There are a few areas in our home that I clean EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Our powder room (guest bath) and our kitchen. These are the most used spots in our home, so they need my attention daily. Wiping down the counters, doing dishes, and rinsing the sink are minimum chores even on our lightest cleaning days. If we skip even one day the kitchen can become a disaster and it leaves us with a BIG mess.
I have three active, messy kids and a hubby. Plus I cook at least once a day… ha! But even when we “eat out,” we eat at home and there is always a mess to clean up. Our kitchen is a pretty big size so there is a lot to do. But as long as I do these things daily, I feel like I’m always ahead of the game the next day.
Here are some tips on how I keep my kitchen looking and smelling clean throughout the day.
Start with a clean slate and keep it simple.
Basically, what does your kitchen look like when it’s clean. Is it uncluttered, is it free from drying dishes, are appliances wiped down, floor swept? You really must decide what your clean kitchen will look like. Here is mine!
I keep the counter clutter to a minimum but I can’t help to display some of my pretty housewares!
My clean kitchen has clean appliances, a clean and empty sink, and the counters are wiped down. The floors don’t get done every day but they do get done weekly.
Wash the dishes.
No matter if it’s a big meal, a small meal, or even a snack, you must wash as you go to be on top of your dishes. I usually empty my dishwasher in the morning and then throughout the day I fill her up and turn it on at night. It really is the most effective way to keep everything in check.
Also, dry the dishes and put it away if it’s not going in the dishwasher or if you don’t have one. This will help with the clutter.
Dinner can be overwhelming (if you aren’t cleaning as you go) so I usually have my kids or hubby help with the dishes. I think if you’re cooking, it’s not too much to ask the ones who are enjoying to meal to help out!
Wipe down surfaces.
Whenever you are in the kitchen, wipe down the area that you are using as you go. If you spill something, clean it up right away. This goes for countertops, floors, appliances, cabinets, and anything with a surface. You can always schedule a deeper clean for these areas later in the week or month depending on how often you need it.
I like to use an all-purpose cleaner for these areas. hōm offers an amazing line of products to help out.
For appliances, I like to use these appliance wipes. The key to making sure there are no streaks is to wipe in the same direction as the grain of the appliance.
Clean the sink.
Making sure the kitchen sink is clean at the end of the day is oddly satisfying for anyone who makes it a habit. I sure do try my best to, and each time I wake up to a shining kitchen sink my day seems to start off just a little bit better.
Cleaning your sink is definitely a necessary daily chore but thankfully it’s also pretty easy. I like to start off by using Bar Keeper’s Friend and a little water to make a paste. Then I scrub generously with a mildly abrasive sponge, like these from Skoy, and work in circles to make it shine!
Disinfect.
Trash, cabinet knobs, appliance pulls, sinks and faucets all get a good disinfecting each time I clean the kitchen. After handing any type of meat for meals, it’s always important for me to wipe everything down with the intention of killing 99.9% of any germs or bacteria that may be lingering.
Use a spray disinfect or disinfecting wipes for an easy way to get the job done. Within about 2 minutes you can have all your hot traffic surfaces cleaned and ready for the next day.
This is also a great time to put rags or dishtowels into a bucket for a good washing in the washing machine.
High Traffic Surfaces to Clean and Disinfect Each Day in the Kitchen:
- Trash
- Trash Handles
- Faucets
- Appliance Handles
- Cabinet Knobs
- Countertops
- Door Knobs
- Kitchen Sink
- Cutting Boards
- Rag and Sponges
