I have found that when deep cleaning my kitchen, it is best to work in a top to bottom fashion. Here are my 10 steps to having a sparkling clean kitchen:
** Be sure that all your dishes have already been washed and put away before beginning **
1. Let's start at the top, shall we? Look UP! Do you see any cobwebs hanging from the ceiling? Grab your broom and wipe them down! What about that ceiling fan or chandelier? How long has it been since you got up on a chair with some hot water and rags and really scrubbed it down? Now is the time!
2. OK, now we are moving down just a bit. Fill up your sink with some hot, soapy water. Or use whatever cleaner that you choose. Grab a rag and wipe down your upper kitchen cabinets. Don't worry about the insides right now, you can save that for another day. While you are right there, though, make sure you wash down the range hood of your stove. These can get pretty yucky and may take some elbow grease.
3. When you are done with your upper kitchen cabinets it is time to go a tad bit lower. Let's see what the top of your refrigerator looks like. Yikes, right? I know that in my family, it is a hot spot where everyone stashes things they don't feel like putting in it's proper place right away. So, grab the garbage can and a box or bag for things that you will be keeping and putting away. Most of the things I find on top of my refrigerator end up going straight into the garbage! Once you've gotten it cleaned off, scrub that baby down! Only put back what absolutely has to go there. Set the bag or box of misc. items you are keeping aside to put away once we are done in the kitchen. Don't get sidetracked by going into another room! You may not come back!
4. OK! You are doing great! Let's keep going! Now, we will move on to the windows, window sills and blinds (if you have them). The easiest way I have found to clean white mini-blinds is to just take them down and soak them in the tub with some hot water and bleach. While they are soaking, spray down your windows and give them a streak free shine with some newspaper! No newspaper? Don't worry about it! Just do the best you can with what you've got!
5. Now, we are ready to deep clean the counter tops and stove top. Take everything off of your kitchen counter and off your stove. Put it on the table, the floor.. wherever, as long as it's out of your way. Fill up your kitchen sink with fresh, hot, soapy water. Grab a new rag and scrub away! Make sure you don't forget the walls behind the sink, around the faucet (you may need an old toothbrush), the knobs to the stove and the front and sides of the oven.
** For more details on how to clean your stove see This Video **
6. Once the counter tops are clean, it is time to tackle all the stuff you took off of them! Before you put anything back on your counter tops, make sure it is clean! That means your coffee-pot, your microwave, your canisters... everything.
** If your microwave is pretty nasty, see This Video & This Video to learn how to get it squeaky clean! **
7. Can you see the difference you are making in your kitchen already? I bet you can! Let's move on to the kitchen table and chairs. If you need to do any de-cluttering, now is the time to do it. Don't be afraid to toss, toss, toss! If it isn't something that you need or love, then let it go! Remember not to start running into other rooms to put things away just yet. Simply put things in your bag or box to put away later. Once the table and chairs are cleaned off, scrub them down. Don't put anything back on the table that does not belong there.
8. Whew! We are almost done. Look at the fridge again. What does the outside look like? Full of fingerprints? Cluttered with magnets and papers? Time to strip that baby down and get it shining like your counters and stove! When that is done, make sure that you only put back on the fridge things that won't make it look cluttered. My refrigerator displays my children's artwork, but only their newest creations. The rest go in a binder as they are taken down. While we are at it, let's refill the sink with some new, hot, soapy water and go ahead and clean your lower cabinet doors now.
9. Alright! We are on the floor! Pick up any throw rugs you have in your kitchen and put them in the washer. Grab that broom and let's sweep up all the mess we've made while cleaning from the top down. Gather up all the garbage and take it out to the trash bin. Now break out the bucket and mop and let's give that floor a good scrubbing! I know that by now you are probably getting tired, but believe me... the ending result will be well worth it!
10. Finally, dump your dirty mop water immediately. Put up your mop and bucket. Grab the box or bag of miscellaneous items that you are keeping and put them in their place. Take the mini-blinds out of the tub and dry them off with a towel before hanging them back up. And, guess what? You are done!
In addition to the steps above, you may need to clean the inside of your refrigerator and clean out your kitchen cabinets, both below and above the sink. You can always add them to this list, or you can save them for another day. However you want to do it!
If you have followed these ten steps, your kitchen should be sparkling right now! Doesn't it feel great? I'm proud of you and you should be proud of yourself as well! Keep up the good work!
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