For many people, the kitchen is the centerpiece and focal point of their home. And that means it tends to be a high-traffic area that gets plenty of attention from visitors. But because it’s also where we prepare countless meals, snacks, and other tasty treats – it’s also the room that gets dirty the fastest.
All of that makes cleaning your kitchen one of the biggest household chores of all. And that leaves you with two choices. You can either spend hours making every surface and appliance in your kitchen sparkle. Or, you can use these five simple cleaning tips and tricks to get it all done in no time. If the latter sounds like the better option, read on.
1. Sanitize Your Sink The Easy Way
Although you may not realize it, your kitchen sink is one of the dirtiest places in your home. And once you let it get out of hand, it may seem impossible to whip it back into shape. But there is a way you can do it without having to spend hours scrubbing.
First, wet your sink down to prepare it for deep cleaning. Then sprinkle baking soda across the surfaces of the sink, and rub it (with a soft brush or a gloved hand) into a paste. Once that’s done, you should cover the baking soda with paper towels soaked in white vinegar.
The bubbly reaction that occurs when the two substances mix will do a great job of cleaning your sink for you. Just let the whole thing sit for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water. You’ll find that your sink ends up as clean as can be, except for a few hard-to-reach places. For those, just do some touch-ups with a toothbrush, and you’re all set.
2. Keep Your Coffee Station Brew-Ready
If you’re a coffee fan, you likely have a part of your kitchen counter dedicated to it. But coffee makers can be breeding grounds for mold and germs. That means you’ll need to stay on top of cleaning it to stay safe and healthy. Fortunately, doing so isn’t as hard as you think.
To sanitize a coffee maker, mix equal parts water and white vinegar into its water reservoir. Then, add a new filter and begin the normal brewing process. But don’t let the process finish. The idea is to get the hot mixture onto all of the inner surfaces and into the carafe. So once about half of the liquid is in the carafe, stop the brewing. Then let the mixture work for about an hour.
Then, all you have to do is turn the coffee maker back on and allow it to complete its cycle. Follow that up with two full cycles of clean water (with a new filter each time), and your coffee maker will be as clean as the day you brought it home. And if you’re worried about wasting filters, just get all your coffee-related equipment including espresso machines from Qavashop and you’ll save so much it won’t matter!
3. Deal With Dirty Oven Racks
The good news about cleaning your oven is that most modern ovens have a built-in self-cleaning function that does a decent job of taking care of baked-on messes. But you’ll notice that your oven’s instructions advise you to remove the oven racks before starting a cleaning cycle. That’s because they’re not designed to withstand hours of maximum heat like the rest of the oven interior.
But you can clean your oven racks while the cleaning cycle completes – and without any back-breaking work. All you’ll need to do it is a large plastic bin (big enough for the racks to fit) and a few dishwasher tablets. Then fill the bin with very hot water and dissolve four of the dishwasher tablets in it. After that, just place the racks in the water, cover the bin, and let it soak overnight.
Because the dishwasher tabs are made to dissolve grease and remove stuck-on foods, they’ll do a great job of cleaning your oven racks. The next day, all you’ll have to do is to give the racks a light sponging and rinse the soapy mixture off them. Once that’s done, you can put them back in your oven and move on with your day.
4. Sanitize Your Garbage Can
The funny thing about garbage cans is that no matter how hard you try to keep them clean, they always end up a sticky, smelly, mess. And they’re also the part of the kitchen most people dread having to clean. After all, who wants to get close to garbage?
But this is another cleaning job you can do without much trouble. All you need to do is add half of a cup of bleach (scented, if you like) to the bottom of your emptied garbage can. then, fill the rest with hot water and let it soak for a few hours. Then, empty the liquid and use a stiff brush to go over the interior surfaces with a single quick pass. Then rinse, and you’re done.
To save yourself some trouble for the next time, you may want to place cotton balls soaked in your favorite essential oil in the bottom of your garbage can. Or, you can add a little bit of baking soda into each new garbage bag you use. Either one will keep your garbage smelling fresh – no matter how gross it gets.
5. Make Quick Work of Cleaning Your Vinyl or Porcelain Floor
These days, kitchens come with floors made of countless materials. Some are cork, some are laminate, and some are stone. But the vast majority of kitchens feature either vinyl or porcelain tiles. And if you have either of those in your kitchen, you’re in luck.
To get them clean and shiny, just mix one-quarter cup of white vinegar, a drop of dish soap, and water into a 16-ounce spray bottle. Then spray a small area with the mixture and let it sit for a minute or two. The mixture will cut through any dirt or grease that’s accumulated on the tiles. Then all you have to do is wipe the area dry with a microfiber mop or cloth. You’ll end up with clean, shiny floors – with no scrubbing at all.
A Clean Kitchen in no Time
Using these five simple cleaning tips will make short work of some of your toughest kitchen cleaning chores. They’ll not only save you time but leave you with a clean and healthy kitchen you can be proud of. Then, you’ll have nothing keeping you from whipping up your favorite foods or hosting your next family get-together. Just try not to make a mess and spoil all of your not-so-hard work!
