9 Simple Ways to Deep Clean The Kitchen Just In Time For The Holidays
(This post was sponsored by SpongeBath but all opinions are mine alone. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me creating.)
With fall in full swing and the cooler temps hitting Tulsa this coming week, I am really feeling all the fall vibrations all around me. We just booked our holiday travel plans and secured dates from family and friends visiting us too. I love this time of year but there is so much to do to get the condo fully ready.
My kitchen is the one area I spend the majority of my time in as I love to cook. We also live in a fairly modest size place so naturally we all spend the majority of our time in the kitchen with guests. We have a beautiful dining area and an open concept and the morning and afternoon light is just superb in there. That being said, it's also the area that needs the most attention to detail when making it spic and span.
Nothing beats the feeling of a super clean space--when all the dishes are sparkling, the laundry is done and everything is clutter free!!! It’s the best, right? Nothing like the feeling of clean sheets and a kitchen floor you could literally eat from.
So excited to be sharing 9 simple tips to deep clean your kitchen today.
HOW TO REALLY Deep CLEAN YOUR KITCHEN IN A Few steps....
1. Wash and Put Away All Dishes
This will free up counter space and clutter. Load up that dishwasher and run it when it’s full. Putting away all the clean and dry dishes in your kitchen will give you a nice fresh slate. Every season I take everything out of the drawers and pantry and give them a good wash. This is also a good time to hand wash all of the china and special wine glasses that are not meant for the dishwasher. Go ahead and polish the silver too. This is actually kind of therapeutic for me believe it or not. While you are doing this, this is also the perfect time to get rid of anything you are not using. You do not need two can openers, 4 bottle openers, 6 cutting boards, all that crazy Tupperware that doesn't even have the matching lids anymore. Trust me---bless and release. Donate these things and let it go babes. Say it with me. LET IT GO! LET IT GO!
2. Clean Up Clutter
Our pantry is the home of clutter. It's the area in the condo we put everything that doesn't have a home and it drives me completely nuts. So move any remaining items to their respective homes such as other rooms in the house even if it opens up pandora's box and makes you have to organize every closet, every drawer, every nook and cranny. This will also really make you question your need for all this stuff. Maybe it's time to do a lot more donating then you think.
3. Clean the Oven
I know, I hate it too but dears.....have you actually looked in there lately? Like I need you to look in there Sylvia Plath style....
Yep---ick. Take some water and baking soda and get to scrubbing. I promise it will be worth it. Do this with your microwave (hopefully too many of you are not using these anymore---they are bad for you) and toaster ovens too.
4. Clean the Refrigerator
You can tell a lot by people by the way the inside of their fridge and freezer look and smell. My mom taught me that!
Throw away expired food, recycle any containers and remove all of the contents from the fridge. Spray cleaner on shelves and wipe off with a wet sponge. Wash drawers with warm water. Polish the outside and put back the food. BONUS: Make a shopping list while you’re at it. I love doing this before the holidays. It really allows me to see exactly what I need and don't need. Every have 4 things of mustard in the fridge and wonder how that happened....yeah me too.
5. Sanitize the Dishwasher
The poor dishwasher gets so forgotten. But think about everything it's doing everyday. ICK!
Put a bowl of vinegar on the top rack of an empty dishwasher and run a hot cycle. Remove any residue or food remains from the bottom. You will be so surprised with how much better your dishwasher starts working too with future cycles. WOW! I really can't wait to hear your feedback on this one.
““Sponges are the dirtiest item in our home and despite all the consumer products out there, there wasn’t one specifically designed to clean sponges. We thought there had to be a better way to keep sponges and sponge holders clean – so we went to work”
7. Give your sponges a sponge bath
Yes, you read that right. There has been so much chitter chatter out there on the ickiness of sponges. Sponges are the dirtiest items in our homes and sponges grow odor-causing bacteria rapidly! By the time your sponge is smelly, it is loaded with odor-causing bacteria! And sponge holders are dirty too! So, unless you throw out your sponge after every single use, or clean it AND the sponge holder (or wherever you store your sponge) after every single use, you are cleaning with a dirty sponge and spreading odor-causing bacteria as you use your sponge.
Why throw out a perfectly good sponge just because it smells? That can get very expensive really quickly. Sponges soak in our powerful, patent-pending cleaning solution while they are being stored, so sponges are continuously cleaned while not being used, giving you a fresh clean sponge every time.
I just recently discovered a cleaning sponge holder that I love thanks to In Style mag. SpongeBath stores your sponge in a natural cleaning solution that kills 99.99% of odor-causing bacteria, making smelly sponges a thing of the past. SpongeBath cleaning solution cleans and removes odors, soap scum, grease and mold stains keeping your sponges like new. It's made from eco-friendly, safe and effective ingredients too which is really important to Lin and I. SpongeBath is proudly designed, manufactured and assembled in the USA and you can place it sink-side or mount it inside your sink with the sink mounting bracket. I love the sleek design in our modern kitchen honestly.
8. Wipe Countertops and Sink
Using your fave cleaner, spray and wipe down the countertops. Don't forget cabinet doors too and drawers. Spray the sink and wipe out with a wet sponge. And be sure to get under things too like the espresso maker and anything else you keep on the counters.
9. Sweep and Wash the Floor
Move out all furniture an give the room a sweep. Vacuum or sweep up the dirt and get washing. Floors can be cleaned with a steam cleaner or with your favorite water and cleaner method. I like to do this twice as it's the area we spend the most time in. Our sweet pups spend a majority of their time in the kitchen too so you can only imagine how much attention and TLC those floors need.
Now you can feel kick up your feet and relax with your Sunday favorites--mine bring coffee, magazines, and books! And I might even have some time to squeeze in a much needed pedicure.
For more info on SpongeBath, I have linked their website and social channels below. I highly recommend them!!!
And let me know what you think in the comments below!
https://www.instagram.com/spongebathco/
https://www.facebook.com/SpongeBathCo/
XOOXOXXO
SAM
For other decluttering tips on other areas of your home you might love this post. And be sure to check out this amazing post on how to clean kitchen countertops!!!
