It’s festive time and you are planning to clean your kitchen deep. It seems to be a cumbersome task in the beginning even with having kitchen organizers, however with proper planning and execution, to your surprise, you can complete your kitchen cleaning with less time and effort. Our kitchen is the heart of the home where we prepare sumptuous dishes for our loved ones! It is a sacred place just like our pooja room and we would love to keep it clean and spotless during festivals and on a day-to-day basis.
Kitchen cleaning seems to be a constant work, however, deep cleaning is done only at certain times of the year. The irony is that no one wants to work in a dirty kitchen, however cleaning it is also a strenuous task, just like a vicious circle. Thus, it is important to follow smart hacks to get the work done, sooner than we think!
Materials Required for Kitchen Cleaning and Organizing
Before we even begin discussing kitchen cleaning tips and tricks, keep a list of items handy that will aid you at every step to remove stubborn stains and food residue from your kitchen.
2. Warm soapy water
3. White vinegar
4. Lemon juice
5. Baking soda
6. Hand vacuum
7. Toothbrush
8. Kitchen Decor Items & Organizers
13 Effective Kitchen Cleaning Hacks For You
Taking one step at a time will help you to deep clean your kitchen like a pro and be proud of your efforts and the final results - ‘The sparkling kitchen’! However, do not forget to read the instruction manuals before cleaning your kitchen appliances. So, let's learn about some quickest ways to clean the kitchen.
1. Kitchen Loft
It is always advisable to clean the kitchen from top to bottom while beginning the task. Start with the top lofts. Begin by removing the items kept in the loft, one at a time. You will realize you have several things that you haven't used in the past few years and aren't required in the near future too. So, while cleaning your kitchen, start decluttering and eradicating anything that is hardly of any use to you. Often kitchen lofts are left unattended and one can find cobwebs on the surfaces. So, firstly use a dry microfiber cloth to clear off all the dust and cobwebs, followed by deep cleaning with a damp cloth. Let each loft dry up before you keep the required items back in their places.
2. Chimney
Chimney is an indispensable element in our kitchen. Over a period of time, one can find thick layers of oil and grease well settled through the filters of the chimney. It can even lead to oil dripping from the chimney, which needs to be tackled immediately. To clean your chimney, first remove the filters. Take a solution of water and white vinegar in the same quantities and use a toothbrush to clean the chimney filters. One can see the oil residues getting cleaned without much effort. Similarly, clean the interiors and exteriors of the chimney, with a damp microfiber cloth. Make use of a toothbrush for hard-reaching areas. Once done, attach the chimney filters back for a sparkling clean outcome!
3. Kitchen Racks And Organisers
As we discussed above, before placing back the utensils back on the racks, make sure the kitchen racks and the storage organisers are clean themselves. If not, then first dust the racks with a dry cloth to remove the dirt and then clean them with a damp microfiber cloth. For stubborn stains, you can use warm soapy water. For a step ahead, use the vinegar solution to clean away the hardened stains. If possible, dry the organizers and the racks under the sun. Once dry, place them back to their original position and keep your kitchen accessories back.
4. Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are of utmost importance while organizing your pantry as well as utensils in the kitchen. We often dedicate each kitchen cabinet to similar kinds of items for easy access. Usually, our kitchen cabinets are a victim of oil residue and turmeric stains. Don’t worry! It is easy to remove stains, stubborn oil, and grease accumulated in your kitchen cabinets with warm soapy water, using a non-abrasive brush or scrubber. You can even use your hand vacuum to remove the food residue and debris, instead of removing them one by one with your hands or a cloth.
5. Kitchen Countertops
The kitchen countertops are the slabs in your kitchen where you do all your cooking and cutting. The kitchen countertops are usually made up of granite or similar materials for their durability and sturdiness. Anyone working in the kitchen looks forward to a sparkling countertop, to get motivated to start working. The best way to keep your kitchen countertop clean is to clean it immediately, in case of any accidental spill or food residue fallen. Use a damp microfiber cloth and just wipe your countertop. If the stains are too stubborn, you can first clean the countertop with warm soapy water using your non-abrasive scrubber and then wipe it out with your microfiber cloth and achieve a radiant clean countertop for your next cooking expedition!
