The birds are chirping and the flowers are coming into full bloom – it must be kitchen spring cleaning time! And lucky for you, we have all the kitchen spring cleaning hacks to make light work of the job.
In many homes, the kitchen is a workhorse. As one of the first places visited in the morning for breakfast to one of the last places frequented at night for a sneaky post-dinner snack. The kitchen often withstands a lot of foot traffic and daily chores. And that is why a good kitchen spring clean is so important.
From baked on oven grease, to dust on top of the fridge and a kitchen pantry stocktake. Even with the most well-intentioned and regular cleaning regime throughout the year, kitchen spring cleaning is a necessary evil. But it is not all that bad if you have a few kitchen spring cleaning hacks to help with the job.
Here’s a quick kitchen spring cleaning guide to help you with the task of giving a yearly dose of TLC to the workhorse in your home. (The workhorse being the kitchen itself 😉 not the noteworthy and tireless people who frequent the kitchen and prepare delicious meals in there, although they are definitely workhorses too! They need a whole other type of TLC program)
Kitchen spring cleaning – guide to make it simple
#1 Set the tone
Our first kitchen spring cleaning tip is to set the mood. Put on some background music to help keep your motivation pumped for kitchen spring cleaning success.
#2 Get the right tools ready
Gather all your kitchen spring cleaning tools together in one spot. We recommend:
- rubber gloves
- cleaning cloths and cleaning rags (remember to consider the product and finish of your kitchen cabinetry and choose cloths that are appropriate)
- a scrubbing brush
- a bucket and mop
- cleaning solutions – you might need different products for the dishwasher, bench, floor, sink, glass, stainless steel, oven, drawers, furniture, etc
- a bag or box for donation items
- a rubbish bag
- a duster
#3 Get started
With the mood set and your kitchen spring cleaning tools at the ready, it’s time to get stuck in!
Start with a blank canvas. Clean away any dirty dishes, empty the dishwasher, put all kitchen items away and ensure the area is free of anything that does not belong in the kitchen.
While the dishwasher is empty, run it through its cleaning cycle.
Dust
Give the kitchen a good once over to remove any dust. Remember common areas like:
- top of the fridge
- the top of the rangehood
- microwave
- ceiling
- the top of any exposed cabinetry and furniture
Drawers and cabinets
- take the time to go through the kitchen drawers and remove all the items
- wipe out the drawers
- consider donating or throwing away anything that you don’t use before re-organising the items that you are keeping neatly back into the drawers
- wipe down the drawer fronts and drawer handles or knobs
Repeat the same process for you kitchen cupboards and cabinets.
#4 Kitchen pantry spring cleaning
If you have a large kitchen pantry, it may be a good idea to go through the pantry shelf by shelf, starting at the top:
- remove the items
- throw out any expired goods or food that is not salvageable
- consider donating items in date that you do not want/will not use
- wipe down the shelves and any adjoining wall space
- clean any pantry organisers such as plastic baskets and racks
- place all items back into the pantry
- wipe over any remaining wall areas as well as the door and handles/hardware
#5 Benchtop kitchen spring cleaning
Before wiping the benchtop over thoroughly, remember to:
- empty out any utensil jars, fruit bowls, etc. clean and sort the utensils and the cannisters before putting the items back in
- put away any appliances that are not used regularly (you might have some spare room in the kitchen pantry now that it has been cleaned and re-organised)
- descale the coffee machine
- give the microwave and good clean with hot, soapy water; inside and out
- sharpen the knives in the knife block
- thoroughly wipe and clean the kitchen sink and dishrack (if applicable)
#6 Oven, cooktop and rangehood
- when cleaning the oven inside and out – remember to remove and clean the oven racks as well as the oven itself and the oven knobs and handles
- clean the cooktop (cooktop racks can often be put on a hot cycle in the dishwasher)
- remove and wash and clean rangehood filters (often also dishwasher-safe).
- wipe over the rangehood with stainless steel cleaner
#7 Fridge
- just like you did with the kitchen pantry, free the fridge of any out of date or unsalvageable items
- wipe over all the shelves, crisper containers, drawers and special compartments and the door seal
- re-organise the food back into the fridge
- remove magnets and old paperwork from the outside of the fridge (re-sort)
- wipe down the top and sides of the fridge as well as the door
Other items to include in your kitchen spring cleaning regime should be window trimmings and window sills, floors, chair covers and cushions, table linen, lights, kitchen table and chairs.
* Tip: want to keep your kitchen spring cleaning to a minimum each year – see how to design an easy clean kitchen here
Spring is upon us. But kitchen spring cleaning does not need to be a real chore. You don’t necessarily need to do it all in one big shift either if that seems a little daunting. If you’d prefer, use our list to break the job down into smaller tasks and do one or a few each day. Spread it over a number of days and it’ll be done in no time. Follow our easy guide to make light work of your kitchen spring cleaning this year.
Having a truly great kitchen is not just about keeping it clean. It’s about creating a beautiful space where you, your family and friends can spend endless hours making precious memories. With a gorgeous new kitchen to enjoy, who knows, it might give you a little more spring in your step when it comes time for kitchen spring cleaning. Contact the team at Harrington Kitchens to discuss your dream kitchen project. Get us on the phone by dialling 1300 662 112, submit an online enquiry or visit us at our Narellan or Bowral showrooms.
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