- Declutter first. Leave nothing out that doesn’t belong, including dishes. Anything that’s in the way is a hindrance to you.
- Start from left & work clockwise. Always work from top to bottom.
- I work in sections meaning I’ll do the top cabinets all the way around, then the backsplash and counter tops, then the lower cabinets.
- I complete each area before I move on. If it’s stainless steel, I clean it and then shine it. If it’s a stove top, I wipe it down, clean the burnt spots, then shine it.
- My favorite cleaner is HOT water with powdered Tide. If I’m disinfecting, I’ll add a little bleach. I love the smell of Tide and it works great on grease. Don’t use too much Tide or it can leave the surface sticky. If you’re not cleaning with hot water, you’re making the job harder on yourself. Hot water is a huge deal for me. Switch out your water regularly as you work.
- Move everything. Clean under and behind it. Then wipe it off before putting it back. This includes appliances like your coffee maker, blender, toaster, etc. You can’t skip out to try to get done quicker. It makes a difference.
- Wipe your crumbs off first, then scrub. Get eye level with your flat surfaces to make sure you didn’t leave anything behind.
- If your microwave plate is dirty, soak it in your water for a few minutes.
- Change your cloth and water regularly! They get nasty fast. Especially cleaning a kitchen.
- When cleaning your cabinets, open them to get the edges as well as the inside. They get dirtier than you may realize.
- Just because a spot looks clean doesn’t mean that it is. Try to touch every surface at least once.
- When you’re on the ground getting the bottom cabinets, look up. You’ll find spots you missed. Same for when you’re up high. Different perspectives keep you from missing spots.
- Leave the sink for last. You’ll be using it the whole time you’re cleaning. Nothing is more frustrating than cleaning an area to only dirty it up a few seconds later.
- Don’t forget the walls, doorways, baseboards, and kick plates. These often get overlooked but usually have the most food spillage.
- End with your floors but spend time on them! Kitchen floors are always the dirtiest.