Time to Clean the Kitchen

My family gathering place always seems to be the kitchen.  We talk around the table, play games on the table, sit around and have coffee at the table, the kitchen is just the central location for us.  I thought I might share a few tips with you to get you motivated to start your spring cleaning also.

Let's start by giving yourself some working room.  Clear up any dirty dishes in the sink and clear off your counter tops of items that just need to be disposed of or put away.

Gather all your cleaning supplies so that you are not trying to find what you need later on.

Cleaning cloths
Mop
Bucket
Vacuum and your attachments
Sponges
Dust mop
All purpose cleaner
Glass Cleaner  (a great alternate is rubbing alcohol mixed with water makes a great glass cleanser)
Oven Cleaner
Step stool
Broom
Scrubber brush
Elbow grease

Take down all curtains and window blinds.
Launder curtains according to manufacturers recommendations.
Do the same with your blinds; always follow manufacturers recommendations for cleaning to prolong the life if your blinds.

Vacuum your window sills.  Clean the inside and outside of your windows.  Make sure you remove any window screens and and give them a good wash before replacing them.

Dust any kitchen fans or fixtures and use a long handled duster to get rid of dust and cobwebs.
Also now is the time to dust down anything that you have hanging on kitchen wall.  I have an area between my shelves and the ceiling where I keep multiple colors of bowls and glassware, nows the time to really give everything a good shake down to get all the dust that you really don't see daily because you are not using these items regularly.

A kitchen ceiling fan can get a buildup of grease and grime from cooking and will need extra attention. Start by taking off the light fixtures and let them soak in the sink while you clean the blades.  You can remove the blades easily for cleaning or use a step ladder and clean them while attached.  I usually remove the blades and spray them with my Lysol cleanser and let them sit for a bit in one side of my sink while I wash my fixtures which gives my cleanser a little time to loosen all grim that has collect over the winter.  Then all I have to do is wash them off, dry and reattach.

Backsplashes & Kitchen Appliances - take a good look at these items.  When we prep our food things seem unavoidably splash.

Now's the time to use your favorite All Purpose Cleanser

and clean these up.  Don't forget to empty the crumbs in your toaster. I love Lysol All Purpose Cleanser in the spray bottle.  This product is a great degreaser, removes grime from countless surfaces and it's a great disinfectant.

The Oven - apply your oven cleaner and let it work while you clean something else.

I personally like Easy-Off Fume Free Max Oven Cleaner.  It is simple to apply and to remove.  It does a great job on even the toughest baked on messes.  There is no harsh odor which is my favorite thing. Always make sure you have good ventilation when using any oven cleaner.  I always keep a kitchen window open.

If you have a self-cleaning oven remember you can run the cycle anytime you desire and it will reduce any spills to ash that you can wipe away with a damp cloth.

I use my all purpose cleanser to clean and shine the outside of my stove.  Don't forget to remove any knobs for a good deep cleaning with soap and water.

Microwave -the quickest and easiest way I know to clean a microwave is to mixing 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a microwave safe bowl/cup and let it boil for a couple of minutes.  This will loosen up food particles and you just wipe it out with a damp cloth and you are done.

Refrigerator - start by sorting through your refrigerator and freezer.  Toss expired foods, empty containers, anything that is green and hairy that shouldn't be.  Whatever you are keeping, sit it on the counter while you clean the refrigerator.  Take out all shelves and drawers and wash them down.  Don't forget to take out door shelves and clean them too. Now that you've emptied the refrigerator you can easily wipe down the entire inside.  When you are finished you can easily put items where you can find them again.  

This is a great time to check your water filter and replace if needed.  I like to roll my refrigerator out of it's spot and clean behind it and vacuum the coils at this time.  I use my All Purpose Cleanser to clean the outer surface and I'm done with this project.

Kitchen Cabinets - take items out of cabinets and wash down the insides.  Get rid of the clutter.
Arrange your dishes so you can find what you need when you need it.  If you never use it then toss it.
How much junk do we buy because it was cute, then we stuck it in the cabinet and never touched it again.

Do the same routine with cabinet drawers.  Install drawer dividers to create more organization and utilize space.  Buy a lit holder to attach inside a cabinet door to hold all your plastic lids: makes them neat, organized and easy to access.

Don't forget to clean the outside of your cabinets too.

Dishwasher -   Use your favorite dishwasher cleaner and run your dishwasher empty.

Don't forget to check your food trap and clean it too.  Clean the outside of your dishwasher making sure to get under the door handle.  

*Run the garbage disposal before starting the dishwasher. The dishwasher drains into the same pipe as your sink, so that drain must be clear.

*Run a bit of hot water in your sink before running the dishwasher. You will get cleaner dishes if the water starts hot. Run the water until what comes out of the tap feels hot

Sink & Disposal - wash down the entire surface area of your sink, including faucet and spray handles.  
I like to use my Dawn Antibacterial Dish Liquid for this step. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup of lemon juice with 1/2 cup white vinegar to pour down the drain.  This combination will help break up clogs and sanitize your drain. 

Sweep and Mop floor -  Mop floors thoroughly, getting into corners and grooves really well.  I like a cloth mop because I feel it does a much better job for a good clean.  

I use this Twist Mop by Rubbermaid.  It does a great job and my hands never have to touch the yucky water.

I'm sure you can probably think of more things to do but I'm exhausted and my kitchen looks AWESOME! You're turn.

Angel