If you use something, it’s gonna get dirty…that’s a fact of life. And it won’t take more than a day or two (or maybe a meal or two) before it has you screaming and running for cover! But when you ask yourself, “How do I clean up this kitchen?” this simple plan is your best strategy.
I feel your pain as 20 meals a week DEFINITELY means my kitchen can get out of control fast! But ditch the overwhelm, roll up your sleeves, turn on some dance music, and let ‘er rip! We’ll have that kitchen clean in no time with these 5 easy steps. (As you view the succession of pics, look careful for what’s gone in each!)
Store it!
If it’s out on the counter but has a spot where it lives elsewhere, put it away. If it needs a place (as in it’s not something you use all the time like a saltshaker), make a logical place for it, and store it there. If you can do this with ingredients like oils or spices as you go in preparing your meal, this won’t even be an issue.
Load it!
The dishwasher that is! Not everything can go in there, but whatever’s appropriate, get it in there. Plastic can only go in the top shelf; glass, even mixing bowls, can go in the bottom. Check whether your cookware can go in or not (the manufacturer’s website should be able to tell you).
Clear it!
The sink! Let’s face it, you really can’t clean anything else until the sink is empty. Dump out anything holding liquid and stack everything beside your sink. This goes against all my nature, BUT once the sink is cleared out, things can move much quicker.
Scrub it!
Maybe one of those items from the sink was soaking because it had baked on nasties. Let’s scrub these first because getting the hardest things done means you only have easy stuff left!
Wash it!
Wash anything else left (including the countertop). You can dry everything and put it away or do what I do and let everything air dry overnight. Then the next morning it’s a quick couple of minutes to stow everything and you’re CLEAN!
What a relief to know how to clean the kitchen step by step
I know you may think this is just so simple, why does it affect us so badly? For me, I’m a very visual person and a little bit OCD. So not only do I see a mess, I see a bunch of things out of place. (AAARRRGGGHHH!!! Think Monica from friends!) But, it’s a matter of breaking it into handleable chunks rather than looking at the whole “mountain”…perspective. I got your back, beginners!
Jump in there with both feet and know I’m at my house doing the exact same thing…oh and don’t forget the music! Dancing to a great beat makes any chore easier!
Want more help on cleaning up OR steps to keep things under control as you go? Try these…
