Cleaning the kitchen

Cleaning the kitchen
Help for the significant other
Anora Eldorath 2010

Welcome to the second installment of our series on helping your significant other with household chores. We tackled the bathroom first because it is possibly the dirtiest area of the home and one that is used frequently. The second room we’ll tackle is the second most used room in the home the kitchen. More so than the bathroom, though one could argue they are equal, the kitchen is a place that needs to be clean because this is the place you are preparing meals. The diseases range from e-coli to salmonella. A recent study shown on CBS Early Show resulted in one woman having a 250 million count of bacteria inside her refrigerator fruit drawer. That’s not a good sign for anyone in the family.

So, how does one attack that menacing room that glares at you with fire and brimstone with the challenge, “I dare you”? Well, I like to work down so that I’m not going over freshly clean areas to get to dirty areas. Let’s start by first making sure that everything is in its place. It’s a good idea before actually cleaning with products that you put up food, remove paperwork, and any other unnecessary items.

Once all items are put in their proper location it’s time to begin with the nitty gritty. I begin with the dishes and get all of those out of the way. This simply makes sense as there will be no utensils to get dirty. Ideally dishes are done after each meal, but I also like to make sure the kitchen is properly cleaned up daily to reduce the risk of germs.

Once the dishes are washed, dried, and put up get a clean cloth and use your cleaner to wipe down the outside of all of the cabinets. Move on to clean out the microwave and stove top thoroughly. Remember to remove the internal table from the microwave and clean it with hot soapy water. Also remember that wiping down the stove involves taking the heating elements off, and scrubbing the metal rims as well as inside the stove top where droppings may have become trapped. Do not forget to wipe down the front of the stove and vent hood as well. (I only clean the inside of the stove as needed when spills occur). Once you have cleaned the metal rims and put them back, and replace the heating elements.

Next we can move to the counter tops, which should ideally be cleaned anytime they are used but always a good idea when you are cleaning down the kitchen. You can disinfect for germs using one tablespoon of bleach to one gallon of water.

Next move to the refrigerator. It is a good idea to clean out the refrigerator at least once a week, but if you wipe daily you will be ahead of the game. Cleaning the refrigerator goes beyond just a quick door wipe. You want to get all parts of the outside, but you also want to clean the inside. If your freezer needs defrosting by all means do so, but with most of the modern freezers this is no longer an issue. Simply remove the food, wipe clean, and place the food back into the freezer. Repeat with the refrigerator when cleaning it out during your weekly clean. If you are doing just a day to day spot check simply wipe down any spills and dirt. The area that should be wiped down daily though is the seal around the doors. This is where you will find the most trapped bacteria. A simple solution is to rubber band a clean dishcloth around your spatula (the one with a slight point or you can also use the handle), dip the end in your cleaning solution and run this through the crevices of the seal. Do not forget to also wash out your fruit and vegetable trays as well as under and behind them.

When done with the refrigerator it is time to move to the kitchen sink and drains. It is a good idea to run a mixture of cleaning solution through your drains every now and then to help them proper functionally. A trick with the garbage disposal is to run ice through it once a month to help maintain it. Make sure to scrub the drain tops, as well as all crevices around your sink as these areas collect bacteria as well.

The last area I complete is the floor. For day to day cleaning I use a swifter jet with antibacterial cleaner, which works nicely. Once a week though I will wash the floor with bleach water to help kill any germs. As I mentioned in my last article this does require a bit of elbow grease. It means pulling out the stove and washing beneath it., as well as washing beneath the refrigerator.

When all done a simple vase of flowers to brighten up your cooking area can be brought in. I also like to light a small lavender candle to add to the rich scents already found in my kitchen when cooking.



Further Reading


Koeppen, Susan. Your Kitchen: A Breeding Ground for Germs? CBS Early Show. NEW YORK, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 24 Aug. 2010.

Maloof, Rich. Kitchen Germs. MSN Health & Fitness Online. Web. 24. Aug. 2010

Mann, Denise. Germs in the Kitchen: The kitchen harbors more germs than any other room in the home. Here are 10 tips to protect your family. . Web MD Feature. Web. 24. Aug. 2010