11 sparkling tips for the cleanest kitchen ever!

Press profile homify Press profile homify
homify Kitchen
Loading admin actions …

Cleaning isn't many people's favourite thing but nobody wants to try and cook healthy, nutritious meals in a smelly, dirty kitchen, do they? Even if the rest of the house is left to its own devices, we think you need to step up and get to grips with some kitchen cleaning and we don't mean every now and then. We mean regularly!

We've come up with some great tips for keeping forgotten areas of your kitchen sparkling fresh and, if you get in a decent routine, they'll take just a few minutes to complete and will have guests thinking you're a domestic genius. Grab your rubber gloves and let's get to work!

1. Brighten up your burners

If you have removable hob rings or spiders burners in your kitchen that have gotten a little sticky and dirty, pop them in the sink overnight with some ammonia. In the morning, you'll be able to give them a quick wipe and a rinse and they'll look good as new. Hopefully your kitchen will then look as wonderful as this example, from Cato Creative.

2. Blitz microwave pongs for good

After every use, give your microwave a quick wipe on the inside, regardless of if anything has spilled or not. Particles in your microwave can carry bacteria, which will start to smell bad after a while and you don't want that when you open the door. A dish cloth with some lemon juice will freshen, clean and disinfect all in one hit!

3. Try a chemical-free chopping board routine

Call us weird but things that we cut food on shouldn't be doused in bottled cleaning products. Instead, try a natural solution to keeping your cutting boards clean and hygienic. Rub lemon juice and salt into your boards, then rinse and dry. They'll even smell good!

4. Don't get lumbered with limescale

Ever wonder how you can get the limescale off your kitchen tap? Prepare to be amazed! Pour some limescale remover into a sandwich bag, dunk your tap into it and fix with an elastic band so it can soak overnight. In the morning you'll have a brand new tap! Amazing, right?

5. Give your oven a once weekly deep clean

Cheese on toast, roasted anything and even baking will all splatter the inside of your oven with grease and food remnants,. Rather than letting it build up to an unmanageable point, simply use this tip. Combine baking soda, water and a little washing up liquid, then smear it around the inside and leave for about 15 minutes. It'll wipe off with ease and leave your oven sparkling!

6. Throw all of your textiles in the wash now and then

You won't think about it much but if you have curtains, oven mitts and tea towels in your kitchen, they will naturally absorb some odour from things that you cook. Over time, this odour will get really stale so why not set aside some time to throw everything in the washing machine now and then? We hope you're already changing your tea towels regularly though!

7. Don't sink to an all time hygiene low

Your sink naturally ends up housing a lot of grime and residue so a regular wipe every day, perhaps followed by a weekly bleaching will keep everything fresh and germ free. If you prefer a natural approach, baking soda and lemon juice work well as a paste that can be applied, left overnight and then simply rinsed away.

8. Don't leave packets open

Thought it's unlikely that you'll ever open a packet of biscuits and not finish them, anything that has to be opened and then put back in a kitchen cupboard really should be contained properly. Glass jars are great as you can see what you've popped inside but plastic tubs work well, too. Plus, they are all airtight so should increase the lifespan of your consumables.

9. Don't give your fridge the cold shoulder

If you have a stainless steel fridge you might think that will take care of itself but one thing it will attract is smudgy finger marks. Bleurgh! Solve this by using standard furniture polish and a soft cloth to wipe them away. Your fridge will look good as new and the room will smell lovely.

10. Don't give in to crummy suggestions

Drawers seem to naturally attract crumbs and debris but you can make cleaning them out a total breeze by adding a non-adhesive liner to the bottom. Instead of trying to chase crumbs around with the hoover, you can simply lift the liner out, shake it off and carry on. Easy!

11. Whizz something up in the waste disposal

Your waste disposal unit can get smelly, slimy and unbearable very quickly but we have a super easy and fast way to stop that. Throw a good amount of ice cubes and lemon wedges in there and set it off. The ice will sharpen the blades and the lemon will cut through grime and give off a wonderful aroma. 

For more kitchen tips, take a look at this Ideabook: 10 Tips For Child-Proofing Your Kitchen.

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine