The kitchen is at the heart of every home – but with a lot of use it can become dirty fast. Whilst wiping down surfaces regularly with a good disinfectant and keeping on top of the washing up will keep your kitchen looking satisfactory in the short term, the larger cleaning jobs can soon build up and you may find yourself spending an entire day deep-cleaning your kitchen from top to bottom. However, by spreading out the larger jobs over a longer period of time you can avoid these cleaning marathons and keep your kitchen looking spotless and a hygienic place to prepare and cook food in.
The first and most important step to take is to ensure that you are stocked with all the cleaning essentials for your kitchen. This will make your life much easier in terms of sticking to a schedule or staying organised and will avoid any unnecessary supermarket dashes! Below is a list of some of the most popular products, but it all comes down to personal preference and what works for you.
- Baking soda – A natural mild abrasive and deodorizer, it makes the perfect additive to any cleaning solution, working on tough grease, soap scum and scuff marks.
- White Vinegar – Vinegar is a degreaser, a streak-free cleaning agent, a mild disinfectant and a deodorizer. It’s amazing for everything from cutting heavy kitchen grease, to cleaning windows or a simple floor cleaner.
- Dish soap – With this a small squirt goes a long way. A pH neutral cleaner, this is an absolute essential for everyday dish-washing. Big name brands such as Fairy are great, but a lower priced option does the job just as well.
- All-purpose cleaner – Perfect for general surface cleaning. Can be used to clean counter tops, to remove build ups, for furniture surfaces and for general touch ups. This cannot clean glass, remove clothing stains and will only disinfect if product specifically states it is a disinfectant. One brand that is very popular is Method, and they offer a wide range of scents and purpose cleaners.
- Disinfectant – This product is an essential for the kitchen, especially in places where raw food is being handled. A good disinfectant like Dettol will significantly reduce the risk factor when cooking in your kitchen, by killing any harmful bacteria on the surface. An all purpose cleaner with disinfectant properties will save space and cost.
One golden rule for cleaning the kitchen is to always start with the sink. By keeping it empty and shining, it becomes the benchmark for your kitchen hygiene and tidiness.
Below are some suggestions on how to divide up your kitchen chores, so that you can keep your kitchen looking spotless and time spent cleaning to a minimum.
Cleaning jobs to be carried out every day:
- Wash all dishes that have been used that day.
Time taken: Varies - Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher.
Time taken: 30 seconds - Wipe down the stove top.
Time taken: 1 minute - Wipe down the counters.
Time taken: 1 minute - Sweep, swiffer or vacuum the floor.
Time taken: 3 minutes
Cleaning jobs to be carried out every week:
- Mop the floor.
Time taken: 5 minutes - Wipe the cabinets, backsplashes and appliances.
Time taken: 10 minutes - Wash the dish rack
Time taken: 4 minutes - Wipe the switch plates and phone
Time taken: 1 minute - Wipe the inside of the garbage can
Time taken: 1 minute
With the weekly jobs it may be worth allocating a certain day for each job. This means that you won’t spend too much additional time each day cleaning your kitchen. This will make the larger jobs a lot more manageable.
Cleaning jobs to be carried out every season (every 3 months):
- Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator
Time taken: 30 minutes - Empty and clean the insides of the utensil drawers
Time taken: 15 minutes - Scrub down the cupboard exteriors
Time taken: 30 minutes - Clean the stove-hood filter
Time taken: 10 minutes - Deep sink clean
Method:
Fill sink with hot water. Add one cup of regular bleach. Soak for one hour.
Drain and rinse thoroughly.
Scrub with Ajax, Bon Ami or baking soda.
Be sure to rinse thoroughly
Shine with windex or another glass cleaning spray. Dry thoroughly.
With these seasonal cleaning jobs, you can either spread each one across the 3 month period or, if you prefer, have a long deep-cleaning session to get them all out of the way. By staying on top of these jobs you will find yourself cleaning much more efficiently and maintaining a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness in your kitchen.