Cleaning the Kitchen

So if you have followed my blog for any extended period of time, you know that on Mondays I clean my first floor. That includes the living room, powder room, dining room, and kitchen. I thought that I would write a post completely devoted to cleaning the kitchen today. I am thinking about doing a series where I write about how I clean each room of my house.

Here is how I clean my kitchen:

Step #1 - Take anything and everything that doesn't belong in the kitchen and put it where it goes
If you guys are anything like me, your kitchen table and adjacent areas can become a dump zone for mail, papers, kids' work, etc. If you go through and put all the stuff where it needs to go, it will clear the way for cleaning.

Step #2 - Unload your dishwasher if it is full and needs it
This is definitely a task that can be overlooked and can cause a major pileup in the kitchen. It's pretty crazy how it happens. No one unloads the dishwasher so no dishes can go in, so the sink starts overflowing to the counters. I can say that this happens at least once a week at my house (usually over the weekend as I don't clean as much on weekends). It only takes a handful of minutes, but is a big help.

Step #3 - Wash all dishes and load dishwasher (run again if needed) or dry them and put them away
Dishes make the kitchen look so dirty. They clutter the kitchen and mind. If you get them into the dishwasher or cupboards, it really makes the kitchen easy to clean.

Step #4 - Wipe down every surface
I go around with a cleaning wipe or cleaner and sponge and clean from cleanest area to dirtiest (ie less used counter space to more used counter space to stovetop). If you need to wipe cabinets and your kitchen table/chairs, this is the time to do it. I also like to wipe down the exteriors of my appliances.

Step #5 - Wipe out appliances
I go around with a cleaning wipe or cleaner and sponge and clean from cleanest area to dirtiest (ie microwave to fridge to oven).

Step #6 - Sweep floor

Step #7 - Mop floor

Now if you need to do a deep cleaning of your refrigerator (I do this every few months unless it gets really dirty as I am a freak about throwing stuff out and wiping my refrigerator down a lot), here's a great way to do it.

Step #1 - Go through and toss out anything that needs it.

Step #2 - Work one shelf/area at a time and pull everything out, wipe down, and put everything back. If it is dirty enough, pull out the shelf, take it to the sink, and give it a good scrubbing.

To me having a clean kitchen is my #1 priority as so much in our lives centers around our kitchen. Most of us cook at least one meal a day in there, not to mention snacks, drinks, etc. If your kitchen is dirty, it really affects everything. I know that if I have to go in there and clean before meal prep, I get annoyed (even though it is at myself) and think, "Pizza sounds good tonight." ;)