The Kitchen

The kitchen is usually one of the biggest cleaning jobs in a home. The daily use of cooking meals and even just getting snacks gives it constant use. And a clean kitchen is one hallmark of a good homemaker. A clean kitchen (for some reason) gives visitors the impression that you know what you're doing in that room. To aid in keeping a clean kitchen it is beneficial great to have a regular cleaning routine for it and to fight through the dislike of doing it and just get it done!

Although this list for a clean kitchen is part of our Clean the House This Week plan you can use this cleaning routine regularly to keep a clean kitchen. I use this routine once a week or my kitchen would look... well like I had never cleaned it. I cook a lot!

Get your cleaning supplies and bring them into the kitchen.

1. A few cleaning cloths , rags, what have you. (I use about 3 cleaning cloths for the kitchen each week)

2. Cleaning solution = 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, a capful of all purpose cleaner (I'm using both Mrs. Meyer's products) and a half bucket of hot water. Or your own all purpose cleaning solution or special cleaner for stainless steel etc.

   1. Side note - I used to use a spray bottle but found I could clean much quicker with the bucket. I occasionally will use the spray and wipe method but this is just my easy once a week wipe down.

3. cleanser (for scouring the kitchen sink)

4. sponge (for the kitchen sink)

5. toothbrush - optional but used for getting the faucet edges

6. scrubby - optional but used for getting dried on products on the counter.

7. Window cleaner (if you have a window in your kitchen)

The first thing is to put things away to clear away clutter. Move all the things that aren't normally on the counters to their repsective areas.

Since this is just weekly cleaning I don't clean the drip pans on the stove. I do those once a month. I replace the foil on the drip pans and soak the rings in the sink in dishwashing detergent. But with the weekly cleaning I just wipe down the stove top and front well.

The details

1. Wash up all dirty dishes or put them in the dishwasher for washing.

2. Take the top off the garbage pail and place it in the middle of the kitchen floor.

3. Start putting things on the counter away and throwing trash in the garbage.

4. Open the fridge and toss all expired foods. Empty the plastic with expired foods and dump the plastic in the sink for washing.

5. Counters clean of excess stuff? Sink empty? Get your bucket of cleaning solution. Get two rags.

6. Rinse a rag in your cleaning solution and start wiping from top to bottom the counters and cupboard fronts. Get the wall behind the stove and next to it.

7. Do you have a window in your kitchen? Use your window cleaner and a clean rag. I spray one side of the window all over and then using side to side motion from the top to bottom clean it dry. Takes a second!

8. At the sink use your preferred cleanser and scrub out the sink. You would be amazed at how food can sometimes stick to the sides. Use your scrubby if you need to. Sometimes I scrub around the faucet area with the toothbrush. About once a month. Rinse it out. Dry if you prefer.

9. Go over the fridge with one of your rags. If you do this weekly you can go over the top of the fridge without your rag being overloaded with gunk. If this is the first time you've done the top of the fridge then by all means get a new rag.

10. You have two or three cleaning rags. If one gets gunky place it to the side and get the next one. This is a reminder.

11. Okay now you need to clean the floor. If your counter tops weren't too dirty and your floor gets cleaned regularly personally I just use the same solution and a new floor rag. If my floor is pretty bad and the cleaning solution I just used is black well then I mix up a floor cleaning solution. Note: What you use on your floors also depends on the finish.

Some Tips:

Spot check your fridge as you spot the messes. Clean it all out a few times a year (you be the judge based on how icky it gets).

Sweep your kitchen floor daily. And if you have a quick mop give it a quick swipe at the end of the day.

Once a month tackle the bigger jobs in your kitchen. Get dust on the ceilings, declutter a cupboard, clean the drip pans, you get the idea.

Note I do not clean my drip pans weekly. In fact my husband thinks I should just buy new ones when they get gross but I cover them with foil and change the foil monthly...Buying new ones would be less of a hassle....

Clean messes as they happen.

Next up the living room aka family room...