Big Spring Clean: Kitchens
Useful checklists for your home’s most important room.
A kitchen sink can harbour 100,000 times more germs than your toilet! It’s time for a big clean…
Where to start
• Start with a sweep of the floor and table tops to get rid of loose debris like flour, bits of old pasta etc from the corners.
• Clear cans, packets and boxes out of the cupboards and wipe the shelves out.
• Wipe around the inside of the fridge with a mix of warm (not hot) water and all-purpose cleaner on a soft sponge, and unclog the outlet for water run-off at the back of the fridge.
Kitchen cleaning – the big tasks
• Ovens Pick a day when you can open windows as many oven-cleaners have a strong odour. Don’t forget most oven doors can be removed to make cleaning a lot easier (check in your oven’s manual that this can be done).
• Sinks
Washing up liquid works on the sink itself as well as the dishes. Check underneath for slow leaks and clear accumulated bottles, especially any cleaning products within reach of children.
• Hidden corners
Mice fit the tiniest holes and crawl up through walls, so even kitchens in flats on the first floor are not safe! Vacuum clean away dust and food debris.
• Walls
Kitchen-specific paint is easier to clean without any colour fade. Wipe walls down with a solution of all-purpose cleaner and give any picture frames a wipe too – dust will get sticky near cooking areas.
Savvy tip
Beat grease! Wipe grease off pans and plates with kitchen towel instead of washing it off. Pour oils like salad dressings into an old pot and throw away, not down the sink. Line the tops of cupboards with a sheet of newspaper. Replace this once every few weeks to clear away greasy build-up.
Pass it on – antibacterial wipes tested
Proctor & Gamble tested the impact of antibacterial wipes compared to just soap and water. Check out the results at www.scienceinthebox.com.