The kitchen is the one room in our homes that is used the most often, and it’s also the one that can get the grimiest and smelliest, too. Because it is used so often, it can never seem like the right time to blitz it and get it properly clean, meals are always being prepared and in busy households, kids are coming and going to the fridge for snacks and refreshments etc. But there are things that you can do daily to keep it clean, without having to empty cupboards and ban anyone from entering the room!
Here is a list of some of the tasks that you can do once a day or every other day, to help keep your kitchen clean:
- Wiping work surfaces with disinfectant or warm soapy water
- De-clogging the drain
- Dusting furniture
- Cleaning the sink and faucets
Here is a list of tasks that can be done weekly:
- Cleaning the oven and hob
- Dusting or washing light fixtures and anything else that can quickly get covered in grease
- Emptying and cleaning the trash can
- Tidying and cleaning cupboards
- Cleaning the refrigerator, not forgetting the handles
- Cleaning the dishwasher
How often should a kitchen be cleaned?
If you’re an untidy cook or one who makes a lot of mess when preparing food for you and your family, then it will depend on how good you are at cleaning up after yourself. Spillages and food stains are best cleaned up shortly after they’ve occurred, preventing them from becoming hardened and tough to remove. The quicker you clean up after yourself, the less hard work it is in the long run.
Really, just use your common sense to know when your kitchen is looking grubby and if it’s in need of a deeper clean. If you know that you your lasagne spilled over in the oven a couple of days ago, and you haven’t cleaned it yet, then that will now need some more intense attention. If your sink is looking dull and dirty and your drains are smelling, then you’ll need to clean them, and if your dishwasher is no longer cleaning your dishes properly, then that may need some attention, too. Putting the cleaning off will only make life harder for you, so wherever possible, clean as you go along.
The list of daily cleaning tasks will give you a basic idea of what you should try and keep clean every day, and the weekly list can be adjusted depending on the circumstances. It’s also a good idea to have a monthly blitz, where you clean your kitchen from top to bottom, and usually you’ll need to dedicate at least half a day to this.
If you find cleaning your kitchen a real bore and too time consuming, it might be easier and less stressful to pay somebody else to come in and do it. Gone are the days when cleaners were just for the rich and famous, nowadays there are many excellent cleaning companies offering their services at very reasonable prices, and if it frees you up to do other, more valuable things with your time, then so much the better.