Where to Start When Cleaning Your Kitchen

So where should you start when cleaning your kitchen? Having to clean your kitchen can be frustrating, especially if you use it daily. But when you have a plan of action it can be easy and stress free. Therefore, I’ve decided to put this step-by-step guide to make cleaning your kitchen easy.

This is the order you will start cleaning your kitchen:

  • Stove and Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • High cabinets
  • Microwave and other Appliances
  • All cookware, Plates, Utensils
  • All surfaces
  • Sink
  • Lower cabinets
  • Floor

You will start with the harder items first and work your way to the easier ones last. You will also clean top to bottom which I’ll explain later in detail. Additionally, you will need the right tools to make guide easier.

These are the items you will need to start cleaning your kitchen:

  • Sponge/brush
  • Rags
  • Paper Towels
  • All-purpose cleaner
  • Weimar cleaner – If you have glass stovetop
  • Easy-Off Spray Bottle – For oven
  • Barkeeper’s friend – Stainless Sink and cookware
  • Rubbing Alcohol – Grease on surfaces
  • Dish soap – For everything else
  • Mop

I’ve spent so much time scrubbing my stove and oven with vinegar & baking soda and I’m never doing that again. I don’t tend to use harsh cleaners with strong chemicals, but from my experience, it’s better to use chemicals that are meant for the job.

An Easy-OFF Spray bottle cleaner for the oven is a godsend. Same with the Weimar cleaner for the stovetop. You shouldn’t need to struggle with scraping the surfaces when these products can remove the gunk within 10 seconds. Therefore, it’s important to have the right products and supplies before you begin.

Full Details on how to clean the kitchen in order

You will start cleaning in this order, and we will be using the top to bottom method. The reason why we are doing this is because when you clean from the top, dirt and debris falls to the bottom. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to start at the bottom if it will get it dirty when we start cleaning the top.

1) Stove and Oven

First you will start with the Stove and Oven. You will first remove the metal racks out of the oven and stoves top. We will pretreat the surfaces with the Easy-Off Spray Weimer Cleaner if you have a glass stove top. If your stove top is metal, use the Easy-OFF. Let the product sit while you wash the metal racks in the sink with dish soap and water. Once you’re done with the racks, you will then wipe off the pretreated spray and end it with a rinse of a dish soap and water mixture. Finally, use a rag to dry. Don’t use paper towels for this.

2) Refrigerator

For the refrigerator, you will need a sponge, dish soap, and paper towels. Remove all contents and the racks. Clean the rack and in the sink. Then clean all surfaces in the freezer and fridge. Dry everything with a paper towel and place everything back inside.

3) High cabinets

You will start with the cabinets. Use an all-purpose cleaner to clean the surfaces. Work from the top to the bottom of the upper cabinets.

4) Microwave and other Appliances

Then you will clean all appliances. For the microwave, use rubbing alcohol on a rag and wipe off all the gunk around it. You should use dish soap and water for the inside. Clean all other appliances with a paper towels and all-purpose cleaner.

5) All cookware, Plates, Utensils

For cooking pans you will use Barkeeper’s Friend spray to remove heavy stains. Everything else should only use dish soap and water.

6) All surfaces

Use the all-purpose spray to clean all surfaces. If you find surfaces with heavy stains, use a brush to remove.

7) Sink

For stainless steel sink, you will use Barkeeper’s Friend spray. Make sure to do this step after you have finished cleaning all pots, pans, and utensils.

8) Lower cabinets

Same as upper cabinets, just in this order.

9) Floor

Finally, you will end by cleaning the floor with a mop and whatever solution you use. I like to use a wet Swiffer as it makes the job easy and quick.

Prevent making your kitchen dirty

The best thing you can do to make it easier to clean your kitchen is to clean as you go. Whenever you’re done cooking you should immediately clean everything that was used. Wipe the counters, wash the pans, and don’t let your dirty cookware sit. All of this should be cleaned once you’re done cooking.

The worst thing you can do is let food stains and spills dry on the surface counter or cookware. Because of this, cleaning becomes annoying and tedious. Get in the habit in picking up and cleaning after every cooking session so you have an easier time keeping the kitchen clean.

Final Thoughts – How to Start Cleaning your Kitchen

Where to start when cleaning your kitchen
  • You should be cleaning your kitchen at least once a week. If you tend to use it daily, then you should be cleaning right after you’re done. As mentioned above, preventing the kitchen from staying dirty will help you in the long run and make your life easier.
  • You can clean the refrigerator and stove every 6 months, so you don’t have to do this weekly.
  • Never leave pots and pans dirty overnight. This is how you attract nocturnal pests into your apartment. The last think you want is a trail of ants in your kitchen increasing the need to clean it. If you follow these steps and use the items I mentioned, you shouldn’t have a problem with cleaning your kitchen.