Keeping a clean kitchen should be a collaborative effort among all family members. A tidy kitchen makes meal prep and cooking much easier. Follow this comprehensive kitchen cleaning checklist covering daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. With some cleaning supplies, kitchen cleaning tools, and a little elbow grease, you’ll have the clean kitchen of your dreams in no time.
Introduction
A sparkling clean kitchen is important for your lifestyle. Grease, grime, and expired food not only look bad, but they can make you sick. That’s why every family should use a monthly kitchen cleaning checklist, to keep this busy room in good shape.
This ultimate guide covers must-do daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks. It also the cleaning process and recommends the best cleaning supplies and tools for each job. With some help from your family, you can keep your cook space looking great and hygienic.
Daily Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
Daily kitchen cleaning checklist takes just 10-15 minutes a day. Follow this quick daily kitchen cleaning checklist:
1. Wash Dishes
Wash dishes right after eating to prevent food from drying on them. Use hot water and dish soap to cut grease and sanitize. Air dry and put away dishes so they don’t pile up.
2. Take Out the Trash
Empty all trash cans daily to prevent odors and pests. Use a durable trash bag that won’t leak. Sanitize trash cans occasionally by spraying them with white vinegar and wiping them with a microfiber cloth.
3. Tidy Counter Tops
Use a microfiber cloth or paper towels with warm, soapy water to wipe clean all counters and surfaces. Remove stray items like mail and empty trash bags.
4. Sweep Floor
Use a broom, mop, or vacuum to sweep up dirt, debris, and crumbs from tile, vinyl, concrete, or wood floors. This keeps floors from getting grimy.
Weekly Kitchen Cleaning Checklist
Set aside 30-45 minutes each for these important weekly tasks:
1. Mop Tile and Vinyl Floors
Mop floors using a bucket filled with hot water and a capful of ammonia or vinegar. For linoleum floors, add a few drops of dish soap. Rinse the mop head often.
2. Clean Inside Appliances
Refrigerator – Toss expired items. Remove shelves and drawers and wash them in warm water. Wipe clean walls and shelves with a soft sponge and baking soda paste.
Oven – Remove racks and soak in hot water with baking soda. Use a baking soda paste to scrub the oven’s interior walls and door. Scour stubborn stains with an old toothbrush.
Coffee Maker – Fill the water chamber with equal parts white vinegar and water. Run a brew cycle. Then run a second cycle using just water to rinse.
3. Scrub the Sink
Mix 1 cup each of baking soda and white vinegar and scrub with an old toothbrush. Let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing. Wipe faucet and dust light fixtures so they shine.
4. Dust Lights, Walls and Floors
Reach ceiling corners with a microfiber duster. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe kitchen walls and baseboards. Light fixtures can get dusty — give them a gentle wipe-down.
Monthly kitchen cleaning checklist
Set aside 2-3 hours once a month for a deep cleaning:
Monthly Tasks for Floors
Wash kitchen rugs in hot water. For tiles, use a hard bristle brush and baking soda paste to scrub tile grout. Rinse twice with clean water.
Kitchen floor – Once floors are dry, apply a thin coat of olive oil to add shine and moisture to wood floors.
Surfaces
Cabinet doors — Mix dish soap, water, and lemon oil. Dip a soft rag into it and wipe doors inside and out. Rinse with clean water before drying with a lint-free cloth.
Remove everything from the drawers. Clean with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Place drawer dividers for neat storage.
Appliances
Dishwasher – Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the bottom tray. Run a full wash cycle while empty. Repeat monthly.
Clean range hood above stove – Remove metal filters and soak in hot water with dish soap. Rinse and dry before replacing.
Other Areas
Clean light switches by spraying them with vinegar and wiping them dry with a paper towel.
Dust ceiling fans, clean walls and wipe baseboards.
Look behind appliances and clean those areas nobody sees!
Seasonal Kitchen Cleaning
In addition to your regular cleaning meal prep routine, tackle these kitchen tasks seasonally:
Spring Cleaning
Spring is a good time for a deep clean to clear out any messes from the winter months.
Clear out the pantry and fridge and donate any expired or unused food.
Use a rubber plunger or chemical drain cleaner to clear clogs.
Remove stove grates and give a good scrub to loosen burnt-on food.
