Believe it or not, today is the first day of Spring! It’s time to get out of hibernation and join the living once again. It may still be a bit (or really) dreary outside, but once that sun starts shining through the windows, you may soon discover a gunky kitchen you hardly recognize. Take this opportunity stuck indoors to start prepping for hosting dinners, tea parties, BBQs, and in general having a social life from your home once more. Get your kitchen ready in time for Spring with these Spring Cleaning tips.
Prep Before you start cleaning, you must first clean. Yes, you heard that right. It’s practically impossible to deep clean in a kitchen full of regular messes. Rinse and load your dishes so your sink is clear, take out the trash, clear your countertops, clean up any messes or grease splatters, and then get all your cleaning gear out.
Clean Out Your Fridge & Freezer Unless you’re cleaning your fridge out every week, you likely have some forgotten leftovers, expired condiments, something wrapped in tinfoil that sat there way too long, and a few I-think-that-used-to-be-a-strawberry items. Start by taking out every food item and setting it on your counter, one section at a time starting with the top shelf and moving down. Once all old food is discarded, wipe down your shelves and inside the fridge with water and soap. Do the same with your freezer. Before you know it, your refrigerator will feel brand new! Use this simple guide for which part of the fridge to keep your different foods properly stored.
Organize Pantry Next is your pantry. Similar to the refrigerator, place all food on your countertops and discard any expired spices, lost nuts, and practically empty bags of cereal. Wipe down inner shelves and cabinet doors before replacing food. Get some inexpensive food-grade storage containers, wire baskets, can racks, and clear airtight bins and start grouping similar foods together. Your foods will be far easier to access and track inventory. Follow these tips to get your pantry under control.
Clean Your Cabinets Cabinets are easy to ignore when it comes to cleaning because they usually manage to stay pretty good looking unless a major spill has happened. But get real close to your cabinets, like reeeeeal close, and try to remember all the hands that have touched the knobs, invisible grease splatters, that one time you really only rinsed your hands after touching that raw chicken to get a plate out real quick. Fortunately, cleaning your cabinets is easy and we have a guide for you right here.
Clean Out Your Dishwasher Dishwashers can get and mildew over time from not properly drying in between loads. It’s not when the one appliance designed to clean your dishes is dirty itself. First, check the bottom of your machine to remove any food debris or missing forks. With an empty dishwasher and place a cup of white vinegar in on the upper rack and run a hot-water load. The vinegar will help to remove any grime and unpleasant odors. You can also sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your dishwasher, leave it overnight, then run an empty, hot-water cycle.
Clean Your Oven Instead of automatically turning to the “Clean” setting on your oven that can push your oven too hard while causing unwanted smells, there are safer, more natural ways to clean the inside of your oven. You can use the Steam Clean option in newer appliances that requires just water and temperatures that aren’t even too hot to require a lock. Other alternatives include water and vinegar and this method from The Kitchn.
Clean & Polish Your Finish Regularly cleaning your appliances’ finish will keep it looking brand new. No matter which finish your appliance has, always use a non-abrasive cloth to wipe away any messes and spills the moment they happen to avoid permanent damage. However, deep cleaning your finish will call for different measures. The method you use to clean a painted appliance is different than cleaning stainless steel, and the way you clean traditional stainless steel is different than black stainless steel. Find out the best cleaning method to get your appliances back to stunning with tips from KitchenAid®.
Clear & Clean Countertops Last on the list is to finally clean your countertops. They’ve practically seen battle these last few hours alone and will continue to be the one kitchen item that takes the biggest beating. While cleaning countertop seems simple enough, the type of material your countertop is made from will depend on which products are safe to use. Although their disinfectant elements may be tempting, it’s best to avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach and ammonia on these surfaces. Instead, use our easy guide to cleaning your specific countertop material, from granite and solid surface to quartz and wood. 
What’s your favorite tip to making spring cleaning a breeze?
Prep Before you start cleaning, you must first clean. Yes, you heard that right. It’s practically impossible to deep clean in a kitchen full of regular messes. Rinse and load your dishes so your sink is clear, take out the trash, clear your countertops, clean up any messes or grease splatters, and then get all your cleaning gear out. Clean Out Your Fridge & Freezer Unless you’re cleaning your fridge out every week, you likely have some forgotten leftovers, expired condiments, something wrapped in tinfoil that sat there way too long, and a few I-think-that-used-to-be-a-strawberry items. Start by taking out every food item and setting it on your counter, one section at a time starting with the top shelf and moving down. Once all old food is discarded, wipe down your shelves and inside the fridge with water and soap. Do the same with your freezer. Before you know it, your refrigerator will feel brand new! Use this simple guide for which part of the fridge to keep your different foods properly stored. Organize Pantry Next is your pantry. Similar to the refrigerator, place all food on your countertops and discard any expired spices, lost nuts, and practically empty bags of cereal. Wipe down inner shelves and cabinet doors before replacing food. Get some inexpensive food-grade storage containers, wire baskets, can racks, and clear airtight bins and start grouping similar foods together. Your foods will be far easier to access and track inventory. Follow these tips to get your pantry under control. Clean Your Cabinets Cabinets are easy to ignore when it comes to cleaning because they usually manage to stay pretty good looking unless a major spill has happened. But get real close to your cabinets, like reeeeeal close, and try to remember all the hands that have touched the knobs, invisible grease splatters, that one time you really only rinsed your hands after touching that raw chicken to get a plate out real quick. Fortunately, cleaning your cabinets is easy and we have a guide for you right here. Clean Out Your Dishwasher Dishwashers can get and mildew over time from not properly drying in between loads. It’s not when the one appliance designed to clean your dishes is dirty itself. First, check the bottom of your machine to remove any food debris or missing forks. With an empty dishwasher and place a cup of white vinegar in on the upper rack and run a hot-water load. The vinegar will help to remove any grime and unpleasant odors. You can also sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your dishwasher, leave it overnight, then run an empty, hot-water cycle. Clean Your Oven Instead of automatically turning to the “Clean” setting on your oven that can push your oven too hard while causing unwanted smells, there are safer, more natural ways to clean the inside of your oven. You can use the Steam Clean option in newer appliances that requires just water and temperatures that aren’t even too hot to require a lock. Other alternatives include water and vinegar and this method from The Kitchn. Clean & Polish Your Finish Regularly cleaning your appliances’ finish will keep it looking brand new. No matter which finish your appliance has, always use a non-abrasive cloth to wipe away any messes and spills the moment they happen to avoid permanent damage. However, deep cleaning your finish will call for different measures. The method you use to clean a painted appliance is different than cleaning stainless steel, and the way you clean traditional stainless steel is different than black stainless steel. Find out the best cleaning method to get your appliances back to stunning with tips from KitchenAid®. Clear & Clean Countertops Last on the list is to finally clean your countertops. They’ve practically seen battle these last few hours alone and will continue to be the one kitchen item that takes the biggest beating. While cleaning countertop seems simple enough, the type of material your countertop is made from will depend on which products are safe to use. Although their disinfectant elements may be tempting, it’s best to avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach and ammonia on these surfaces. Instead, use our easy guide to cleaning your specific countertop material, from granite and solid surface to quartz and wood. What’s your favorite tip to making spring cleaning a breeze? 
