Get Your Kitchen Sparkling from Floor to Ceiling

Clean the Floors

The kitchen floors take a beating with all the cooking, eating, and foot traffic. Getting them thoroughly clean should be the first step to a sparkling kitchen.

Here are some tips for cleaning kitchen floors:

• Sweep or vacuum the floors first to remove any loose dirt, crumbs, or debris. Get into corners and along edges.

• Mop using a cleaning solution suited for your floor type. For tile or vinyl, use a general all-purpose cleaner diluted with water. For wood floors, use a specially formulated wood floor cleaner.

• Scrub any tough spots or sticky spills. Allow cleaner to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing to help lift the mess. Use a stiff brush or scrub pad.

• Rinse the floors with clean water and change mop heads frequently to prevent spreading dirt around.

• Disinfect periodically by adding 1/2 cup bleach to 1 gallon water. This helps kill bacteria that can harbor on kitchen floors.

• For grout between tiles, use a targeted grout brush and whitening cleaner. Let it sit before scrubbing.

• Dry floors thoroughly after mopping. Walk around in socks to absorb moisture. Allow floors to fully dry before walking on them with shoes.

Deep Clean the Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets easily get coated in a layer of grease and dust. Get them squeaky clean inside and out with a deep cleaning session.

• Clear out all cabinets so you can fully access the interiors. Take everything out and put items on the counter or dining table.

• Use a degreasing cleaner and microfiber cloths to wipe down exterior cabinet surfaces. Avoid using excess water.

• For wood cabinets, use a wood cleaning polish to condition and protect the wood after cleaning.

• Vacuum out cabinet interiors to remove crumbs, dust, and debris. Use crevice tool to reach corners.

• Wash shelves, drawers, and interior surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner and sponge or rag.

• Freshen up the interiors by wiping down with a mix of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water. This helps remove odors.

• Organize contents neatly before putting them back into the fresh cabinets. Discard expired items.

Scrub the Sink

The kitchen sink can get caked with grease, food particles, soap scum, and mineral deposits from water. Give it a thorough scrub down.

• Use a sink scrub brush and abrasive cleaner like Soft Scrub or Bon Ami to scour the sink basin, scrubbing around drains and the faucet base. Let cleaner sit before scrubbing.

• For porcelain sinks, make a baking soda and vinegar paste to scrub stains and buildup. Rinse thoroughly after scrubbing.

• Remove hard water deposits with white vinegar or a limescale remover. Rinse well afterward.

• Scrub the strainers and drain baskets in the sink to remove gunk. Soak in vinegar solution if needed.

• Disinfect the sink by spraying it down with a diluted bleach solution. Let sit briefly before rinsing.

• Use a microfiber cloth for final wipe down. Buff dry with a soft towel to prevent water spots.

Clean Inside the Oven and Stove

The oven and stove top get encrusted with baked-on grease, food spills, and burnt-on drips. Do a deep clean of the oven and stove to make them shine again.

• Remove grates, burner caps, and racks. Soak them in the sink or tub with hot soapy water to loosen buildup. Use steel wool or scrub pads to clean.

• Apply oven cleaner spray or gel to interior oven surfaces. Avoid getting it on heating elements. Let sit before wiping away grime with rag or brush.

• For tough grease inside the oven, make a baking soda paste and spread onto problem areas. Allow to sit before scrubbing and rinsing.

• Use a degreasing cleaner on the stovetop, especially around the burners. Scrape off any caked-on debris.

• Clean the broiler pan with a strong oven cleaner and steel wool. For stuck-on food, boil water in the pan to loosen.

• Replace racks, grates, caps, and inserts once all cleaned. Run oven empty on high for 30 minutes to burn off any lingering odors.

Polish Chrome Fixtures

The chrome and metal surfaces of faucets, handles, and other fixtures easily get water spots, streaks, and smudges from hands. Polish them up to gleaming again.

• Remove mineral deposits with a vinegar-soaked rag. For tough hard water stains, use white vinegar or a limescale remover designed for metals.

