Kitchen cleaning hacks that save time

As one of the most used rooms in the house, it’s no surprise that kitchens can get messy.  In fact, with so much activity, it may seem like keeping your kitchen clean is an impossible feat.

It may surprise you to hear that even the pros have difficulty keeping such an active space clean, especially when you consider the mess left after cooking daily meals, the junk and clutter that accumulates, and the messes and spills left behind by the kids…

The good news is that there are tricks that can help keep your kitchen clean day-to-day AND save you time in the process!

Keep things minimal

The more things on your counter, the more things you need to move and clean…  A minimal approach to your counter space can save you a lot of time and speed up the entire process.  Instead of setting hours aside each weekend to clean your kitchen, you could clean off your countertops each day in as little as 10 or 15 minutes!

A few years ago we decided to take this approach in our own kitchen, eliminating or tucking away, most of the appliances and containers that we had on our countertop.  What we found was that our kitchen wasn’t only easier to keep clean, but more functional because of the amount of working space we had gained.

Don’t let it pile up

Believe us, we understand that life gets busy.  But taking a moment to clean up a mess right when it happens, instead of letting it pile up, can make a world of difference.  Instead of the daunting mess that you dread tackling, you can clean up as you go.  This doesn’t only keep your kitchen cleaner longer, but it also takes a lot of the stress out of the process!

It can be difficult to get motivated when you’re overwhelmed by the mess you have to clean up.  Instead of waiting until it gets to that point, cleaning up as the messes happen makes the whole process easier.

Clean while you wait

Are you waiting for the water to boil?  Does dinner need another 10 minutes?  This is an excellent opportunity to get some of the cleaning out of the way!  Wiping off the countertop or cleaning the top of the stove are simple tasks that you can get out of the way so that you don’t have to do them later.

This is a huge time saver.  Instead of having to clean everything after you’re done cooking, now you will only need to address the surfaces you didn’t get to.  What could have taken 20 minutes may only take 10!

Don’t leave things in the sink unless they need to soak

This may seem like an odd tip, but items left in the sink won’t clean themselves, and can even be in the way when you’re trying to clean other items.  In fact, you may have even noticed that items you put in the sink seem to get dirtier – that’s not your imagination!

Several years ago we instituted a policy to clean things right away instead of leaving them in the sink, and we are so glad that we did.  This one policy has saved us hours upon hours of cleaning time, as we avoid the dreaded “sink disaster”…  Give this a try, you’ll be glad you did!

Clean the sink after washing dishes

While rinsing down the sink is a great first step, a quick wipe down after washing the dishes not only ensures that your sink is always clean, but it prevents you from needing to schedule time for the “deep clean”…

This way your kitchen sink is always ready to go and spotless without requiring much of your time.  A few minutes after washing dishes is all it takes.

Use a trash bowl while cooking

Having a trash bowl handy can make cleanup a breeze and organize your space!  Not only does this reduce your trips to the trash can, but it avoids a lot of the mess that often accompanies meal prep and cooking.

We use a loaf pan that fits neatly right behind our cutting board, but anything that is convenient will do.  The easiest messes to clean up are the ones that never happen, right?

Have a place for everything

Not only does this make everything more convenient because you now know where everything is, but it makes putting everything away much simpler as well.  As an added bonus, this allows you to make the best use of your space and reduce countertop clutter.

When we were first reorganizing our kitchen, we wanted to move all of the similar utensils and cooking supplies to be together and easily accessible.  This allowed us to relocate less used items and maximize the use of our available space.

Clean the oven while you sleep

We have to admit that we’re not big fans of the self-cleaning feature of ovens.  It’s ineffective and can fill your home with some strange smells as it cooks off a combination of chicken cacciatore and cake batter…

So instead we rely on a simple mixture of 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup white vinegar, and ½ cup baking soda.  Simply mix in a spray bottle and coat the inside of your oven (careful to avoid the heating elements) and go to bed (you can allow it to sit for up to 12 hours).  When you wake up the next day, clean with soup and water and watch everything wipe away!

Use your vacuum cleaner to clean your cabinets

It can be difficult getting in those tight corners, so we suggest turning to your vacuum for some much needed help.  Once you’ve emptied out your cabinet, vacuum out the cabinets thoroughly, and wipe clean with the cleaner of your choice.

This is an effective method of getting to those hard to reach areas efficiently and saves you a lot of time.

With just a few minor tips from the pros, you could be cleaning like a pro yourself!

Do you have a project that’s too big for you?  Please don’t hesitate to Contact Your Local Disaster Blaster! We’re always here to help!

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