Spring Cleaning for your kitchen
Spring has sprung and so has the time to clean your kitchen! Yes, we know that probably
wasn’t at the top of your list of things you were excited for in light of the coming nice
weather, but after all of the wonderful and food friendly holidays that have taken place over
the cold months your kitchen could probably use a deep cleaning!
I’m not going to lie to you the kitchen won’t be the easiest room in the house to tackle but
keeping it clean is an essential part of having a beautiful and functional kitchen not to
mention is a delight to cook in and cooking at home more regularly saves money. who
doesn’t like saving money?
So, how does one efficiently go about spring cleaning a kitchen you ask? Well that my fellow
kitchen owners is what we created this checklist for!
Get ready to get dirty (and clean?)
First things first, you’ll need to gather your cleaning supplies, make sure all the dishes are
done, take out the trash, and remove any non-kitcheny clutter from the area you’re going to
be cleaning.
Supplies:
● Rubber gloves
● Trash bags
● Cleaning rags
● Paper towels
● Glass cleaner
● Degreasing spray
● Warm water and mild soap
● broom/vacuum
● Mop
● Old toothbrush or little brush to scrub with
● Duster
● Vineger
● Baking soda
● New shelf liners if needed
Kitchen Cabinets and pantries
So we’re going to tackle the kitchen cabinets and pantries first because they’re probably the
most neglected part of your kitchen when it comes to getting cleaned. Don’t even get me
started on that pantry. How long has that opened box of cereal the kids didn’t like been in
there? Months? Years? Who knows but it’s time to purge!
● Remove everything from cabinets and sort trash, donate, keep.
● Dust tops of cabinets
● Using a clean rag and some mild soapy water clean inside cabinet shelves, organizers, and
cabinet doors to remove any grease or grime (we also use and highly recommend Zep
Cabinet Cleaner available at Home Depot)
● Wipe down and disinfect any knobs
● Replace shelf liners and neatly place back items in cabinets making sure pots and tupperware
have their matching lids and opened food has no remnants on the outside of its packaging.
● If you have a closet pantry then make sure to sweep and mop the floor in it
Drawers
Ah yes the drawers, where we throw everything we don’t have an exact home for ranging
from random pens, elastics, and kitchen linens to the cooking utensils we only ever use at
christmas.
● Remove everything from drawers and sort trash, donate, keep
● Wipe down insides and face of drawers with mild soapy water
● Replace drawer liners and add organizers if needed
● Replace drawer contents neatly making sure everything has a proper home
● Wipe down and disinfect knobs
Fridge & Freezer
This is where most of the mess happens, things go bad, food spills and we all know that
once something is put in the freezer it is immortal and can live there forever (not).
● Remove all food from the fridge & freezer and toss any items that have expired, have freezer
burn, old leftovers, or anything that is taking up space and probably won’t get used. (compost
if you can because being mindful of the environment is cool)
● Take out all shelves and drawers that are removable so you can clean them better
● Spray shelves, drawers, and inside of the fridge with with equal parts vinegar & water (safe to
use around food + great cleaning agent) and then wash with warm soapy water
● Line crisper drawers with paper towels, wipe down the outsides of food containers to remove
any grease or food remnants and place back in fridge neatly
● Wipe down outside of fridge and disinfect handles
***Make sure when you’re cleaning your fridge and freezer to not leave out food that could
go bad for too long because food poisoning is less than fun.
Oven & stove top
Because who does like the smell of last weeks lasagna whenever the oven gets turned on?
● Clean inside and outside of oven door with vinegar
● Put on self cleaning function
● Wipe down stove top, knobs, and grates with a sponge and soapy water or degreasing
product
**please consult owner’s manual or check online for tips specific to your type of oven
Countertops & small countertop appliances
This is the part of your kitchen that is always visible and while your cluttered cupboards may
have gone unnoticed by guests, the fruit flies taking a liking to your less than clean fruit
basket will not.
● Remove cooking utensil holder/paper towel holder/fruit basket and clean separately
● Clean out crumb tray from toaster
● Store any appliances that aren’t used often
● Clean microwave by putting a bowl filled with water, vinegar, and lemon slices in on
high heat for several minutes. Then wipe down with sponge using a 1:1 vinegar &
water solution for microwave windows and extra tough grime.
● Clean countertops and backsplashes with soapy water, dry and polish with a
microfiber cloth to avoid streaks.
● If you have not sealed your granite countertop within the last year or less depending
on how porous your granite is you should definitely do that to prevent stains and
keep it looking nice!
Dishwasher and Sink
You mean we must clean the things that are meant for cleaning things? Yes.
● Place one cup (must be dishwasher safe) of white vinegar on the top rack of dishwasher and
run on hot water cycle to clean and remove any grime/odors
● To clean your sink sprinkle with baking soda and scrub into a paste with sponge. After, spray
with white vinegar and buff with sponge to disinfect and remove water stains. Rinse with
water.
● To clean sink faucet and handles use a mild soapy solution and a toothbrush to get in hard to
reach places
● A trick to add shine to your stainless steel sink is to rub a couple tablespoons of all purpose
flour all around the basin with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry when finished. Even rub
in a couple drops of olive oil with paper towel to further promote shine and make it last!
Everything else!!
Okay guys this is the home stretch to finishing our beautifully clean, magazine worthy
kitchen. (yay) Just the final touches left!
● Put all kitchen linens in laundry
● Clean and polish the dinner table
● Wipe down any chairs or bar stools and clean any removable chair cushions
● Place back and organize any items you previously removed from your countertop
● Dust and wipe down any light fixtures, blinds, ceiling fans, wall art, and ornaments
● Clean windows and windowsills
● Vacuum, spot clean, and mop floors
● Consider adding any decorations or organizers you may want
How about a celebratory meal in your newly clean and organized kitchen? For more to do
with all things kitchen check out our weekly blog posts here or like us on Facebook !
