Keeping and Maintaining a Clean Kitchen



Posted: Monday, April 06, 2009

by
Mrs. Debra Marks

In the UK about 10 million cases of food poisoning are reported each year. About 80% of these Food-Bourne outbreaks are caused by bacteria and viruses that are always present wherever we find domestic pets, people, raw foods, and water. Small exposures to these bacteria and viruses can be handled by the body's immune system. It's only when they multiply that they begin to overwhelm our natural defenses and we end up getting sick. What is behind the increase of viruses and bacteria that end up getting us sick? Improper food handling, storage, and poor hygiene standards are the root causes. This is why it is so important that we keep areas where we handle and store our food as clean as we possibly can. And the only way to do that is to ensure we have the proper tools and supplies necessary to tackle the job!

Tools
The first step in cleaning any area of the house, especially the kitchen is to gather our cleaning tools, and cleaning products. Like most people, we want to get in, and get out and on with the rest of our day. Having your supplies prepared beforehand will definitely help you finish quicker. Professionals recommend either a carry-all bin or a cleaning apron that will hold our supplies on our person. I've had success using both tools but tend to find a carry-all easier to use for cleaning efficiency.

Cleaning Strategy
Before beginning I like to visualize the route and path I will take first. I watch myself in my mind cleaning each area of the kitchen and what supplies I will need to clean these areas. Being prepared mentally tends to gives you the advantage of being more accurate and efficient when cleaning overall.

I usually start from the entrance of the kitchen and work my way around counter-clockwise, making sure to clean everything thoroughly before moving on. Working counter-clockwise is a strategic method meant to ensure that you never have to back track, or clean anything twice. This is immensely helpful!

Another helpful cleaning strategy that I tend to use most often is to clean each area from the top to the bottom. This strategy is designed to get the more difficult areas out of the way, and cleaned first saving you time and energy. This strategy can also be used, and is recommended, for most areas of the house as well.

Cupboards
For me the cupboards are the first stop on my kitchen cleaning crusade. When it comes to cupboards, as with everything else, start from the top and work your way to the bottom. When you're cleaning cupboards use an all-purpose cleaner to knock out any stains, sticky areas, or dust that may have accumulated.

Counter-Tops
Next, we'll focus on the counter-tops. For counter-tops there are many products out there that will surely get the job done. The only problem is some products can actually damage different types of counter-tops. What I recommend is to check the manufacturers' recommendation of products to use, and then proceed from there.

Cleaning counter-tops is as easy as spraying your solution and then wiping clean with a cleaning cloth. When it comes to heavy food-buildup go ahead and pull out a scrubber (nothing to abrasive that it will scratch your counter tops) and then work at the build-up while applying your cleaner. Or you can try an alternative method, one that I tend to find most helpful. First, apply your cleaner to the buildup, let it sit so it soaks in and softens the buildup, and then wipe it off. This method usually works really well as it forces the buildup to lose its grip on the surface for easy removal.

Sink
Next we'll cover the kitchen sink. When cleaning the sink you should always start with the faucet and just above the rim (working from top to bottom) and then down into the actual sink. You can use an all-purpose cleaner for this area, and use an old toothbrush to get into the little creases, and crevices where gunk likes to hide.

When cleaning the actual bowl of the sink, make sure to wet the sink area first and then apply your cleaner. For sinks we generally work with a powdered cleaner and a scrubber to work out any tough stains. Pull out your toothbrush again and get into the little crevices around the sink drain and garbage disposal. Go ahead and rinse the sink out and move on to the next area.

Refrigerator
With the refrigerator, starting from top to bottom, dust off the top area and remove all dust that has built a home up here. Next, pull out a soft cleaning cloth, and apply an all-purpose cleaner to the exterior of the refrigerator and wash it down thoroughly. If you have a stainless steel refrigerator an all purpose-cleaner will work as well.

I also recommended cleaning the interior of the refrigerator periodically with white distilled vinegar. This will help to prevent mildew build-up.

If you'd like to cut down on odors, place an opened box of baking soda in your refrigerator. Make sure to replace the box at least every three months or so. Label the box so you know when it's time to remove it and place a new one in.

Stove
When cleaning the stove, start from the back and work your way forward until you hit the gas ranges. You want to clean the exterior of the stove with an all purpose cleaner. Next, remove one side of the grills and place them on top of the other set. Make sure to remove any gunk or debris underneath the grill area, and clean down with your all-purpose cleaner.

If there are harder stains try adding a small amount of powdered cleaner and lightly scrub with a damp abrasive sponge or cleaning cloth. Repeat this process for the other side.

Next, work your way down the front of the stove by cleaning off the burner control knobs with an all purpose cleaner. After you've cleaned the knobs wash the front window with a window cleaner. Make sure to get the interior windows as well.

Floor
When cleaning the floor it's always best to first vacuum or sweep out the area completely. You don't want to track any excess debris with you when you mop the floor. Whether you have wood flooring, linoleum, tile, or vinyl, there are specific cleaners for your type of flooring. These will usually be applied and then wiped and scrubbed with a mop. The number one tip I like to use when cleaning the floor is to start at the end of the room and work your way towards the exit. There's nothing worse than cleaning an entire floor and then trapping yourself in the corner. Starting from the end and working your way towards the exit ensures that this doesn't happen.

Conclusion
In order to ensure a quality kitchen environment it's good to keep up on it regularly. We can avoid and prevent illnesses and the spreading of bacteria with simple kitchen upkeep and maintenance. Cleaning the kitchen may be a daunting task for some, but the more we stick with it, the faster and easier it becomes for us to maintain.
Debra Marks is a House Cleaning Enthusiast and Author.  For more great cleaning kitchen tips, you can visit http://www.simplehousecleaning.com
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