The Best Route to a Cleaner Kitchen
Want to know exactly which tasks to
tackle, and in what order? Four industry pros plot the steps that will speed
your routine and guarantee a thorough clean.
Ready, set, go!
1. Clear the counters of anything that doesn’t belong: straggling mail,
cookbooks, permission slips awaiting signatures.
2. Fill the sink with hot water and a few squirts of dish soap. Drop in
items that need soaking, like the crisper drawer, the dish rack, and the microwave
turntable.
3. Empty the refrigerator, tossing anything that has expired. Throw dirty food-storage
containers into the sink to soak. Working from top to bottom, wipe down the
shelves with a paper towel or a rag spritzed with a nontoxic all-purpose cleaner.
4. Dust the high zones, knocking dirt and debris to the floor, where they will be
swept up later. Using a telescoping duster, start right above the sink and work
your way around the room, cleaning upper corners, light fixtures, and tops of
cabinets. Don’t forget the top of the refrigerator. When you’re back at the
sink, you’re ready to move on.
5. Clean the upper cabinets and anything else on the walls, including a mounted
microwave. Spray the microwave interior with all-purpose cleaner and let sit for
two minutes. With a damp, soapy cloth, wipe down the exterior. (If it’s
stainless steel, use a cloth moistened with diluted white vinegar, instead of
soapy water, to clean any fingerprints.) Next, wipe the doors and the pulls of
the upper cabinets and anything else (frames, hooks, vent grates) you encounter
as you circle the room. With a fresh damp, soapy cloth, wipe down the
back splash if you have one.
6. Back to the microwave. Your two minutes are up. Wipe the solution from the inside
using a dry cloth. It’s OK if crumbs fall to the stove or the floor.
7. Spray the stove top with all-purpose cleaner and let sit for a few minutes. For
stubborn stains, add a powdered scrub that won’t scratch.
8. Load the dishwasher with the items soaking in the sink, or hand wash them.
Don’t drain the sink just yet.
9. Wipe the stove top with a clean, dry cloth and, again, just let crumbs fall to
the floor. It’s more efficient to get them at the end. When you’re finished,
swap out the cloth to keep grease from transferring to another surface.
10. Clean the coffeemaker, toaster, stand mixer, and other small appliances from top
to bottom, using glass cleaner or a multi surface formula (spray the cloth
rather than the appliance) or a cleaning wipe. Dip drip trays or crumb catchers
in the sink’s leftover warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry.
11. Scrub the counter tops with small, circular motions, using a cleaner formulated
for your surface.
12. Get the fridge doors, the front of the dishwasher, and the oven with a cloth
dipped in clean, sudsy water (or diluted white vinegar if a door is stainless
steel). Pay attention to the handles and the edges. Use a soft toothbrush or a
cloth-wrapped spatula to degrime tight spots, like the folds of the
refrigerator seal. Next, clean the sides of the dishwasher door with an
all-purpose formula or a cloth dipped in a solution of hot, soapy water and
white vinegar. (You can use this mixture to clean the stove top and the
counter tops, unless they are marble, granite, or some other porous stone.)
13. Clean the lower cabinets and drawers with a damp, soapy cloth.
14. Drain the sink and rinse with hot water. Buff the basin with a mild
abrasive cleanser and a microfiber cloth; rinse with hot water. Wipe down the
faucet and the handles.
15. Empty the trash, swiping the inside of the can and the interior of the top
with a cleaning wipe before replacing the bag.
16. Sweep the floor with an electrostatic dry duster, like a Swiffer Sweeper.
Get right up to the baseboards and under the cabinets, where crumbs can hide.
Pull out appliances to reach the spaces near the walls. Follow with a mop (or a
steam cleaner, if you have one), starting at the corner farthest from the
room’s entrance, and use a bucket. (Dipping a mop in the sink could contaminate
items that ultimately end up in your mouth.) Dump the dirty water outside or
down the toilet.
17. Park yourself on the sofa. You’re done!
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