Whether it’s been a long day at work or a friend just text you she’s going to stop by for a bit, you need a plan to a clean kitchen and you need it fast. Follow these 10 simple steps and your kitchen will be completely spotless before you know it!
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Image by Lisa Wetherell of Lighting House[/caption] Step 1. Clear the Counters Not much can get done until those pesky counters are clear. Any clear surfaces are prone to become storage for random items. Take dishes to the sink, put away mail, and filter through any random junk that simply doesn’t belong before shoving it into the junk drawer. Follow these 5 steps to keeping your countertops decluttered. Step 2. Start at the Sink The sink is the watering hole of kitchen clutter - dishes pile up quicker than they can be loaded in the dishwasher. Be sure you have a dishwasher with the latest features then start loading the easy dishes first. Then fill up one sink with soapy water to soak the difficult dishes like large pots and trays.
Step 3. Clear Out The Fridge Get the trash can out and start throwing out expired condiments, moldy cheese, bread ends, and any old leftovers. Shelf by shelf, wipe down each glass shelf with mild soap and a wet cloth. Then get your kitchen organized with these tips for optimal food placement. 
Step 4. Work Top To Bottom Dirt and dust will naturally move downward so start by dusting your light fixture and upper cabinet doors. While cabinets can be good at hiding dirt and smudges, they still get dirty and need to be cleaned regularly. Follow this guide to caring for your cabinets. 
Step 5. Wipe Down Countertops & Cooktop Once the upper half of your kitchen is clean, work your way down to the next level. Every countertop material requires a certain way to clean it so follow this guide to properly clean your countertop material. Use a mild soap and wet cloth to clean your cooktop, which is especially easy with a smooth glass top cooktop. Then use a soft, dry cloth to dry any remaining moisture. 
Step 6. Clean Out The Microwave Prevention is best when it comes to avoiding baked-on messes in your microwave. Always use microwave-safe dishware and cover with a paper towel to avoid splattering. To clean your microwave, heat up a bowl of 1 cup water, chopped up lemon, and vinegar in your microwave until the door is steamy. This will help loosen up any baked-on foods. Then use a wet sponge to wipe away splatters and messes. 
Step 7. Clean & Polish Appliance Surfaces Appliances can quickly collect fingerprints and smudges unless of course, you have a fingerprint-resistant stainless steel surface! Either way, appliances can still stock up on the germs so use a non-abrasive cloth and a friendly vinegar and water solution to clean those appliance surfaces. If you have stainless steel, follow this guide to cleaning and polishing your brushed metal to bring it back to life. If you have a different finish, it’s always safest to go with mild soap and a soft, wet cloth to clean the surface followed by a dry cotton cloth or polishing cloth. 
Step 8. Clean Lower Cabinets The messes on your lower cabinets are easy to ignore since they’re not right at eye-level. However, any spills from the countertop tend to spill right over onto the bottom cabinets. Revisit this guide and make sure you’re properly caring for your cabinets. 
Step 9. Vacuum Floors The kitchen floor is an easy place for roll-away strawberries or sliced up onion that didn’t make it to the pan to collect. Plus all that mess that started way up high now resides right there on the floor. Get the ol’ Dustbuster out and vacuum it up and use a wet cloth to spot clean any messes. 
Step 10. End Back At The Sink Now that your kitchen is completely clean, get back to the sink and finish rinsing off those soaking dishes and load them into the dishwasher or hand-wash them yourself. Now you’re ready for entertaining!
[caption id="attachment_3848" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Image by Lisa Wetherell of Lighting House[/caption] Step 1. Clear the Counters Not much can get done until those pesky counters are clear. Any clear surfaces are prone to become storage for random items. Take dishes to the sink, put away mail, and filter through any random junk that simply doesn’t belong before shoving it into the junk drawer. Follow these 5 steps to keeping your countertops decluttered. Step 2. Start at the Sink The sink is the watering hole of kitchen clutter - dishes pile up quicker than they can be loaded in the dishwasher. Be sure you have a dishwasher with the latest features then start loading the easy dishes first. Then fill up one sink with soapy water to soak the difficult dishes like large pots and trays. Step 3. Clear Out The Fridge Get the trash can out and start throwing out expired condiments, moldy cheese, bread ends, and any old leftovers. Shelf by shelf, wipe down each glass shelf with mild soap and a wet cloth. Then get your kitchen organized with these tips for optimal food placement. Step 4. Work Top To Bottom Dirt and dust will naturally move downward so start by dusting your light fixture and upper cabinet doors. While cabinets can be good at hiding dirt and smudges, they still get dirty and need to be cleaned regularly. Follow this guide to caring for your cabinets. Step 5. Wipe Down Countertops & Cooktop Once the upper half of your kitchen is clean, work your way down to the next level. Every countertop material requires a certain way to clean it so follow this guide to properly clean your countertop material. Use a mild soap and wet cloth to clean your cooktop, which is especially easy with a smooth glass top cooktop. Then use a soft, dry cloth to dry any remaining moisture. Step 6. Clean Out The Microwave Prevention is best when it comes to avoiding baked-on messes in your microwave. Always use microwave-safe dishware and cover with a paper towel to avoid splattering. To clean your microwave, heat up a bowl of 1 cup water, chopped up lemon, and vinegar in your microwave until the door is steamy. This will help loosen up any baked-on foods. Then use a wet sponge to wipe away splatters and messes. Step 7. Clean & Polish Appliance Surfaces Appliances can quickly collect fingerprints and smudges unless of course, you have a fingerprint-resistant stainless steel surface! Either way, appliances can still stock up on the germs so use a non-abrasive cloth and a friendly vinegar and water solution to clean those appliance surfaces. If you have stainless steel, follow this guide to cleaning and polishing your brushed metal to bring it back to life. If you have a different finish, it’s always safest to go with mild soap and a soft, wet cloth to clean the surface followed by a dry cotton cloth or polishing cloth. Step 8. Clean Lower Cabinets The messes on your lower cabinets are easy to ignore since they’re not right at eye-level. However, any spills from the countertop tend to spill right over onto the bottom cabinets. Revisit this guide and make sure you’re properly caring for your cabinets. Step 9. Vacuum Floors The kitchen floor is an easy place for roll-away strawberries or sliced up onion that didn’t make it to the pan to collect. Plus all that mess that started way up high now resides right there on the floor. Get the ol’ Dustbuster out and vacuum it up and use a wet cloth to spot clean any messes. Step 10. End Back At The Sink Now that your kitchen is completely clean, get back to the sink and finish rinsing off those soaking dishes and load them into the dishwasher or hand-wash them yourself. Now you’re ready for entertaining!
