Here is a straightforward guide to keeping your kitchen in a constant state of pristine order.
CLEAN AS YOU GO
Cleaning as you go is a fundamental part of maintaining a clean kitchen. It means that you continuously clean up as you’re cooking or using the kitchen.
For example, always wipe spills off the counter right away, put ingredients back when you’re finished with them, and wash dirty dishes while dinner is cooking.
DON’T SET DIRTY UTENSILS DIRECTLY ON THE COUNTER
Avoid creating unnecessary messes! Grab a paper towel, rag, or even a small dish to set down your saucy spoon or the whisk you used to stir cake batter. A spoon rest that’s readily available is also a great option.
NIGHTLY COUNTER SWEEP
Clutter tends to easily collect on kitchen counters. When it isn’t taken care of, it multiplies. Avoid this from happening by clearing off your counters and putting things away where they belong every night as part of your nightly kitchen cleanup routine.
WASH THESE 3 TOOLS AFTER USE
Don’t let strainers, cheese graters, or chef’s knives sit out before being cleaned. Cleaning them right away is less work for you in the long run, as you won’t have to deal with the arduous task of scrubbing dried-on food from these tricky items.
KEEP THE CABINET UNDER THE SINK ORGANIZED
Having your cleaning products and tools accessible is key to maintaining a pristine clean kitchen. You likely store most of them in the cabinet under your sink, which is great — you just need to ensure it’s organized so that you can conveniently grab what you need when you need it.
DIVIDE THE KITCHEN COUNTER INTO ZONES
If you section off certain counter areas for specific tasks, you prevent dirtying all the counters unnecessarily when you’re working in the kitchen. For instance, if you mix your muffin batter next to the area you’re baking, you know you only have to wipe down that specific counter (and the area around the sink) when you’re finished whipping up those delicious muffins.
DON’T PUT OFF RUNNING THE DISHWASHER
It’s likely that you need to run your dishwasher more often than you actually think you do. And when you put it off too long; you won’t be able to fit anything else in it, it no longer becomes useful, and then dirty dishes have to sit (or get hand-washed!). Try to make it a habit to run it every night after dinner.
If you run the dishwasher at night, you can unload in the morning while you wait for the coffee to brew. This way, you start the day with an empty dishwasher that can be loaded as dishes get dirtied.
TRY TO KEEP YOUR SINK EMPTY
Even one dirty spoon in the sink will subconsciously make it easier to stack your dirty bowl in there as opposed to sticking it in the dishwasher or washing it right away.
A clean and empty sink is more likely to stay in that condition.Try to train yourself to keep your kitchen sink empty.
CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN FLOORS NIGHTLY
Kitchen floors are prone to getting dirty very fast if not maintained. Add a quick sweep or nightly vacuum to your routine to keep those floors from getting too dirty.
KEEP YOUR COUNTERS AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE
Cluttered spaces are a breeding ground for messes to accumulate— much more than empty ones. Counters that are kept minimalist regarding items on them offer no space for clutter and dirty dishes to hide.
CLEAN UP AFTER ALL MEALS
Don’t make it a habit to come back to address a dirty table and kitchen after taking a “break.” You should clear the table immediately and have everyone help you until the kitchen is back in order. Then you can finally settle in to watch some Netflix.
DON’T GO TO BED WITH A DIRTY KITCHEN
Ever. It’s important to “shut down” your kitchen when you’re cleaning it up after dinner, but it’s possible you may prepare the next day’s lunches after dinner, so consider that as well if needed. This entails that all your daily kitchen to-do tasks are completed, including running the dishwasher and emptying the trash, for example.
CREATE AND STICK TO CLEANING ROUTINES
Creating routines that become habits means you’ll be able to switch into an automatic pilot mode and easily complete all your kitchen-cleaning chores. Build routines for cleaning up after each meal, including things such as clearing the table, wiping it down, putting away the leftovers, etc.
