Get your spray bottles, rubber gloves, and cleaning cloths ready. Fall Cleaning season has arrived…
Fall has arrived. As temperatures drop, we tend to spend more time indoors. Before winter hibernation really kicks in though, why not take a little time now to give a deep clean to your kitchen in preparation for the added time you will spend there. Cleaning your kitchen now gives you a fresh slate to work with for those intimate Saturday night date nights in, cozy Sunday family dinners, and chaotic on-the-fly weeknight meals where you just need to pull together whatever you can before you fly out the door once more. The kitchen is the heart of your home; let that heart shine with a few cleaning tips on areas to tackle.
Fall Cleaning Tips for your Kitchen
Where do you start when it comes to cleaning the kitchen? For a deep clean, go from the top down;
- Clean ceiling fans – It’s amazing how grease from cooking ends up everywhere—kitchen fans included! Wipe them first with a dry cloth to remove excess dirt, then use a damp cloth for the grime. Vinegar and water are the perfect natural cleaner for the whole kitchen! Don’t forget to change the direction of your fan when you are done; clockwise in winter to push warm are down.
- Clean cupboard doors – Use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean grease off grimy kitchen cabinets; while you are at it, empty your drawers and cupboards to give them a thorough clean at the same time, plus toss anything chipped, broken, or unused away.
- Purge fridge of expired items – Autumn is a great time to declutter the fridge of old and expired foods; check labels and toss anything questionable. Wipe the shelves and clean your crisper drawers while you are at it.
- Clean under your fridge – While you are focused on the fridge, pull it out to clean underneath it too; fridge coils should be gently dusted as well when you pull it out. If you have a drip tray underneath, makes sure to clean that too.
- Clean oven – Before temperatures drop too much lower, crack a window open in your kitchen, pull your oven racks out, and hit the self-clean button on your oven; once it is done, why not pull your oven out to clean behind, under, and on the sides of your oven. Don’t forget your stove top too!
- Clean exhaust fan filters – Prevent more grease from adhering to kitchen surfaces by washing your exhaust fan filter too; let filter sit in hot, soapy water for at least 10 minutes, then gently scrub with a non-abrasive brush, let dry and reinsert.
- Clean dishwasher – Dishwashers are meant to clean, but bits of food and other debris often get left behind. To clean, pull out the drain strainer and give it a good scrub. Replace and put a small bowl of vinegar in the top rack, then run through a hot water cycle.
- Counters, sink, walls, and floor – It should be part of your regular cleaning routine, but now is a great time to deep clean the rest of your kitchen too. Wipe down walls. Sterilize the sink. Clean and declutter your counters. And end with your floors. Don’t skimp on the baseboards either!
It can seem like a lot of work, but a clean kitchen is a healthy kitchen. As cool weather—and cold season—approaches, all that work will pay off.
