly clean the kitchen extractor fan, depending on what type of fan you have. Also wipe out drawers and cupboards that are used frequently. For some reason, the cutlery drawer tends to get dirty quickly. We don’t know where all the crumbs come from, but that’s just how it is!

What needs to be cleaned at longer intervals in the kitchen

Some things don’t need to be cleaned every month, but it can be a bit hard to say exactly how often, so we’ll just note that it can vary. One such task is defrosting the freezer. Some freezers hardly ever need defrosting, while older freezers quickly build up ice, so you need to judge the situation. The most important thing is to do it before there’s so much ice that you can’t open the drawers…

You should also empty the entire pantry a couple of times a year and clear out any expired food as well as wiping the shelves properly.

The kettle and coffee maker need descaling from time to time, but how often depends a lot on how limescale-rich the water is where you live.

Cleaning tips for the microwave

The microwave is best kept up by wiping off immediately when something has splattered inside, but sometimes you also need a deep clean. A folk remedy is to place a microwave-safe bowl containing about three decilitres of water, juice from half a lemon and a splash of vinegar and then run the microwave on full power without a cover for 3-4 minutes. The hot liquid will splash around inside the microwave, making it much easier to remove stains afterwards. Plus, it kills bad odours.

Cleaning tips for the oven

If the oven is really caked with dirt, it’s best to use an oven cleaner. Like Mr Muscle. Sure, there are some chemicals in it, but it’s hard to get everything off otherwise. But if your oven is lightly or moderately dirty, you can advantageously clean it naturally with soap. Mix soap with water, spray it over the whole oven and set it to 100 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Then wipe off the dirt with a cloth.

Don’t forget to clean the oven ceiling and walls. The oven rack needs to be washed separately, and you can also use steel wool if needed. However, be careful when using abrasive products inside the oven as most ovens’ coatings cannot withstand abrasive treatment. Dish sponges with a green scrubbing side should therefore not be used inside ovens, nor should cleaning creams like Cif.

Cleaning tips for coffee makers and kettles

Some say you should never wash your coffee pot with dish soap, others don’t mind. We are cleaning enthusiasts, not coffee aficionados, so for us it’s hard to resist that green, magical liquid… But if you prefer to avoid dish soap, we recommend at least getting into the habit of washing your coffee pot with just water.

But it’s not just the pot that needs cleaning. The filter holder can usually be washed in the machine, just like other removable parts. Then there’s cleaning the inside of the coffee maker itself. There are special cleaning agents for this that are very effective and can really shock you if you’ve never cleaned your coffee maker before. You dose it with water in the water reservoir, run it through, and then finish with several pots of just water to rinse properly.

If you want a more natural alternative, a bottle of white wine vinegar will also usually work!

Cleaning tips for the fridge

Fridges can get really dirty if you don’t clean them regularly. Also, it’s easy to miss food that is far back and mouldy. Make it a habit to empty the entire fridge of food once a month.

While emptying it, check the dates on items and make sure vegetables are fresh. Remember that some food is perfectly fine to eat after the best before date, so smell and taste if you’re unsure.

When the fridge is empty, turn it off as the door will be open while you clean. This will save energy.

Take out all the shelves and drawers and wash them. Note which way up they go in the fridge when you remove them to avoid headaches later. Usually, it’s easiest to wash them in the shower; the sink is simply too small.

Ordinary dish soap and water do the trick. Don’t forget to have a couple of dish towels handy so you don’t need to run back to the kitchen to dry them, risking water splashing on the floor.

After washing shelves and drawers, use a dish cloth with water and dish soap to wipe the inside of the fridge and remove stains. Don’t forget the ceiling and the back wall. It can also be good to use a cotton bud to poke into the hole at the back where condensation drains out so it doesn’t clog, as that can cause problems with water in the fridge.

Finish by wiping with just water to remove dish soap. Then put the shelves and drawers back and put the food in again. Here it’s useful to have a cloth ready so you can wipe the undersides of ketchup bottles and other sticky items.

Also, feel free to put some kitchen paper in the bottom of the drawers. They absorb water so your vegetables stay fresh. Plus, they make the drawers easier to clean next time, especially if a vegetable has been forgotten and left sticky residues.

Once you’ve followed all these steps, don’t forget to turn the fridge back on. The last thing you do is clean the outside of the fridge. Start with dusting the top if you can reach it so dust doesn’t fall onto what you’ve just cleaned. Remove fridge magnets, drawings and postcards and wipe the entire door, especially the handle.

That’s how easy it is to clean a fridge! It takes a bit of time, but it’s a nice feeling when you’re done!

If you feel like you don’t have time to get it truly clean in the kitchen, you’re definitely not alone. Many of our customers find that they have more time to spend with their family and relax during their free time when they hire us for home cleaning once a week. Why not let us take care of those time-consuming chores? You never need to clean an oven again! Click here for information about home cleaning so we can get in touch and see how we can help your household!