• Use a glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth to remove fingerprints and oily residue on metal fixtures. Avoid abrasive cleaners.

• Apply chrome polish with a soft cloth, rubbing gently to remove dullness and buff metal to a shine. Avoid getting it on countertops.

• For stainless steel fixtures, wipe down with a stainless steel cleaner or polish to renew luster and prevent streaks and fingerprints. Rub gently in direction of grain.

• Run water and wipe down faucet heads to remove any drips of cleaner. Buff them dry with a soft cloth or microfiber towel.

Sanitize Countertops

Kitchen countertops need sanitizing along with cleaning to help kill germs that can spread and multiply.

• Clear countertops completely so you can access the entire surface area.

• Use a multipurpose cleaner or disinfecting kitchen spray and sponge to scrub counters, letting solution sit briefly before wiping.

• For a DIY sanitizer, mix 3/4 cup bleach into 1 gallon of water. Apply to counters with spray bottle or rag. Let sit 5 minutes before rinsing.

• Clean grout between tile counters with a grout brush and whitening cleaner. Let sit before scrubbing.

• Granite, marble, or stone counters should be cleaned with specialized stone cleaners to avoid etching or dulling.

• When dry, wipe down counters with rubbing alcohol on a cloth to further disinfect. Allow to fully dry.

• For a weekly deep clean, use a vinegar-water solution (1 cup vinegar per 1 gallon water) to help kill bacteria.

Make Appliances Shine

Kitchen appliances get fingerprints, drips, and splatters on them constantly. Give them a good cleaning to keep stainless steel and white finishes looking new.

• Unplug appliances before cleaning. Use a microfiber cloth to remove basic fingerprints and smudges.

• Apply stainless steel cleaner to exterior surfaces of appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens. Rub gently with cloth.

• For white enameled surfaces, use a non-abrasive all-purpose cleaner and soft sponge or cloth. Rinse thoroughly after scrubbing.

• Remove grease buildup around range hood vents using a degreasing cleaner and small brush. For filters, wash in sink or soak in detergent.

• Use a vacuum crevice attachment to gently vacuum up crumbs or debris around control panels, handles, doors, and frames.

• Glass surfaces on oven doors and microwave displays should be spritzed with glass cleaner and wiped clean. Rinse and dry with soft cloth.

• Check for mildew smell and wipe door gaskets of fridge and dishwasher with equal parts water and vinegar.

Make Windows and Mirrors Sparkle

Kitchen windows and mirrors easily get streaky and spotted. Get them crystal clear again.

• Use a glass cleaner in a spray bottle. Spritz directly onto microfiber cloth, not glass surfaces.

• Wipe in S-shaped motions to fully cover windows and mirrors without streaking.

• For window frames, use an all-purpose cleaner and scrub brush to remove grime and dirt buildup before wiping clean.

• Dry glass with a squeegee or lint-free cloth. Buff mirrors with a microfiber cloth for shine.

• Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle for a streak-free DIY glass cleaner. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent if desired.

• For hard water spots, use undiluted white vinegar to dissolve mineral deposits and wipe clean.

• Newspaper or coffee filters make great lint-free wipes for polishing mirrors and glass without streaks.

Clean Out the Fridge

It’s amazing how dirty the fridge can get. Take everything out and give the interior a deep clean.

• Remove all items from the fridge and freezer. Toss expired or spoiled items.

• Use baking soda and water paste to scrub stains in the fridge interior. Use gentle scrub brush and rinse thoroughly after cleaning.

• Clean glass shelves with glass cleaner or mild soap and water. Avoid soaking any electronic display panels.

• Wash bins and drawers in warm soapy water, use bottle brush to scrub insides, nooks and corners.

• Disinfect all surfaces by spraying with diluted bleach (1 Tbs in 1 quart water). Wipe down with microfiber cloth.

• Remove dust buildup from condenser coils on back of fridge using vacuum hose.

