Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Kitchen

Spring is right around the corner and our home is ready for a major cleaning. No area is messier and greasier than the kitchen. Spring cleaning the kitchen is all about preparation and steps. It may not be my favorite way to spend a day, but I always feel accomplished after a major spring cleaning task. Spring kitchen cleaning is something you are probably planning but do not be overwhelmed. You and your kitchen will feel better when the job is complete. Here are some tips from our family that will help you get your kitchen in top shape.

Before you get started, move everything off the counters. Move items into the living room area. This will give you plenty of room and make every kitchen corner accessible. Ask your loving spouse to help. Bribe them with dinner if you have to. I love it when my husband helps me. We turn on music and have a good time.

Send your kids off to grandma's house for the day or for a sleepover if you wish to rest after a long day of cleaning. I prefer to do major spring cleaning on a Saturday, that way I can have Sunday to rest or catch up on anything else around the house.

Prepare cleaning supplies, trash bags, boxes (for cleaning out food items), dusters, mops, rags and sponges. Target has a great selection of green cleaning supplies. They cost a little more but are safer for the environment than regular household cleaners are. Liquid dish soap works wonders for spring kitchen cleaning. I use Dawn or Ajax; both are tough on grease and remove grease stains from just about any object in the kitchen. Lemon and white vinegar work wonders in the kitchen and help remove odors.

Pull heating elements and drip pans off the cooking stove. You will need to soak drip pans in the sink with grease fighting dish detergent. The drip pans can soak while you start cleaning another area of the kitchen.

Wear cleaning gloves, especially when working with any type of cleaning solution or bleach.

Pantry and Cupboards
I clean out my pantry and cupboards with the help of cardboard boxes or plastic bags. I usually sort food out in the living room since my kitchen area is too small to work in. I make three piles: Keep Toss and Donate. I donate non-perishable foods to a local food bank, but I always check dates first and make sure nothing is close to expiration. I toss out anything that is expired and of course keep items that we plan on using.

I toss out old spices and replenish my stock with fresh herbs and spices.

It is easier to clean out your cupboard if you pull all the food and items out. That is why I prefer to move everything in the living room. I have plenty of room to move around while I dust, wipe and sweep. I always sweep the inside of cupboards and shelves.

Replace shelf liners if they have deteriorated or stained. Go through each cabinet drawer and remove items. Replace cabinet liners as well. Wash all utensils in hot soapy water. Wash any plastic containers or utensil holders. Clean off and dust your countertop containers and canisters. Replace any items in your countertop containers that appear to be expired.

Donate extra utensils or cutlery. You might find dishes and items in cupboards that are no longer used. Donate them as well. I donate kitchen items to Goodwill.

Countertops
I do not use bleach on my countertops. I prefer to dilute one cup of white vinegar with water in a spray bottle. Use less vinegar if the scent is too strong for you. Spray liberally on the countertops and wipe with paper towels. Vinegar is a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal, it will kill any germs on countertops as well as deodorize.

Appliances
Check if your oven is self-cleaning. If not, you can buy a commercial oven-cleaning product and spray it on according to directions. Self-cleaning or spray application takes time, you can do something else while the spray works its magic. Most of the time, wipe off commercial cleaners with a clean sponge.

I strongly advise that you unplug the stove and pull it away from the countertops. Clean behind and all around the stove, including underneath where crumbs have started a colony. Do not clean just the top of your stove, pulling it away from the wall works best for a full spring-cleaning.

Take apart your range or oven hood; the bottom part (fan) should pull out for cleaning. Do this before the stove cleaning starts. On the other hand, you can wipe the range hood off with warm dish soap water and a sponge. Dry it with a clean rag.

Pull everything out of your refrigerator and sort through food items. Toss out expired condiments. Pull out drawers and shelves. Wash and wipe down shelves and drawers. Wipe down the inside of your refrigerator. Wipe down the outside, especially front panels and handle. Pull the refrigerator away from the wall in order to clean behind and around it.

