The scariest part of conquering that kitchen chaos is not knowing where to begin. There are just SO MANY areas that need attending to. If we start, how will we ever finish?
Luckily today’s checklist breaks the whole process down for you, section by section, in a way that can be done all at once (if you really want to) or just a little at a time, without completely disrupting your life.
Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist
Pre-Clean:
- Wash, dry, & put away any dirty dishes
- Quickly clear countertops and wipe clean
- Clear any clutter that does not belong in the kitchen
Organize Pantry:
- Take out all food & place on table or countertop
- Check labels & toss items that are expired, stale, empty, inedible, etc.
- Fill a bag or box for unopened donation items that you will not be able to eat before they expire, or items that you know your family won’t eat.
- Wipe down all shelves with soapy water or kitchen cleaner.
- Put food back in cabinet. (You may want to do a pantry inventory before you put it back.)
- Create a separate area for open items
- Arrange like items together
- Put oldest items in front; newest in back
Clean & Organize Baking & Cooking Cupboards
- Take out all items & place on table or countertop
- Check labels & toss items that are expired, stale, empty, inedible, etc.
- Wipe down all shelves with soapy water or kitchen cleaner
- Use clean, well-labeled, airtight containers to store baking & cooking staples such as flour, sugar, bread crumbs, etc. (I have been using the OXO Good Grips Pop Top containers for about 6 years now & I love them. They are definitely an investment, but well worth the money if you live in a warm or humid climate like Florida!)
- Put items back in cabinet, making sure the most frequently used containers are easy accessible.
Clean & Organize Refrigerator & Freezer:
- Take out all food & place on table or countertop
- Check labels & toss items that are expired, moldy, empty, inedible, etc.
- Wipe down all shelves with soapy water or kitchen cleaner.
- Remove produce drawers & wash well
- Put food back in refrigerator
- Arrange like items together
- Remove excess magnets & unneeded papers.
- Clean and/or polish exterior
Clean & Organize Storage Cupboards
- Remove all items from remaining storage cupboards or shelves and place on countertop or kitchen table.
- As you remove items, toss or donate any items that are broken, unwanted, unnecessary, or that you haven’t used in over a year.
- Set aside any seasonal items that only get used once or twice a year to be placed with other seasonal items in storage.
- Wipe down all shelves with soapy water or kitchen cleaner.
- Determine whether you can rearrange any of your storage areas to make your kitchen more efficient.
- Group like items together and place back in cupboards.
- Put seasonal items in storage and bring donation items to local drop-off as soon as possible.
Clean & Organize Storage Drawers
- Remove all items from drawers and place on countertop or kitchen table.
- As you remove items, toss or donate any items that are broken, unwanted, unnecessary, or that you haven’t used in over a year.
- Set aside any seasonal items that only get used once or twice a year to be placed with other seasonal items in storage.
- Wipe down all drawers with soapy water or kitchen cleaner.
- Wash any drawer organizers
- Determine whether you can rearrange any of your storage areas to make your kitchen more efficient.
- Group like items together and place back in drawers
- Put seasonal items in storage and bring donation items to local drop-off as soon as possible.
Clean Other Appliances
- Wipe down microwave inside and out
- Clean and/or polish exterior of dishwasher
- Follow manufacturer’s instructions to run self-cleaning cycle on oven
- Clean & polish exterior of oven
- Clean & polish stovetop
- Clean & polish small countertop appliances
Clean Sink, Countertop, & Cabinets
- Remove any remaining clutter from countertops; try to get them as clear as possible!
- Remove countertop appliances
- Spray countertop with kitchen cleaner; wipe clean and dry well.
- Use glass cleaner to make granite shine.
- Wipe down cabinet exteriors
- Polish wood cabinet doors with furniture polish
Clean Floors
- Sweep entire floor well. Be sure to remove any moveable furniture!
- Spot clean any sticky or dirty areas or any stains.
- Mop floor with heavy duty floor cleaner.
- Wash throw rugs
When you break it down into sections like that, doesn’t it seem more doable? Happy cleaning! May your kitchens–and your homes–always sparkle! ?