• Replace bins, drawers, and food items. Give shelves another wipe down before returning food.

• Don’t forget the door gaskets! Wipe them down to remove grime and odors.

Scrub Inside Microwave

Microwave interiors get splattered and need occasional deep cleaning.

• Remove turntable and any removable parts. Wash in mild soapy water.

• Mix baking soda and water into a spreadable paste. Apply to interior surfaces. Avoid getting on functioning components.

• Microwave the paste for 2-3 minutes. This helps loosen grime. Carefully wipe clean using damp rag or sponge.

• For tough stains, spray with all-purpose cleaner and let sit before wiping. You can also use a scrub pad.

• Use a degreasing cleaner for oil splatters on inside top and walls. This helps dissolve greasy buildup.

• Spray glass cleaner onto cloth to wipe down interior glass door to remove smears. Dry thoroughly.

• Disinfect by mixing 1 Tbs bleach into 1 cup water in a spray bottle. Mist interior and wipe with clean damp cloth.

Make Pantry Shelves Sparkle

Pantry shelves can get dusty and messy over time. Organize and clean them until they shine.

• Take out all pantry items and put onto counter or dining table. Discard anything expired.

• Vacuum shelves with brush attachment to remove crumbs and debris. Use duster to remove cobwebs up top.

• Wipe down shelves with all-purpose cleaner. For wood shelves, use wood cleaning polish.

• Scrub corners and edges to remove grime. Use small brush to clean between shelves and framework.

• Spray pantry interior with disinfectant or wipe down all surfaces with diluted bleach solution (1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water).

• Dry surfaces fully before replacing food items. Consider shelf liner to help keep shelves clean going forward.

• Organize items nicely by category or frequency of use. Place oldest non-perishables in front to use first.

• Keep an open box of baking soda on a shelf to help absorb odors. Replace every 2-3 months.

Scrub the Walls

Kitchen walls can get coated in a layer of grease and grime. Get them clean again with some elbow grease!

• Spot clean walls as needed with warm soapy water. Use a sponge or soft scrub brush on tile, enamel paint, or washable wallpaper.

• For tough grease splatters, spray degreasing cleaner and let sit to penetrate before scrubbing and rinsing.

• Use a mild abrasive cleaner like Soft Scrub on textured wall surfaces. Avoid excessive scrubbing which can damage surfaces.

• Create a cleaning solution of 1/4 cup dish soap mixed with 1 gallon warm water. Wipe walls section by section using sponge or rag.

• Use a grout brush and grout whitener for cleaning tile grout on backsplashes. Allow whitener to sit before scrubbing.

• Rinse walls thoroughly after cleaning. Go over with clean water to remove any soap residue.

• Allow walls to fully dry after cleaning. Aim a fan on cleaned areas to speed drying time.

Clean Ceiling Fans and Vents

Ceiling fans and vents accumulate surprising amounts of dust and grease. Clean them for better air quality.

• Use microfiber duster with telescoping handle to dust fan blades from floor. Start at base of each blade and move outward to tip.

• Wipe down fan motor with dry microfiber cloth to remove dust buildup. Take care not to bend or damage blades in process.

• Clean vent filters by soaking in hot soapy water if they’re non-electronic. Rinse and air dry completely before replacing.

• Use a degreasing cleaner on vents and range hoods. Scrub with small brush and wipe away grease.

• For stuck-on dust, lightly spray fan blades and vents with a dusting spray to help loosen before wiping.

• Vacuum out exhaust vents above stove using crevice tool attachment. Capture any loose debris.

• Replace any old charcoal vent filters to improve odor removal and kitchen air quality.

Conclusion

Getting a kitchen to shine from top to bottom takes some work, but following these tips will get every nook and cranny clean. Start from the floor up, tackle appliances and fixtures, and finish by dusting ceilings, fans and vents. Investing the time for a thorough deep cleaning will make cooking and prepping in the kitchen much more enjoyable. A sparkling, fresh kitchen uplifts the whole house!