How to: Deep Clean Your Kitchen

Let’s face it, your kitchen gets dirty. It’s inevitable. Which means that cleaning your kitchen is also inevitable. Sometimes, a surface clean just won’t do. Here’s how to deep clean your kitchen in those times.

Pre-clean:

1. Wash and put away any dirty dishes
2. Clear away any clutter that does not belong in the kitchen
3. Put away anything on the countertops and do wipe them clean

Organize Pantry:

1. Take everything out of your pantry and place them on a table or countertop.
2. Check labels. Throw away anything that is expired, stale, or empty.
3. Fill a bag or box with any unopened items that will not be eaten for donations.
4. Wipe down the pantry shelves with a kitchen cleaner or soapy water.
5. Put food back into the cabinet, placing like items together. Make sure to put older items towards the front and newer items closer to the back.

Clean and Organize Refrigerator and Freezer:

1. Take everything out and place them on the countertop or a table.
2. Check all labels. Throw away anything that is expired, moldy, empty, or inedible.
3. Wipe down shelves with a kitchen cleaner or soapy water.
4. Put items back into fridge/freezer, arranging like items together.
5. Remove unneeded papers and magnets.
6. Clean/polish the exterior

Clean and Organize Baking/Cooking Cupboards:

1. Take out everything and place them on the countertop or a table
2. Check all labels and throw away anything that is expired, empty, moldy, or inedible.
3. Wipe down shelves with soapy water or a kitchen cleaner.
4. Move baking and cooking stables, such as flour, sugar, and bread crumbs, to labeled, air-tight containers.
5. Put items back in the cabinet, placing more frequently used products closer to the front.

Clean and Organize Storage Cupboard and/or Drawers:

1. Remove all items and place them on a countertop or a table
2. Toss any items that are broken and donate items that are unwanted, unnecessary, or haven’t been used in a year
3. Set any seasonal items to the side and place them with other seasonal items later.
4. Wipe down drawers and shelves with a kitchen cleaner or soapy water.
5. Wash any drawer organizers
6. Group similar items together and place back into their appropriate area.

Clean Other Appliances:

1. Clean and/or polish the exterior of the dishwasher, oven, stovetop, and any other small countertop appliances
2. Wipe down the inside and outside of the microwave
3. Use the self-clean cycle on your oven, making sure to follow the manufacturers instructions

Clean floors:

1. Remove any moveable furniture and throw rugs
2. Wash throw rugs
3. Sweep floor
4. Mop floors with a heavy duty cleaner
5. Put everything back into place!