The kitchen is probably the most intensively used space in every home and apartment – you cook, eat and live there. Accordingly, it should be cleaned often and thoroughly.
Twice a year every kitchen needs a thorough deep cleaning. Nowhere else, be it from cooking, baking or eating, so much fat and dirt is deposited on the surfaces. But precisely because you work with food there, the kitchen should actually be the cleanest and most hygienic place in the apartment. Splashes on the tiles, encrusted ovens, calcified fittings – with these tips and home remedies, you can bring the kitchen back to shine and make it a clean place of wellbeing.
How to Clean a Kitchen | Kitchen Cleaning Tips
1. Clean the baked oven
If you don’t have an oven that cleans itself at a high temperature, you have to do it yourself. A self-made paste of baking powder and water is suitable for this, if you do not want to use an aggressive oven cleaner. Before you apply them to the heavily soiled areas, you should fill all the openings in the oven with foil or kitchen paper. Now apply the paste and leave it on overnight. You can scrape the grime off easily the following day. Wipe it off with a rag after scraping grime. This also works with heavily soiled baking trays.
2. Remove overcooked food from the hob
Whether ceramic, gas or electric cooker, no cooker is protected from boiling over. If you do not remove the traces immediately after cooking, it can be a tedious drudgery later. It is better to let the stove cool down a little after cooking and clean it when it is still lukewarm. In addition to the chemical club, the power of the lemon is also suitable for lighter stains on the hob. Soak the affected areas with citric acid, leave for about ten minutes and wipe with a moist cloth. Persistent stains can be taken off more easily with a paste of baking soda and water. Spread the mixture on the hob surface with a cloth, leave for several hours, remove with a moist cloth and then let it dry.
3. A hygienic sink
The sink is a real spinner, where germs of all kinds gather – even more so than in a toilet. In order to keep the sink hygienically clean, it should be washed out regularly with warm water and detergent (this dissolves grease and has an antibacterial effect). To keep a stainless steel sink visually clean, we recommend scrubbing with baking soda and a brush. With a basin made of ceramic or plastic, you should exercise a little more care when cleaning, it is best to clean it with a soft cloth or sponge and a little washing-up liquid or all-purpose cleaner. Citric acid helps against limescale deposits – to avoid new deposits, the basin can be rubbed dry every day with a microfiber cloth (ideally after each use).
4. Don’t forget the drain
You should also not forget the rinsing outflow, where there is also food leftovers in addition to fluff – which can give off an unpleasant smell in the long run. Therefore, the drain should be flushed out regularly with drain cleaner. Vinegar and lemon help to regularly clean and deodorize the drain. Stock up on ice cubes made from pieces of lemon and vinegar and pour a handful of them into the drain every few days.
For plumbing help and maintenance, you can get the help of a plumber near you.
5. Clean the refrigerator
Bacteria and mold all too much like to develop in moist areas of the refrigerator – and spread to all the food that is kept there. Thorough cleaning should therefore be carried out at regular intervals – surface cleaning is sufficient in between. That’s how it works:
First, the entire refrigerator should be cleared out. Get rid of of spoiled food. Check for expired food items and dispose it too. Remove all shelves and drawers and wash them in the tub with warm water and a a little disinfectant all-purpose cleaner or vinegar. While everything is drying, the interior of the refrigerator can be cleaned. A mix of baking soda, water and soap is suitable for this, which disinfects and deodorises. Use it to wipe the entire interior walls and doors. If this does not remove all stains, put a little vinegar on a cloth and dab the stain with it, after 15 minutes of exposure it should be easy to remove.
Dirt and mold also easily settle in the seals around the door. When all splashes, stains and crumbs have been removed, everything can be rubbed dry with a soft cloth and the shelves can be put back in place. Read here how to arrange the food correctly in the fridge !