How To Clean A Kitchen For A Germ-Free Kitchen
If you are like most individuals and families, then a ton of gathering happens in the kitchen. No matter the occasion or holiday, people tend to navigate toward the kitchen. Ensuring that your kitchen is clean can be easy peasy when you follow these simple recommendations. Here are easy tips on how to clean a kitchen in under 15minutes.
I’ll show you how to keep your kitchen clean on a daily basis in under 15 minutes or less. Let’s start with a list of daily cleaning tips that will ensure that you never spend more than 15 minutes per day cleaning the kitchen. I promise, I only spend 15 a day cleaning my kitchen and a total of 30 minutes overall cleaning my entire house. If you need inspiration on whole-home cleaning, then read 10 + Essential Home Cleaning Items That Everyone Needs.
Daily Kitchen Cleaning Tips
- Clean while you are cooking and after each meal: It’s so much easier to allow a pot or bowl to soak while you are prepping and preparing your food. My rule of thumb is to clean as you go.
- Empty your sink and dishrack: There is something about an empty sink and dishrack that just makes your space seem clear and less cluttered, You can always store clean dishes in the dishwasher.
- Embrace being a minimalist. Keep items on the countertops uncluttered and visible appealing to the eyes.
- Clean your countertops daily. I spray my countertops down and let the spray sit for a few minutes before wiping them down with a Clorox wipe. I run my hands over my countertops to feel for what the naked eyes might have missed.
- Empty your trash. I don’t place smelly items in my trashcan. Trash cans harbor germs and bacteria, hence make sure you empty your trash on a regular basis.
- Be intentional: Make a plan to tackle your cleaning. Starting from left to right and top to bottom will ensure that you have a solid strategy when cleaning.
- Check your fridge to see if anything needs to be tossed.
- Label your items: Labeling will become second nature and will ultimately help you to become better organized overall.
- Vacuum on a daily basis. It takes me less than 3 minutes to run the Dyson after I’ve wiped down the countertops. I typically steam-mop my floors weekly.
- Clean your sink: The last thing I do at night in my kitchen is to clean my sink.
How To Clean A Kitchen
1. Clear Your Countertops
It’s impossible to clean your kitchen if your countertops are cluttered. What I typically do is move everything that is not supposed to be on the countertops to my island. I also employ the 12 O’clock method. (keeping in mind that you have cleaned as you utilized the kitchen earlier – you really shouldn’t have a ton to do).
Now that you have cleared your countertops, you can spray your countertops down and let them sit for a few minutes while you tackle any dirty dishes.
2. Put Dirty Dishes in the Dishwasher or Sink.
If you use your dishwasher, then put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Do not overfill your dishwasher. If you handwash now is a good time to put your dishes in soapy water and allow them to sit for a few minutes before tackling this task. I hand wash my dishes and place them in the dishwasher to air-dry overnight. When I get up in the am to make my morning coffee- I empty the dishwasher while my water is boiling.
3. Clean Your Stove Top
Cleaning your stovetop is a breeze. If you have a glass stovetop, then I highly recommend Weiman Glass Cook Top Cleaner & Polish. It will make cleaning much easier. Gas burners should use a protective easy clean system such as Cooks Innovations Silver Non-stick Burner Covers. Pull them off and wipe them down and your stove cleaning is complete in under 4 minutes.
4. Wipe Down Your Countertops
Once you have completed your dishes, come back and wipe your countertops down. Cleaning solutions that also contain disinfectants need to sit for about 10 minutes to be truly effective.
5. Vacuum Your Floor
It takes a few minutes to vacuum your floor. Don’t overlook this important step. I vacuum my kitchen floor on a daily basis. I use a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner.
