The usual daily dishwasher cycle and consistent wiping of the countertops can only go so far in maintaining your kitchen. Eventually, this high-use space requires a little extra TLC to keep it in tip-top shape. These easy kitchen maintenance tips will help you keep your kitchen at its best—efficient, clean, and safe.
Daily Kitchen Maintenance Checklist
A daily kitchen cleaning routine simplifies the maintenance of your kitchen.
- Empty the dishwasher
- Wash dirty dishes as they happen (after each meal or snack) or put them in the dishwasher
- Wipe countertops and cooktop
- Sweep the floors and spot clean
- Put out a fresh dishcloth and dish towel
You can get these tasks done very quickly and easily if you’re consistent. Cooking is simpler when you start with a clean kitchen, and your morning coffee is more enjoyable when you’re not digging through yesterday’s dirty dishes to get to the coffee pot.
Shine the Sink
A shiny sink automatically freshens up your kitchen and makes it look cleaner and ready for the next meal. Even if you keep up with dirty dishes, your sink needs attention, too.
After washing the dishes at the end of each day, wipe down the inside of your sink—including the faucet—with your soapy dishcloth. Pay attention to the edges or seams, especially around the drains. Rinse it, then wipe it dry and shine it up with a dry dish towel.
Clean the Cooktop
When you wipe down your countertops each day, don’t forget your cooktop. Even if you haven’t used it that day, it gathers dust just like any other flat surface. And if you got splatters or spills on it, leaving it for another day will only delay the inevitable and make the job harder.
Weekly Kitchen Maintenance Checklist
These weekly kitchen maintenance tasks need to be done regularly, but not daily.
- Remove leftovers and expired foods from your fridge
- Wipe down the outside of the appliances
- Wipe down the inside of the microwave
- Mop the floors
- Clean the garbage disposal
Clean the Garbage Disposal
Without regular maintenance, your garbage disposal will develop an unwelcome smell. To prevent this, and to keep your kitchen smelling fresh, cut a lemon into several pieces and run it through the garbage disposal. Use a toothbrush and dish soap to scrub the splash guard. Then pour boiling water down the drain.
Monthly Kitchen Maintenance Checklist
These monthly kitchen maintenance tasks are often neglected, but if you make time to keep up with them, your kitchen is always in great shape. You’ll also prolong the life of your appliances.
Clean the Kitchen Waste Bins
Naturally, trash bins get dirty. Reduce foul odors by cleaning your kitchen waste bins each month. Take them outside or use the bathtub to rinse them out. Then use a disinfectant cleaner to wipe them clean and remove stains and smells.
Clean the Cabinet Door Fronts
Your cabinet doors get dusty and collect splashes and drips over time. Use a damp cloth with mild soapy water to wipe down the cabinet doors. If your door fronts have recessed faces, use a toothbrush to get into the edges and corners.
Clean the Backsplash
Did you know that your backsplash is more than just a design feature? It protects your kitchen walls from grease stains and other splatters. Keep it clean by wiping it down with mild soapy water once a month.
Clean the Oven, Range Hood, and Electric or Gas Stove Top
If your oven has a self-cleaning cycle, use it. But first, remove any spills and food debris that may have collected at the bottom.
Your range hood collects grease, so it needs regular maintenance to prevent it from getting clogged. Some hood fan filters are dishwasher safe, but if you need to clean it by hand, soak it for about 30 minutes in a sink with super hot soapy water and baking soda. Then scrub it clean and rinse it. Let it dry before replacing it.
The grates and burners of your stovetop need to be cleaned. You can remove them, soak them in soapy water, and scrub them clean.
Clean the Microwave
The inside of your microwave will look like new with regular maintenance. Simply place a few slices of lemon in a bowl, add a cup of water, and microwave it for 5 minutes. Alternatively, mix a tablespoon of baking soda with about ½ cup of water and microwave it for 2 minutes. This will loosen up any splashes or food that’s stuck to the walls of your microwave, so you can easily wipe it clean.
Descale Small Appliances
Mineral deposits in your coffee maker and tea kettle can affect the performance of the appliance and the flavour of your beverages.
To descale a coffee maker, run a cycle with a commercial descaler or with vinegar. Then run at least 3 more cycles with just water to rinse it.
To descale your tea kettle, fill it up with strong vinegar water, bring it to a boil, dump the vinegar, then repeat at least 3 times with just water to rinse it.
Clean Your Fridge
Wipe down the walls, shelves, and drawers inside your fridge. Clean the rubber gasket around the refrigerator door to ensure it seals properly.
Clean the Dishwasher
Did you know that your dishwasher needs to be cleaned? The filter and drain collects debris, so remove that debris and clean the filter. If your dishwasher hasn’t been working as well as it used to, the spray arms might be clogged. A toothpick works well to clear the holes of buildup. Finally, place a cup of distilled white vinegar on the top rack of your empty dishwasher and run one hot cycle.
Seasonal Kitchen Maintenance Checklist
These tasks don’t need to be done often at all, but it’s important to do them occasionally.
Clean Inside the Cabinets
Cleaning the inside of your cabinets seems like a big job, but you don’t have to do it all at once. You can clean one cupboard at a time. A benefit of this task is that it helps you to keep your kitchen organized and decluttered because you must remove the contents of the cupboard to clean it. Just wipe down the cabinet’s interior with hot mild soapy water or an all-purpose cleaner.
Clean the Freezer
Frost buildup can cause buildup and lead to appliance malfunction and spoiled food. Keep your freezer working optimally by defrosting it one or two times a year—whenever frost buildup is more than an inch thick.
Vacuum Fridge Coils
If your fridge has exposed coils in the back, pull the appliance away from the wall and vacuum the coils. Do this once or twice a year.
The Key to Kitchen Maintenance
Kitchen maintenance is easy when your kitchen is clutter-free. Cleaning seems to take forever when you have countless items to move and clean around. Without the clutter, you can just focus on the task at hand. Check out these 15 easy ways to conquer kitchen clutter.
