07/12/2021
Cleaning your kitchen
Kitchens are a potluck of dirt, grease, and germs. To make this room a sunny haven, you'll need an all-purpose cleaner, a glass cleaner (or the vinegar and water mix), hand dishwashing detergent, a clean, dry cloth, a scrubber sponge and a scourers (the ball-shape, woven-plastic kind).
De-clutter. Put everything in its place, from the dishes languishing in the sink to the kids' drawings on the kitchen table. Remove everything from the counters. Put oven mitts and dish towels into the wash. Toss anything in the fridge that's past its prime or that the troops are unlikely to eat.
Spot patrol. Don't waste precious summer moments scrubbing dried-on foods or baked-on spills on counters and the stovetop. Give them a generous spritz of all-purpose cleaner and allow the cleaner to pe*****te the grime while you move on.
Oven duty. Remove the oven racks. Scrape off any burned-on stains with a dull knife held at a 30-degree angle. Use an oven cleaner for manually cleaned ovens. If you have a self-cleaning oven, turn it on and let the appliance clean itself. Don't use an oven cleaner in a self-cleaning or a continuous-cleaning oven, however. It may damage the surface. To eliminate the need for frequent deep cleanings for the rest of the summer, sponge away oven spills before they dry or are burned to a crisp.
Surface duty. Work your way around the kitchen, cleaning all the surfaces. First, wipe up the spots you sprayed earlier, and then use an all-purpose cleaner for a general wiping of countertops, the oven exterior, cabinets, the dishwasher, and refrigerator. By making one thorough cleaning trip around the room, you're sure to hit all the surface hot spots. Finally, spray a disinfectant cleaner on the countertops and refrigerator handle and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Clean the sink and faucet with a sponge and dishwashing liquid or all-purpose cleaner. To make the faucet sparkle, spritz it with a glass cleaner and polish dry. Wipe the countertops and refrigerator door handle clean of disinfectant.
Floor it. Sweep, and then mop the floor.
[Courtesy of Squeaky Cleaning out of Canada]