Your kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in your house, and it’s also the messiest. Food spills can get everywhere—on countertops and cabinets and in cracks and crevices. Mess can build up on your floors, and food spills can be baked onto your oven’s surfaces. 

Not only can a kitchen look and smell disgusting due to beverage and food spills, but it can also be unsanitary for you to live with this type of muck. Food rot can be dangerous to your health, so it’s important to clean your kitchen properly to get rid of bacteria, mold growth, and other issues associated with spilled, uncooked, or rotting food.

Where to Start When Cleaning Your Kitchen

You always want to start the cleaning process from the top down. That’s because gravity will pull the dirt, grime, food particles, and other contaminants downward. 

For instance, begin by spraying down cabinets and cleaning the top of your refrigerator. Make sure you use cleaning products that won’t take the paint or finish off of your cabinets. Especially if you just installed cabinetry from Quest Interiors, you want your beautiful new cabinets to last a long time.

Proper Care of Countertops

Once you’ve cleaned the upper surfaces, you can clean your countertops. If you have granite or marble countertops, you will want to use special cleaners that are safe for stone surfaces. You also want to make sure you seal your granite or marble countertops regularly because granite and marble are porous materials without the sealant on top. You don’t want contaminants getting into your countertops because that could be detrimental to your health. Stains and food spills could also ruin your granite or marble countertops if you don’t have a sealant. 

If you have quartz countertops, you won’t have to worry about sealing them, and you can use most multi-surface cleaning products for these types of counters.

Cleaning the Appliances

Multi-surface cleaners are great for everyday cleaning, but for deeper cleaning, you will want to pick up a cleaning product dedicated to cleaning appliances. Some products are specifically designed for cleaning stainless steel appliances. You also need a product with extra cleaning power for the inside of the oven or the top of the stove. It can be tough—but not impossible—to remove baked-on grease and grime from the inside of your oven.

Also, the more often you clean them, the less overwhelming it will be to clean your kitchen appliances.

How to Clean Floors

Floors can be cleaned in a number of ways. Some people prefer an old-fashioned broom and dustpan, while others prefer robot vacuum cleaners or heavy-duty vacuums. The key is to get all of the food crumbs and dirt particles off of your floors before mopping. 

When mopping, make sure you use a clean mop. Some mops now come with removable heads so you can wash them in the washing machine—a great way to ensure your mob remains free from harmful bacteria. Make sure you use cleaners that will kill viruses and germs but are not too dangerous to your health or too damaging to your floors. If you have hardwood floors, luxury vinyl, or certain types of laminate flooring, be sure to choose a mop and cleaner that won’t harm your floors.

Get into a Regular Cleaning Routine

Cleaning the kitchen is no one’s favorite chore, but it’s one of the most important. For your health and the health of your family, make sure this task is a priority. It may help you to get into a regular cleaning routine. Cleaning can be less overwhelming when you keep up with it. 

Here are a few more tips to help you clean your kitchen properly so that it’s safe for you and your family to use and enjoy:

  • Clean countertops right after using them.
  • Clean surfaces immediately after exposing them to raw fruits, vegetables, or meat. 
  • Dishes are easier to clean right after use before food becomes dried onto the surfaces.
  • Always sweep or vacuum before mopping.
  • Make a schedule for appliance cleaning; that way, you get to cross these tasks off of your to-do list, and you won’t forget about cleaning them.
  • Pace yourself—there’s no rule that you have to clean the entire kitchen from top-to-bottom every time you use it. Clean as you go, and cleaning will be less daunting.
Cleaning doesn’t have to be a dreaded task, and a clean kitchen is a welcoming sight. It can also inspire you to want to cook and prepare healthy meals for yourself and your family. Kitchens are central hubs for families, so make sure you keep yours clean and inviting, so you can make memories that aren’t tarnished by mold, bacteria, or the smell of rotten food.