Between dirty dishes, cooking spills and new recipes – the kitchen turns out to be the most used room in the house. Even if you don’t cook daily, the kitchen is used often. Every coffee spill, sauce drip and water splash needs to be cleaned, as it is the heart of the home.

The fact that there is so much hustle and bustle in the kitchen cleaning can make it difficult. Simply tidying up after every meal prep or meal cooking can seem a tiresome task, let alone deep cleaning it. However, you must have a clean workspace as your health depends on it.

Top 10 Kitchen Cleaning Hacks

To help you out, we have compiled a list of the top 10 kitchen cleaning hacks. These include cleaning with items that are readily available in your home to helping organize and maintain the kitchen.

1. Organize and Declutter the Countertops

Everything should have a place. We know that it is convenient to keep the frequently used things in front of you from where they are easier to grasp. But, that is not how it should be.

Every pot, pan, machine and even the spoons and forks should have a proper place to go – be it a drawer, organizing backset, fridge or pantry.

A decluttered countertop will immediately give a clean look to the kitchen before you even start wiping and scrubbing.

• Deep Clean the Dishwasher

Most people assume that the dishwasher cleans itself while washing the dishes. After all, the dishes come out sparkly clean. Follow these steps to ensure your dishwasher is clean.

• Empty the dishwasher.
• You will see that most dishwashers have removable filters at the bottom. Remove it and clean it under lukewarm water. If you see stubborn residue or dirt on it, soak it in soapy water before scrubbing it lightly with a toothbrush.
• Use a damp cloth to scrub down the entire interior of the dishwasher

Pro Tip: We recommend using a baby wipe for best results.

• Pay special attention to the spray arms. If dirty or clogged, it can affect the performance of the washer. Take a small toothpick and clean the hole in the spray arm.
• Run a cleaning cycle.
• Deodorize and sanitize it with baking soda. Sprinkle it well on the bottom of the washer and let it sit overnight. In the morning, run a cycle with warm water. You will feel the difference.

• Dish Soap and Vinegar to Fight Grease and Dirt

A solution of equal parts dish soap and vinegar is going to be your best friend in the kitchen. It can be used to clean a range of things e.g. appliances, countertops and even the grease stains on your oven. Use a spray bottle and spray it where needed.

Vinegar helps remove the grease while dishwashing soap gets rid of the dirt – a match made in heaven!

Vinegar can also be combined with water and that solution can be used to get rid of the cabinet grease. The heat of cooking carries the grease around the kitchen. Once you spray the solution on the cabinets, wipe it off with a microfiber cloth.

• Clean the Oven

If you use the oven, it is important to clean it once a month. Using the auto setting on the oven is of no use. Easily clean it by using a simple, homemade solution. Take 1/3^rd cup of vinegar, 1/3^rd cup water and ½ cup of baking soda. Mix all these and transfer them to a spray bottle.

Take out the grates and the coat and spray the solution generously inside the oven when it is cold.

Pro Tip: Remember to be careful and not spray the solution on the heating elements. It can damage them.

Fill the sink with dishwashing liquid and warm water. Dip in the grates and coat and let that sit overnight. After spraying the solution, go to bed and let it sit for at least 12 hours. When you wake up in the morning, you just need to use soapy water to clean the solution – Voila, you are done!

• DIY – Lemon Oil and Vinegar Polisher

Do you try to avoid using commercial cleaners? If yes, this lemon oil and vinegar polisher will give a shine to the woodwork in the kitchen. Make a solution of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup lemon oil.

Pro Tip: Don’t spray the solution directly on the wood surface. Spray it on a microfiber cloth and clean the surface with it.

• Keep a Compost Bin

It might sound far-fetched – but it is a good idea to have a compost bin in the kitchen. That way, you can keep the compost separate from the kitchen garbage. Moreover, it will be less smelly and easy to dispose of.

• Use Butter Paper as Cabinet Linings

Do you know what is better than the kitchen cleaning? It is making sure that the kitchen does not get dirty! Cleaning the inside of the cabinets and drawers isn’t an easy task. It is tedious and time-consuming. Therefore, it is a good idea to line your cabinets and drawers with butter paper or an old newspaper. If you do so, you will only need to take out and replace the paper instead of sweeping and scrubbing down cabinets.

• Clean the Microwave

The microwave is difficult to clean as you can’t reach the far-end areas easily. You can place a bowl of water with lemon slices inside. Run it for five minutes. The steam from the lemon and water will loosen the splatters and spills – making it easier to clean.

• Deep Clean the Sink Once a Week

The sink is one of the most frequently used places in the kitchen. A step-by-step method of cleaning the sink is mentioned below.

• Firstly, rinse the sink.
• Go with a good scrubbing cleaner to make sure to get to all the sides.
• Scrub and clean all the faucets and accessories like soap dishes and toothbrush holders.
• Fill in the sink with bleach and hot water.
• Let it sit for 15-20 minutes and allow it to drain

1. Coffee Grounds as a Deodorizer

The fridge, refrigerator and pantry tend to get a lingering smell of food items after a while. Coffee grounds are excellent to get rid of that smell. Replace the coffee grounds after two weeks or a month.

Final Words

Even though it seems a daunting task, the kitchen cleaning is not that difficult. You need to be consistent in cleaning up after every meal, wiping the spills and spots and you are good to go. However, sometimes you need professional help. At Trident, we take cleaning very seriously. Our team of cleaning experts can help you deep clean the house in hours. So, contact us today if you are in California and book a consultation.