6. The Sink
The sink is an essential element in any kitchen. It is crucial to keep your kitchen sink clean and residue-free. Always make sure to rinse your used utensils properly before keeping your spoiled utensils for washing in the sink by removing the leftover food. Otherwise, if food residue or bits of grime get stuck in the sink, your sink can get blocked creating bigger issues. You can clean your sink in a few minutes by sprinkling baking soda and using warm water and a non-abrasive brush or even a toothbrush to wipe out the stains and stubborn debris stuck to your kitchen sink. To clear the drain, white vinegar is also very effective.
7. Other Appliances
Every kitchen appliance needs proper cleaning and sanitization. Whether it is your mixie grinder, kitchen gadgets like vegetable chopper, juice maker, water purifier, induction, toaster, sandwich maker, coffee maker, electric beater, air fryer, electric kettle, hand mixer, and so on. The first step is to read the instruction manuals very carefully for any red flags and then accordingly clean them regularly in order to avoid the deposition of stubborn oil, grease, food debris, and rusting. Do not jump to clean these, before you have understood what is needed to sanitize these electric as well as non-electric appliances.
8. Cleaning The Faucets
Your kitchen faucets need special attention. No one likes the sight of faucets damaged with hard water and calcium deposits over a period of time. The best practice to follow is to clean your kitchen faucets on an everyday basis in order to avoid them getting deteriorated day by day. Try to dry your faucets with a microfiber cloth as soon as you find them wet, in order to avoid mineral deposits on them.
9. The Flooring
Cleaning kitchen flooring always seems to be a tedious task as it is prone to greased deposits, accidental spills, and food debris. However, it is important to clean it regularly in order to avoid greasing and slipping. The kitchen floor should be mopped everyday to make things easiest for you in the long run. Firstly, you can vacuum clean it to remove food debris easily. Then rubbing the kitchen floor with warm soap water using a non-abrasive brush works in most cases. To remove stubborn stains, use a solution of water and white vinegar. Another option is to prepare a paste of baking soda and water and spread it on the tough stains for some time. Now clear the paste off the floor and find your flooring sparkle and shine, once again.
10. Oven and the Microwave
Initially, it seems to be a daunting job to clean the oil residue and stains in your oven and microwave. A combination of baking soda and water or white vinegar and water is good enough to clean your oven and microwave inside out. Another good option for your microwave is to place a bowl of water with lemon juice and heat the bowl for a few minutes. The antibacterial properties of the lemon juice will make the debris and the grease loosen up, making it extremely convenient for you to clean your microwave. Similarly, for your dishwasher, keep a bowl (safe for the dishwasher) with white vinegar in it, and run it once to remove the hard deposits.
11. The Refrigerator
Firstly, switch off the power of the refrigerator. Remove all the food items from the refrigerator. Remove the shelves one by one. Start washing the shelves in warm soapy water and let them dry under the sun. Meanwhile, check each food item carefully, declutter, and eradicate all the expired bottles. Clean the interiors of the refrigerator by making a solution of baking soda and water and scrubbing it with a non-abrasive brush or scrubber. Baking soda as well as vinegar also helps in removing bad odour from your refrigerator. Clean the exteriors of the refrigerator with a soft microfiber cloth and warm soapy water. Place back the shelves in their correct positions and keep only the required food items in the refrigerator. Get fridge containers to store your fruits & veggies neatly.
12. Cleaning The Utensils
Cleaning the kitchen also includes washing and cleaning the utensils, especially the ones you haven’t used for long. If the utensils are dishwasher safe, you can run them in your dishwasher, otherwise wash them with warm soapy water. This is because utensils not used for a long time may develop some rust or deposits on them. Always make sure your rack or the cupboard where you are keeping back the utensils is clean and not dusty.
13. The Cutting Board
The cutting board is a very important item used every day as our food preparation tools in our kitchens. It is important to note that, whether we use a plastic cutting board or a wooden one, both require regular cleaning in order to avoid any food-related ailment and maintain hygiene. It is an ideal practice to rinse your cutting board with hot soapy water to remove food residue and stubborn stains. If you find a deposition of mold on your cutting board, use a solution of white vinegar and water to clean it thoroughly. A wooden cutting board needs to be dried immediately after washing it to prevent swelling and splitting of your wooden board.
To Summarise
As seen above, these kitchen cleaning hacks will make your kitchen cleaning experience a pleasant one! You can handle every corner and cabinet of your kitchen with these ideas and achieve the lovely kitchen of your dreams every time you enter it! Maintain proper hygiene, keep yourself and your dear ones away from ailments, and enhance the durability of your kitchen appliances.
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