The term “spring cleaning” can be applied to a variety of different areas of your home: your closet, your garage, or even your bathrooms. But one area that can probably benefit the most from a good spring cleaning is your kitchen. Since the kitchen is used daily for food preparation, dining and much more, making sure it's always clean and organized is a must. With the new season approaching quickly, now is the best time to spend a weekend spring cleaning. Here are a few areas to focus on cleaning and some tips and tricks.
Your cabinets– Your kitchen cabinets hold everything from dishes to food, so you want them to look good on both the outside and inside. For the inside, empty out the contents and give the cabinet a good dusting. Get rid of any dust, crumbs or debris that has collected. You can always line your cabinets with paper or linens to help with this. Before putting the contents back in the cabinets, get rid of anything that is broken, old, stained or useless. For the outside of your cabinets, give them a nice cleaning with some cleaning products (you can generally use soap and water, but each type of wood or surface requires different cleaning products). This will get rid of any fingerprints or stains and make your cabinets look like new.
Your pots and pans– Over time, your pots and pans can take quite a beating. If you use them infrequently, it's a good idea to give them a good cleaning to get rid of any dust. If you use them often, chances are they have some build-up or damage from frequent cooking. If this is the case, give them a deep clean to get rid of any build-up, scratches or debris. Each material requires different cleaning methods, so be careful to use the appropriate one. Generally, a soft cloth and white vinegar gets the job done on stainless steel.
Range hood, stove and oven– Starting at the top, it might be time to check and replace the filter in your range hood vent. These need to be changed periodically and cleaned, so spring is the perfect time. Give your stove a nice cleaning to get rid of any grit, food debris or burnt spots. Most ovens have a self-cleaning feature, which makes the final step fairly easy. If not, you can always give the inside a good scrub with baking soda and water (or a store-bought oven cleaner). Let it sit and then scrape any debris off and you're good to go.
Garbage and waste storage– An often-neglected area of the kitchen is the waste baskets and pull-outs. Give your garbage cans a thorough cleaning with a basic bleach-and-water solution and let them dry. If your bins have seen better days, replace them with new ones. This is also a great time to stock up on garbage bags and store them for future use.
Sink and garbage disposal- Your sink can always use a good scrubbing- and now is the ideal time. Disinfect your sink with a cup of bleach and a sink full of water. Rinse it out and use a wipe to give it a nice shine. Don't forget to shine the faucet and knobs as well. If you have a garbage disposal, try running a lemon through it to get rid of any bad odors. If you have a clogged sink, use a store-bought product to clear this problem up.