Clean Kitchen Checklist
If you struggle to keep track of your cleaning to-dos, here is the perfect clean kitchen checklist to help you manage your time and keep your kitchen space cleaner than before.
When working on kitchen organization, cleaning plays an important role in that. Make your room easier to keep neat and put away and transform your kitchen into a space you love to cook in.
Have you ever walked into your kitchen and seen how greasy the stove top is? Kind of disgusting, right? What if you were hungry and ran to the kitchen to look for food in the cabinets or fridge, only to find that you were out of food? Or, even worse, your food had already expired but was still in your kitchen waiting to be thrown away?
It is necessary to keep a clean kitchen to avoid these frustrations and many more cluttered scenarios we might experience.
If you’re a busy person with not much time for cleaning, you may start to wonder, “where should I start?”, “what do I need?” “What should I do?”
Let me introduce you to my Clean Kitchen Checklist. An easier way to remove the grime and mess from your cooking space.
To start off, you will want to prepare the tools you’ll need to clean up your kitchen.
Kitchen Cleaning Tools
- Clean microfiber cloth
- Dish soap
- Scrub brush or sponge
- Multi-purpose cleaner
- Baking soda (For tough stains, strange smells, burned-on messes, and everything in between)
- Lemon
- Swiffer Dusters
Clean Kitchen Checklist
To make things easier, I love to break a big project down into smaller steps that you can do without overwhelm. Work on one step at a time and watch your kitchen begin to sparkle and shine.
Step #1. Clean The Microwave
Let’s start with cleaning the microwave, which serves as our life-saver when we are not in the best mood to cook dinners and just want some quick easy-to-eat meals.
To clean your microwave, get a microwave-proof bowl and fill it with water. Cut a lemon in half, squeeze its juice into the bowl, and throw the lemon skin into it as well. Microwave for about three minutes.
Microwaving the water-lemon combination creates steam to help remove gunk and spills that may be splattered throughout the inside.
Using a warm soapy sponge, wipe the inside of the microwave until clean.
DM Pro Tip: Continue cleaning the small appliances in your kitchen paying close attention to the ones you use frequently. The toaster, coffee maker, and instant pot for example.
Step #2. Declutter and Clean the Kitchen Table
The kitchen table is where we gather as a family to enjoy amazing meals together. By keeping your table free of clutter and mess, you will always have an inviting space to eat.
Start by removing any clutter that is on your kitchen table.
- Toss the trash
- Remove any recyclables
- Put any food away
- Put dishes in the sink or dishwasher
- Anything that is left can now be put away.
Once cleared, you can wipe the surface down, removing any stuck-on food or grime. If you have the time wipe down the chairs as well.
Kitchen Decluttering Resources:
- 5 Steps to Clutter Free Counters
- Stop Clutter From Showing up In Your Kitchen
- Keep Counters Organized Going Forward
D/M Pro Tip: Start a new clutter-free habit. Designate your kitchen table as a clutter-free zone. This will always ensure your eating area is neat and tidy for you to enjoy dinner with your family.
Step #3. Clean and Declutter the Kitchen Counters
Another area that tends to get messy quickly is our kitchen counters. Let’s get those back in shape.
- Toss the trash
- Remove any recyclables
- Put any food away
- Put dishes in the sink or dishwasher
- Anything that is left can now be put away.
Once the clutter is gone, you can clean your countertops. Be sure to use the best cleaner for the counters you have.
Your goal is to clean and sanitize the area. You can do this with warm soapy water or purchase a special cleaner.
Cleaning the table is pretty straightforward. Since most are durable, you can use a multi-purpose cleaner to sanitize and clean.
Step #4. Clean the Sink and Dishwasher
Before you begin cleaning the sink, start by washing all the dirty dishes. If you have a dishwasher, you can load it up, being sure to hand wash any pots and pans or fragile items.
Clean the sink by spraying a multi-purpose cleaner around the inside, including the outer rim and faucet. Using a damp sponge, wipe the inside and rinse thoroughly.
How can I remove grime and stains from my kitchen sink?
You can use baking soda in the sink as a gentle abrasive. Be sure to use a soft rag or sponge to keep from damaging the surface while cleaning.
If you have grout that needs cleaning, a toothbrush will work great in this area.
By using baking soda, you can remove the grease and shine your sink at the same time.
Step #5. Clean the Cupboards and Cabinets
Be sure these areas are also included on your kitchen cleaning checklist.
Sometimes, with our busy lives, we tend to overlook cleaning the outside of our cabinets. Unfortunately, this area can get pretty messy with fingerprints, dust, grease, and other specks of dirt.
If your cabinets are dusty, use a Swiffer duster or a multi-purpose cleaner with a microfiber cloth.
If your cabinets are greasy, you need to use something more powerful. Hot soapy water works well, or a grease dissolving spray and a soft rag. Be sure the spray you choose will not damage the surface of your cabinets.
Step #6. Take out the Trash
An easy step that will only take seconds and one that is hopefully on your daily routine.
Not keeping the trash emptied will not only cause odor but can also invite bugs and pests.
After throwing the trash out, clean the garbage can and dry. Next, sprinkle baking soda inside it to remove any smells. Also, use a multi-purpose cleaner to clean the outside of your kitchen trash can.
Step #7. Clean the Fridge
Cleaning the fridge is another one of those tasks that you may want to have on your weekly cleaning list. The more frequently you clean the inside of your refrigerator, the easier it is to keep it neat and tidy.
If you want to give your fridge a good deep cleaning, you can do that in a few quick steps.
- Remove the food inspecting things as you do.
- Toss any outdated or spoiled items.
- Wipe down any containers
- Once everything is removed, using a warm soapy sponge, clean the inside. Be sure to get the doors and drawers and any shelving.
- Wipe down the outside with a multi-purpose cleaner.
- Finally, pull the fridge out and vacuum off the coils.
Once everything is clean, you can return your food doing a gentle organizing as you do.
Make a list of any items you need to replenish the next time you are at the grocery store.
Food Organizing Resources:
Step #8. Clean the Stovetop
Cleaning the stove top varies depending on the type of stove you have in your kitchen. This task can also be challenging since grease and grime can build up here.
If you have a flat cooktop, whether induction or electric, you can pull off the knobs that adjust the temperature and wipe or scrub them with a sponge dipped in dishwashing soap.
If you have a stove with non-removable knobs, you can spray a multi-purpose cleaner on your microfibre cloth and carefully wipe each one down.
For wiping the stove tops, you can also use a sponge and dishwashing soap or a soft brush and water. Just make sure to rinse and dry when done cleaning.
Add to your weekly cleaning list a regular wipe-down of the stovetop to avoid the buildup that may cause a bigger mess to clean.
Daily Kitchen Cleaning tasks
So many times, daily upkeep can keep this busy room neater and much easier to use. Let’s cover a quick list of things you can do each day.
- Do the dishes
- Remove any counter clutter
- Wipe down the counters
- Sweep/vacuum the floor.
- Update your shopping list
After following this 8-step checklist for cleaning your kitchen, you can also go the extra mile in cleaning your kitchen by changing the kitchen towels, decluttering and organizing your food storage areas, mopping the floor, and more!
Always remember: A clean and organized kitchen makes a warm and pleasant dining experience for everyone.