Clean the oven door and window, washing the glass with hot boiling water and vinegar.
Organize cabinets and drawers, donating or throwing out anything expired or unneeded.
Summer Cleaning
With more fresh produce in summer, take extra care to prevent pests.
Wash the refrigerator inside and out. Toss old food and wipe spills.
Check fridge and freezer door seals for faults that let cold air escape.
Clean the freezer and throw out old ice cube trays. Defrost if ice builds up.
Take everything out under the sink and sanitize surfaces to kill bacteria from spills.
Fall Cleaning
As the holidays approach, get your kitchen guest-ready.
Clean ceiling fans, vents, lights, and trim dusty grease buildup.
Wash cabinet fronts and clean top racks and drawer dividers.
Purge old plastic containers and buy new ones for storing leftovers.
Create more space by reorganizing items you rarely use into low-traffic areas.
Winter Cleaning
Entertaining during winter means tackling extra cleaning before and after gatherings.
Clear counters and stow small appliances to open up prep space.
Check your cleaning tools and supplies so you have what you need on hand. Restock paper towels, dish soap, and more.
Run the dishwasher on the Sanitize setting after parties and wash loads of dishes.
Mop and sweep floors, clean sinks, and empty all trash cans once guests leave.
Adjusting your kitchen cleaning schedule around by season helps you stay on top of your kitchen’s changing needs. Keeping things clean year-round makes cooking and dining more pleasant no matter the season or occasion!
Supplies
Consumer Reports conducts lab testing and assessments on thousands of products each year. Their science-based cleaning advice provides consumers with unbiased recommendations.
Stock up on these cleaning supplies and tools:
Microfiber cloths, soft sponges
Broom, mop, vacuum
White vinegar, dish soap, baking soda
Cleaning cloths, scrub brushes
Biodegradable, eco-friendly cleaners
Paper towels, trash bags
Store cleaning tools conveniently around your kitchen – under sinks or on utility carts. Organize them onto racks or caddies. Having supplies ready makes it simpler to clean every time you cook or eat. No more excuses for a messy kitchen!
The Importance of a Clean Kitchen
Keeping your kitchen clean should be a top priority. A dirty kitchen puts your family’s health at risk. Bacteria and germs from food particles left on dirty dishes, greasy countertops, and grimy appliances can make you sick.
Follow this complete cleaning plan to clean the dishwasher, sanitize surfaces, kill germs and bacteria, and prevent cross-contamination while cooking and prepping meals. The last thing you want is your family members suffering from upset stomachs or food poisoning!
Organizing a Kitchen Cleaning Routine
Martha Stewart offers lifestyle tips across cooking, housekeeping, and cleaning topics.
Consistency is key when trying to maintain cleanliness. Make cleaning part of your regular kitchen routine.
Clean for 5-10 minutes during or after every meal. Wash dishes, wipe counters, and sweep floors.
Do a thorough kitchen cleaning session 1-2 times per week.
Schedule monthly deep cleaning sessions to tackle appliances, cabinets, walls, and fixtures from top to bottom.
Involve the whole household. Assign daily and weekly chores like emptying trash, clearing counters, and cleaning appliances. Working together, your family can maintain a tidy, germ-free refrigerator and clean kitchen everyone enjoys using.
Final Thoughts
It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed at the thought of intensive kitchen cleaning. But don’t get discouraged! Start small with a weekly kitchen cleaning checklist and simple decluttering and organization, allocating 10-15 minutes a day. As this daily cleaning regimen becomes a habit, your kitchen will be well on its way to tidiness.
After a month of daily tidy-ups, aim for a consistent week of more targeted, cleaning checklist tasks like mopping floors or scrubbing appliances. Then, you’ll be ready to tackle deep cleans to really make every inch of the surface shine. Done regularly, all of these kitchen cleaning checklist tasks will take less and less time and become second nature to the whole family.
Before you know it, you’ll have established a foolproof kitchen cleaning system leading to a sparkling, hygienic cook space. No more tripping over dirty dishes in the sink or scrambling to find a clean pan in cluttered cabinets! And most importantly, your healthier, happier family will reap all the benefits — coming together to enjoy beautiful, homecooked meals at a spotless kitchen table. Your efforts will bring that dream to life, one small step at a time.
