Posted on April 30th, 2020
Nothing looks, smells, or feels better than a freshly cleaned, sparkling kitchen, but achieving a really thorough clean in this high-use part of the home requires some expertise. To really get your kitchen gleaming – and eliminate stubborn odors – you’ll need to go beyond basic cleaning techniques and pay attention to the little details. Check out the guide below for six easy, affordable ways to identify, cleanse and sanitize the hidden “problem areas” in your kitchen:
The 6 Steps to a Sparkling Clean Kitchen
Start with the basics.
Before you tackle the more hard-to-reach areas of your kitchen, you should do the same basic “maintenance cleaning” you (hopefully) do every day. You could even get your kids to assist you with some basic tasks. Start by tidying up clutter: Remove any items that don’t belong in the kitchen (like jackets or toys), load dirty dishes into the dishwasher, then quickly wipe down and disinfect hard surfaces to get rid of any lingering bacteria. If you have pets, you should use a damp cloth to remove pet hair from your countertops, stove top, chairs and table before you start disinfecting them. After you’ve tidied up your kitchen, thoroughly clean and disinfect your sink.
Clean high-up and vertical surfaces, working from the top down.
Once you’ve created a tidy environment to work in, you can begin detail cleaning. First, use a lightly moistened flat microfiber mop to quickly and easily remove dust from the walls and ceiling. Then, mix a dash of all-purpose cleaner with water, apply the mixture to a cloth and scrub down the tops of your cupboards and appliances. After you’re done, thoroughly scrub the fronts and sides of your cupboards and appliances too (make sure you rinse the cloth you’re using frequently, so you don’t smear grime around or create streaks). As a final touch, scrub your countertops thoroughly, then polish them with a solution of one part white vinegar to three parts water. The white vinegar will remove any remaining grease and soap residue, giving your countertops a brilliant shine.
Before you move on to the next step, use your white vinegar solution to carefully polish light fixtures, light switches, fan blades, faucets and the handles on your drawers and cupboards.
Sweep and mop the floor.
Take care of fallen crumbs, dust and grime, by sweeping your kitchen floor thoroughly, followed by mopping with a microfiber mop. Don’t forget to rinse your mop frequently as you work and give the floor a thorough rinse with clean water after you’re done. You want to remove as much soap residue as possible from your floor, because leftover soap residue quickly attracts fresh dirt.
Clean the inside of your appliances.
Spoiled food, grease and cooked-on food debris are the most common sources of unpleasant odors in the kitchen. Cleaning out the inside of your refrigerator, oven, dishwasher and microwave at least once per week will prevent these odors and make your kitchen much more hygienic.
For the refrigerator:
Remove all the food from your refrigerator and discard any items that have gone off. Then, use an antibacterial cleaner to sanitize the inside of the fridge (don’t forget to clean out the vegetable drawers and the shelves inside the fridge door). Before you put food back in the fridge, place any leftover meals in airtight containers to eliminate odors.
For the microwave:
To quickly loosen cooked-on grime, mix one cup of water with three tablespoons of white vinegar and heat the solution until it boils. Then, stop heating the liquid and wait five minutes to give the resulting steam enough time to soften hard debris inside the microwave. Afterwards, you should be able to quickly wipe away the softened grime with a cloth or paper towel.
For the dishwasher:
Remove the bottom rack of your dishwasher and clean out the drain. Then, put some white vinegar in a bowl and place it on the top rack, before dusting the bottom of the dishwasher with baking soda. Run your dishwasher through one full hot water cycle to kill bacteria and rinse away any debris.
For the oven:
Most modern ovens come with a self-cleaning feature, but depending on your model, you may need to remove the metal racks in your oven and clean them yourself. If you do need to clean your oven racks manually, soak them in boiling water (with a dash of dish detergent). Let them soak for at least two hours, then scrub them with a stiff brush and dry them, before reinserting them in the oven.
Deodorize the garbage disposal.
To completely banish unpleasant smells in your kitchen, don’t neglect the garbage disposal under your sink (if you have one). Take some lemon peels and run them through the disposal to simultaneously clean the blades, kill bacteria and give the disposal a fresh lemon scent.
If you still aren’t happy with the way your kitchen looks or smells, call in the pros.
Older kitchens can be difficult to clean using standard methods, but we don’t recommend trying more advanced techniques on your own unless you have significant cleaning expertise. The abrasive cleaning methods required to remove water stains from granite countertops, for example, can easily cause damage if applied incorrectly. Older floors can also be particularly challenging to clean, especially if they’ve become heavily stained over the years.
Instead of experimenting with risky, harsh cleaning solutions or steel wool to remove stains, call in the team at HappyCleans to get your kitchen sparkling again. We have access to specialized equipment that can safely clean and polish even the most delicate of surfaces. As professional cleaners, we also know exactly which cleaning solutions to use on different surfaces, so choosing us will safeguard your investment. If you’d like to learn more about our services in Oklahoma, contact us online or by phone at (405) 353-2665 – We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.