6. Clean And Disinfect Your Sink
Here is something to ponder. Your kitchen sink has more bacteria than the average toilet. I know it sounds disgusting and who would have thought, but according to Food & Wine, your sink is filthier than your household toilet. Cleaning and disinfecting your kitchen sink should be on the list of your daily kitchen chores under the 15 minutes or less kitchen hack. Make sure that you are doing a daily kitchen sink scrub. Cleaning the sink should be the very last thing you do each night prior to going to bed. This ensures that you wake up to a clean sink in the morning.
If you like the more natural, organic route then I suggest a simple mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice. These ingredients are found in most kitchens and will work together to disinfect your kitchen sink. Another alternative is non-toxic Bon Ami, which is similar to baking soda but is specifically designed for cleaning ( 2 containers for $10, Amazon). Once you have cleaned your kitchen sink, it’s time to disinfect the sink. I recommend Clorox multi-surface cleaner with bleach. Please remember that if you are using a spray to disinfect your kitchen sink, you need to allow it to sit for 10+ minutes before wiping it down.
Cleaning Tip
Work Top To Bottom And Left To Right– As simple as this seems, most people overlook this and end up doing extra work. If you start at the top, then you are knocking dust and debris to the floor. You also want to clean in an organized fashion, thus working left to right or even right to left will help to keep you organized.
This list of Hot Picks For Cleaning Your Kitchen
1. Bon Ami
Nothing is as non-toxic as the 1886 formula for Bon Ami. If you need something that is earth-friendly, with 2 simple ingredients )Tallow soap and Feldspar), then this is on the list. The feldspar abrasive is gentle for polishing and the tallow soap is for cleaning all hard surfaces.
2. A Great Sponge
There are a ton of sponges to choose from, however, all sponges are not created equally. I don’t know anyone that does not use a sponge. There is a wide variety to choose from. I highly suggest having sponges for different things. I have a sponge that I only ever use to clean items that have had raw meat in them. It’s also a good idea to have a few sponges that have an abrasive side to them. I personally love sponge clothes, they are a hybrid between sponge and paper towels. They are also washable, thus making them the perfect reusable sponge. I normally find them at Tj Maxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods. You can also order them via Amazon
Magic Sponge Cloth by Amala, (6-Pack), 100% Natural, Reusable German Dishcloths, Highly Absorbant, Vegan, Non-GMO
- 100% Natural, 100% Vegan, NON-GMO, Highly Absorbent
- Our 6-Pack replaces up to 90 rolls of paper towels, which saves a lot of trees
- Our Magic Sponge Cloth is machine washable up to 300 times
- Absorbs 20 times its own weight in water
- Thick premium quality from Germany, super soft, light, durable & flexible
3. Microfiber Cloths
Microfiber can clean surfaces with the most minuscule amount of water added and does not scratch and leave streaks as other cloths often do. I can assure you that they are perfect for cleaning windows. I have 21 windows in my home and I use Microfiber cloths and cleaning vinegar to get a streak-free clean.
4. Clorox Wipes
Clorox wipes are an absolute must regardless of the current pandemic. I prefer the compostable ones simply because I try my best to be a good steward when it comes to doing my part to save the planet.
Multi-Surface cleaner: Clorox compostable cleaning wipes effectively clean and wipe down messes without the worry of harsh chemical fumes or residue, so they’re safe to use around kids, pets, and food contact surfaces.
5. Angry Momma Microwave Oven Cleaner
You could simply put a bowl of vinegar, water, and lemon in the microwave, but Angry Momma is much cuter and we love buying gadgets. 5-7 minutes later and everything will wipe off in a breeze.
6. Rubber Gloves
No cleaning routine is complete without a pair of Rubber Gloves. They are necessary to keep your hands from being exposed to harsh chemicals as well as the dirt and grime of what you are cleaning. Rubber gloves aren’t just needed to protect your hands from dishwashing and hot water.
7. White Vinegar
Vinegar is a must-have. It will provide you with perfect streak-free windows and mirrors. It’s great at dissolving grease and is useful for the in-between deep cleaning that you should do monthly.