Deodorize the fridge by wiping the inside of it with lemon juice or vinegar. Place a paper towel moistened with vinegar on a fridge shelf. The vinegar odor will evaporate but it will eliminate any food smell.

Clean all small appliances such as toasters, microwaves and toaster oven. Remember to pull and dump the toaster oven tray. Wipe down the microwave. Fill a microwave safe bowl or cup with lemon juice and water. Boil the bowl in the microwave to remove any odors.

Clean out the dishwasher. You dishwasher is not a self-cleaning appliance. You will need to pull out top and bottom racks of your dishwasher. Wipe them clean as well as the inside of the dishwasher. Pull out the drain (food trap) on the bottom of the dishwasher. The findings might unpleasantly surprise you if you do not clean out the drain on regular basis. Run an empty dishwasher with a quarter cup of vinegar. Air-dry the dishwasher after running; this will help remove any food odors.

Sink
I do not have a garbage disposal currently. If you do, be careful when cleaning and never place your fingers inside the garbage disposal. I used to put lemon peels inside my old sink with a garbage disposal. This freshened up the inside of the unit very well. You do not have to cut up a lemon just to run it through a garbage disposal. Plink Garbage Disposal Cleaner and Deodorizer is a product I found at Bed Bath and Beyond. It works just as well as fresh lemon to clean out garbage disposal odors.

My current sink I clean with Comet, baking soda, soap, and water. I use white distilled vinegar to freshen it up and get rid of odors. Pour Comet or baking soda all over the sink and drain. Allow it to sit a few minutes and scrub with a plastic scrubber or cleaning sponge. Do not use anything rough such as metal scrubbers as they can ruin your sink. Rinse with warm water and follow up with white distilled vinegar. Use the same spray bottle as you did with countertops. Wipe the area dry with paper towels or a clean dishtowel.

Do not forget to clean the sink and countertop seams. A good cleaning sponge and some elbow grease will clean built up dirt, just remember to go all around the sink and even behind the faucet.

Windows
My least favorite spring cleaning step is windows. I used to hate having to clean my windows from the inside and then to have to do it from outside as well. Double hung vinyl windows are a blessing to have in the house, especially kitchen. I can pull them in by myself and clean both outside and inside with ease.

I wash my windows with either a commercial window cleaner or vinegar. I spray cleaning solution and use a squeegee. I dry the windows with old newspapers for best results. Clean vinyl tracks and window trim with a damp sponge.

Fans and Mini blinds
Kitchen fans get disgustingly dirty and greasy. Take your fan apart do not just dust it. Fill the bathtub up with warm water and dish detergent. Check if it is safe to submerge fan blades in water, some wooden ones cannot while plastic ones are okay. Leave the fan blades in the bathtub for several hours. Scrub them with a soft sponge and dry before reassembling the kitchen fan.

Plastic mini blinds will be just as dirty as your kitchen fan. Take them off the windows and dust. Submerge them in the bathtub as well for a good cleaning. You will have to be careful with mini blinds to avoid any damage. Dry your mini blinds off completely before placing them back on the windows.

The rest of your kitchen spring cleaning should consist of dusting, sweeping and mopping. Do not forget to dust the walls and any hanging art. Mr. Cleans' Magic Eraser cleans walls well in our household, especially when our lovable toddler decides to draw mommy a picture.

How long does spring cleaning a kitchen take? Expect to spend all day if you wish to have a completely clean and deodorized kitchen. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it is so worth it. Treat yourself by ordering take-out or going out to dinner. No sense is getting your kitchen dirty the same day you spent several hours spring cleaning.

More Spring Cleaning Ideas:

The Ultimate Guide to Easy Spring Cleaning: Your Kitchen

5 Spots You Shouldn't Miss While Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning: A Green Approach

Spring Cleaning Tips for Windows

Why I Love Spring Cleaning