Every kitchen needs a really intense top-to-bottom cleaning once or twice a year.
But how do you keep things neat and tidy in between those major overhauls? Today we’re going to share the best ideas for quick minimum-hassle kitchen cleaning – the simple things you can do on a daily basis to make your kitchen a pleasant place all year round.
The goal here is to get maximum results from minimum effort. Enjoy the fruits of your labour without working your hands to the bone!
1) Every Time You Cook, Start With an Empty Dishwasher/Sink
If you can get in this habit, you’ll be amazed at how much easier kitchen cleanup tends to be. Simply take a moment before you start cooking to confirm that your dishwasher and sink are empty and ready to take fresh dishes and utensils. This will leave you poised to rinse, clean, or load up everything as soon as it gets dirty and reduces the odds of letting anything dirty sit for hours longer than it needs to.
2) Clean as You Go
This point ties directly into the previous one. As you’re preparing a meal, why not clean those worktop edges and then pop over to that empty sink and rinse things up when you have a free moment?
3) Follow Up Dish-Washing With Sink-Washing
Every time you finish off a load of dishes, take an extra minute to scrub out the sink basin. This is an excellent way to keep your sink looking (and smelling!) it’s best, and it’s also a soothing capstone for a cleaning job done well. Keeping your sink clean has more benefits beyond just making it look good. This way, your dishes will pick up less grease if you need to soak them, and that means this quick cleaning chore can spare you from a much harder one.
4) Give Knives and Cookware a Monthly Check-Up
In any hard-working kitchen, it’s inevitable that your pots and pans will pick up some incidental wear that you just don’t have the time to address right away. Rust spots, burnt-on stains, and other tough scrub-ables tend to accumulate over time. The best way to keep this problem at bay is to set aside a little time once a month to check all your cookware and clean where necessary. This is also the perfect time to test your knives’ sharpness and hone or sharpen any blades that are getting dangerously dull.
5) Oil Cutting Boards Once a Month
Another good monthly chore is maintaining your wooden cutting boards. This takes just five minutes, and the difference it can make is enormous. Note that wooden spoons deserve a little oil treatment, too! A quick coating of oil will extend these items’ lifespans tremendously and spare you from the cost of replacing them.
6) Stock the Proper Cleaning Supplies and Keep Them Handy
There’s no better excuse for putting off a cleaning chore than realising you don’t have the right equipment or don’t know where to find it in your home. Spare yourself this sort of annoyance by taking careful stock of your kitchen cleaning supplies and keeping only the most essential items close at hand.
7) Avoid Counter Clutter and Clean Countertops Regularly
Nothing makes a kitchen feel untidy (if not downright claustrophobic) like clutter taking up every inch of horizontal space. Clear, clean countertops make your kitchen feel more welcoming and encourage you to cook more.
8) Be Aware of Your Kitchen Happiness
This is where the kitchen cleaning gets a little philosophical, but turning your kitchen into a truly happy space means making it your own room above all else. Whenever you use your kitchen, pay attention to the things you love and the things that are frustrating. Cherish the one and fix the other!
Don’t be afraid to keep more ladles around than you really need if you like the way they look. If you’ve had the same cheap, clunky stock pot since university and you love it to pieces, don’t be afraid to show it off! You should always be on the lookout for useful kitchen advice, but you never have to apologise for the way you clean and use your kitchen as long as it makes you happy.