How to Deep Clean your Kitchen
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As summertime comes to an end, our minds shift quickly (albeit unwillingly) to getting ready for school. Not many people I know think about deep cleaning their kitchen.
For me it is a necessity, driven by the thought of having very little free time in the upcoming months. Weekdays are busy but weekends are often busier.
Our care-free days are over as our family calendar fills-up with back-to-school meetings and activities, practices, games, and so much more.
Not only is it time to prepare ourselves to return to school, it’s time to prepare the house.
What?!
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Start Deep Cleaning in the Kitchen
If you are familiar with my blog, you know that I love a clean and organized house. It just makes me feel better. I’m more productive, I’m happier, and I’m less stressed. The idea behind this post is to deep clean the most used spaces in our house after being home in it all summer.
That is why I’m starting with the kitchen. The kitchen is by far the most used room in the entire house. With two growing kids, someone is ALWAYS eating. Always.
This post is going to be part of a series that in addition to deep cleaning the kitchen will also include the bedrooms and bathrooms. You’ll find links at the bottom of this post for guides on deep cleaning your bathroom and bedroom.
Start Deep Cleaning when the Time is Right for You
Even though this post focuses on cleaning before school starts back, this list can be used anytime you want to give your house a deep cleaning. You may prefer to do a deep cleaning before or after the holidays, before you put your house up for sale, during a break from work or over a long weekend.
The important thing to keep in mind is that it has to work for you. This just happens to be the time of year when I absolutely have to have my house in order before I head back to the classroom.
If you start to feel overwhelmed and stop before you get started, take a deep breath and remind yourself that deep cleaning does not have to be done in one day. Take it one day at a time, one room at time. Do what is best for you and your schedule.
If you’re looking for a quicker cleaning method, read my post on the Quick Clean Method.
I find that if I’m not in the mood to clean and I’m forcing myself to do it, it takes me longer and it feels dreadful. If you have the flexibility to choose when to begin, do so when you’re motivated to do it.
So if you’re ready, let’s begin by deep cleaning the kitchen.
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Start at the Top
To start deep cleaning the kitchen, I work from the top down. I start with dusting where the wall and ceiling meet. This seems to be where dust tags hang out. Ewww. I use a Swiffer duster with the expandable handle, this allows me to reach without having to stand on top of a chair (that comes later).
Cabinets to Baseboards
Next, I stand on top of the countertops in order to reach the top of the cabinets. The very top. Ever look up there to see the dust and grease that accumulate after a few months? Most of the time I can remove the dirt and grime with Windex and paper towels. If the dirt and grime are thick like it was when we first bought our house, I suggest using a scouring brush to remove everything. It will take some elbow grease and time.
After the tops of the cabinets are cleaned, I begin cleaning the doors of the upper cabinets. I have white cabinets and have used both Clorox Anywhere and Windex. I find the Windex removes food stains and smudges more effectively. If you have oak, cherry, walnut or any other type of wooden cabinet, I suggest wiping them down with Murphy’s Oil Soap or Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk.
Once the upper cabinets are finished, I move to the lower cabinets and finally the baseboards. I wipe down the baseboards around the entire kitchen (which leads to the hallways, family room, and dining room). It’s amazing how nice the baseboards look after a simple cleaning. If you have pets like we do, you’ll really see the difference.
Countertops
To begin cleaning the countertops, I remove all items so it is easier to clean and wipe down the entire area, including the backsplash. Since I like to keep my countertops from feeling cluttered, I have very few items that I keep on top. Currently I keep a coffee pot, Keurig, blender and standing mixer. Everything else in the kitchen is stored out of sight. I then clean each of the appliances before placing them back on top of the countertops.
Before I move on to appliances, I fill up both sides of my sink with scalding hot water and 1 cup of bleach. I allow the bleach to work for 10-15 minutes before rinsing and wiping them dry. I typically clean my sink like this once a week but thought it should be included here as well.
Appliances
Next, I clean the major appliances. We clean out the refrigerator every week before we buy groceries so that just needs to be wiped down. The dishwasher gets a cycle with Affresh and the outside cleaned. The microwave is cleaned by placing a 2-cup measuring cup inside with water, a few tablespoons of vinegar and lemon slices. I heat the water for 5-6 minutes and allow it to steam inside the microwave for a few minutes longer. I simply wipe down the inside with a paper towel and wash the rotating dish with soap and water. Looks great (until the next bag of popcorn, which is any minute in my house)!
I like to wait until everyone is out of the house before I clean the oven. The self-cleaning cycle has a very potent odor and even with the windows open the smell can be overpowering.
Dining Area
Hang in there, we’re almost done deep cleaning the kitchen. Now it’s time to clean the light hanging over the kitchen table and/or island. Be sure to dust the bulbs as well. Next, clean your kitchen table from the top down, including the legs of the table and chairs. If you have kids, you’re sure to find some dried spills.
Windows & Window Treatments
If you have windows in your kitchen, begin by using Windex to clean off any smudges and fingerprints. Make sure to wipe down both the top and bottom of the windows. Open the window and clean the track. I do this by spraying the track with Windex and wiping it down with a paper towel. If the dirt inside the track is hard to reach, try placing a butter knife inside an old washcloth and using it to reach tight spaces.
The method used to clean your window treatments will vary according to what you have. I currently have Roman shades in my kitchen and I am unable to take them down to wash them. Instead, I spot clean them with a damp cloth and mild soap and use a lint roller to rid of dust.
In other parts of my house, I have plantation shutters that I use a microfiber dust cloth to clean. If you don’t have microfiber cloths, I have found that Swiffer dusters work great as do dry Swiffer cloths. They both trap the dust and prevent it from spreading everywhere.
Doors & Switches
Wipe down door knobs and light switches with sanitizing wipes to reduce the likelihood of spreading germs. In addition, wipe down the doors to remove dirt and grime. If you have white doors, I suggest using Windex or Clorox Anywhere to clean the doors. If you have oak, cherry, walnut or other type of wood, I suggest using a wood cleaner such as Murphy’s Oil Soap or Dutch Glow Amish Wood Milk.
Floors
We are almost finished deep cleaning the kitchen! Hang in there! Now it is time for the floors get all the attention with a dry dust and then a wet mop (Swiffer is my favorite for both). In our previous home I used a floor steam mop to sanitize our kitchen floor. The hardwood we have now prevents me from using the steamer but I highly recommend using one if your flooring allows it.
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Final Thoughts
Now, pour yourself a nice beverage and relax! You have successfully deep cleaned your kitchen!
There is nothing more satisfying than to look around the kitchen and see everything clean and sparkling. The only way it would stay that way is if we never used it and we all know that’s never going to happen. So look now and be proud of your effort to deep clean your kitchen – it’s the hardest room in the house and you just finished it.
I hope that this post helps you to feel less overwhelmed with the thought of deep cleaning your home. Once you start the process, I hope you’ll feel empowered to keep going and deep clean the other rooms in your house. Click on the links to read How to Deep Clean your Bathroom and How to Deep Clean your Bedroom.
Take it one room, one day at a time. You’ve got this!
