Cleaning your kitchen is a process that the majority of people have to engage in on a weekly basis. Sure, there’s the issue of less frequent home maintenance like spring cleaning and similar methods but it would also be safe to say that some form of kitchen cleaning takes place every day. The problem is that proper kitchen cleaning methods aren’t that well-known or used by everyone. So, what makes the method an effective one?
First of all, it needs to be effective in the thoroughness of cleaning that it provides. We’re talking about the erosion, abrasion, and corrosion that your cleaning may cause to the surfaces in your kitchen. Second, it needs to be frugal. Spending a fortune to clean your entire kitchen is never a good method. In fact, if this is how you’re going to do it, it may be cheaper to just replace a kitchen every several years. Keep in mind that, like replacing78 the roof, keeping your kitchen new-looking has a massive impact on your home’s resale value.
Here are several tips that will allow you to thoroughly clean your kitchen and keep it looking like new for quite a long time.
1. Easy to reach is hard to clean
The first thing you need to understand is that keeping things above the counter is not always the most productive thing to do. Sure, things are at your arm’s reach but this might make cleaning things that much harder. First of all, there are more items for the dust to accumulate on and you need to clean every one of them. Lifting a jar in order to clean the surface beneath it and then just putting down the dusty jar back down is never a smart move. It also makes it significantly harder to see if there are any leftovers down there.
Another thing worth considering is the jars, containers, and utensils themselves. Keep in mind that if your countertops are all made of the same material, you can expect them to age at a similar pace. With the contents of your countertop, this is never the case. Some of your jars, boxes and minor appliances will wear out more quickly, which will ruin the impression of the picture as a whole. The longer you look at this image, the more your own standards will deteriorate. Over the course of time, you won’t be able to see the difference between adding junk and adding more of these ‘containers’
Pro tip: In order to keep your kitchen clean, you should keep it as minimal as possible. So, keep your containers and non-essential items (even some appliances), below deck when not using them.
2. Know the remedy for every stain
The biggest problem with cleaning the kitchen is the very nature of its stains. Because this is a room with the primary function of food preparation, all of the stans that take place here are either greasy or organic. This means that removing them is quite the pain and leaving them just stick around can be quite bad in the long run. Also, the term greasy is merely there to explain the category of stains. Fortunately, there are numerous homemade solutions for the removal of these stains. Remember, each stain type requires its own approach and home-made is not synonymous with an inferior cleaning method.
First of all, ceramic tiles can be cleaned with the use of candle wax. Vinegar, baking soda, and lime are common ingredients in DIY cleaning solutions all over the globe. Then, there are some of the simplest solutions like soap, detergent, and lukewarm water. These three seem both simplistic and inferior to potent commercial cleaners but the truth is that they do get the job done. The best thing about these methods is that they are made from ingredients that you probably already have in your household. This means that you can make a fresh mixture whenever you need it.
Pro tip: Other than being incredibly efficient, these solutions are entirely safe to use. This is high on a priority list when it comes to cleaning the area in which you prepare your food. So, learn how to make these DIY cleaners as soon as possible.
3. Fix your kitchen
Fixing your kitchen should be high on the priority list when it comes to making the place look and feel new. For instance, it’s not uncommon for an old appliance to emit more fumes, thus staining your walls and ceiling. A clogged kitchen drain will cause the odor to spread around the place. Fixing this plumbing issue will, therefore, make your kitchen far more hospitable and pleasant to be in. It also improves the functionality of your kitchen, which is a priority for any household.
Buying a new sink, new oven and a new fridge will quickly rejuvenate your kitchen but this is not a method that you can always go for. Why? Well, because it’s just too expensive. Instead, you might want to use a more frugal method. Instead of replacing the appliance, you can easily look for a service specializing in oven repairs and make sure your oven is functional once again. By cleaning it thoroughly, you can make it both feel and look new. Also, instead of going for major purchases, you can replace some of your minor appliances with new ones. For instance, you can get a new toaster, coffee maker, and microwave every couple of years.
Pro tip: Keeping your kitchen functional is your greatest priority. Because things tend to go wrong quite often, it might be a good idea to find a frugal method of handling these issues. Fixing instead of replacing is one such method.
4. Clean before cooking
This idea may sound counter-intuitive but it makes perfect sense once you examine it more closely. Sure, cleaning a kitchen thoroughly, cooking, and then cleaning it again seems like a waste of time. The reason why it seems this way is because people are too quick to dismiss motivation as a major factor in the kitchen maintenance process. You see, cooking might tire you out a bit, which means that cleaning a messy and dirty kitchen after preparing food might seem too intimidating. On the other hand, if you’re just done with cooking and see a couple of areas and smidges that you should tend to before resting, you’re more likely to do so.
Another advantage of this method is that you will see exactly where you need to focus your cleaning efforts. It is easier to spot a spill or a stain on a clean kitchen than on a dirty one. For this very reason, it’s so important that you keep the place clean before preparing the meal. This way, you will minimize the amount of work that you have to invest in the cleaning process. The thing that a lot of people downplay here is the fact that by pulling this off, you’ll make cleaning of the kitchen more systematic.
Pro tip: Keeping the cleaning of your kitchen systematic will make it easier for your morale. Motivation and procrastination are the main obstacles to making your home as clean as possible.
5. Adopt a proper cleaning order
Knowing which part of the kitchen you should clean in what particular order is incredibly important for your cleaning efforts. For instance, when doing general cleaning of your kitchen, it’s generally a good idea to clean your oven last. This is because an oven is the greasiest part of the kitchen and if you clean it first, you risk spreading the gunk and dirt from it across the rest of the kitchen. Also, since the majority of rags and sponges are quite inexpensive, it’s generally a good idea to start with a healthy stock so that you can use one item per area and toss it away. As we’ve mentioned, the majority of residue in the kitchen is organic.
Generally speaking, you should start by putting away the items which, if you’ve followed the first item on this list, shouldn’t be that big of a problem. Second, you should do the sink, then proceed to spray the countertops and dining room table. Because gravity applies to dust and greasy particles, it’s ideal that you start from the top and then clean towards the bottom. Near the end of the order, you could clean vertical surfaces and appliances. Also, keep in mind that the stove and the oven should be cleaned last but you can spray them early on in order for solutions to soak in.
Pro tip: Having a proper cleaning order can make a world of difference in your overall cleaning efforts. It can help avoid making your own cleaning tasks harder and having to repeat actions more times than necessary.
In conclusion
Lastly, keeping your kitchen clean and well-maintained is a matter of systematic, continuous effort. Most importantly, it takes knowledge. It takes knowing which solution to use on which stain, what layout gives you the least to clean, and how to tell if an appliance is up for repair or replacement. A systematic approach is always the most reliable way of handling maintenance-related issues. With the above-listed five items in your arsenal, you just can’t fail.
