This isn’t a practice run, this is the real thing. Deep kitchen cleaning. The area will not only look amazing afterward, but your kitchen deep cleaning will also get rid of those lingering, unpleasant kitchen smells — and even do some much-needed kitchen disinfecting, too. Finish your coffee. Go to the bathroom. Now let’s do this!
1. Make room and clear your path. We are going to clean from top to bottom, inside and out. But to do this, you will need space. Get everything that doesn’t belong in the kitchen out of the kitchen — kids and spouses included. Empty the countertops. Move the chairs from the island or breakfast table. Empty the trash (and get ready to fill it again). Remove cookbooks and knick-knacks.
2. Fill a sink or tub with water to allow time for soaking. If you have a large, deep sink, you’ll need it next. If not, use a nearby bathtub or just make do. Fill it with hot water and dishwashing detergent. We’re going to let some things soak, like the microwave turntable, oven racks, stove drip pans and grates, silverware container from the dishwasher, and the crisper drawers from the refrigerator. If using the bathtub, you need to put a towel in the bottom to keep from scratching the finish.
3. Start with the largest appliance first, the refrigerator. This is deep cleaning, so empty it. Put the items on the counter, with the trash nearby. Get rid of the ice, if you have an ice maker bin. Then, put the bin in the sink to soak. Anything that is out of date, chunk it. Questionable leftovers or takeout? Throw ’em out. Any reusable containers need to go in the soaking sink. Wipe down the walls, shelves, door, and gaskets with a non-toxic cleaner. When replacing food items, be sure to leave room for the cold air to circulate around everything, and don’t block the vents.
4. Light fixtures and central air registers need to be dusted or wiped clean. Now we’re going up high. You might need a ladder for this. Make sure to get into recessed light fixtures for cobwebs. Remove the globes from surface-mounted lights or hanging lights, and clean them with a homemade glass cleaner or water and a high-quality microfiber cloth. Next, clean the ceiling fan, if there is one. It’s not a problem if dust falls to the floor — the floor will come later. If you have a hanging pot rack, remove the pots and wipe it down. Better check the pots for dust, too, while you’re at it.
5. Time to dust around the top of the room. Either use a telescoping duster or move your ladder around and wipe down the molding, corners, tops of cabinets, and the upper cabinet door fronts and pull handles. Don’t forget the top of the refrigerator and the vent hood. You can clean the vent hood filters in the soaking sink. The top of the door and window trim is almost always overlooked — but not today.
6. Clean the windows and the glass in any doors with your homemade glass cleaner. Then, wipe down the blinds or shutters.
