Picture this: you’ve finally designed your ultimate dream kitchen. You’ve done all your research, and found everything from the best electric cooktops to the best french door refrigerators. However, now it’s time to scrub the whole space until it gleams, and you’re desperate for a top-to-bottom list of kitchen cleaning hacks.
Keeping this notoriously messy room clean can be tricky – and it can also be overwhelming. Luckily, we've put together a mix of natural solutions, secret uses for products you’d never consider, and tips on those hard-to-reach places to help you make the most out of your kitchen. Whether you're looking for general kitchen cleaning hacks or more specific cleaning hacks for microwaves or cleaning hacks for ovens, we've got a great list of tips and tricks for you to consider.
Kitchen cleaning hacks
1. Use dish soap and a soft sponge for daily sink maintenance
As the place where all leftover food runs off, it’s no surprise that the kitchen sink often holds the most germs. But it’s also easy to think that as far as cleaning hacks for kitchen areas go, the sink is pretty self-scrubbing. It is the one that comes most in contact with soap, after all. But that doesn’t mean it can be looked over. For daily maintenance, after rinsing, washing, or soaking your dishes, use the same dish soap and sponge to give your sink a proper scrub, too. Just be sure to skip sponges made of steel wool, because they can scratch your sink and further trap bacteria.
2. Polish your appliances with WD-40
While WD-40 is a common garage staple, it’s also a little-known secret when it comes to cleaning hacks for kitchen appliances – specifically ones made of stainless steel. Simply spray onto a soft, dry cloth and rub against the grain of your fridge, dishwasher, or oven door. You’ll be shocked to see how easily it removes everything from fingerprints to smudges to residue left behind from stickers and labels.
3. Use vodka to remove carpet stains
Area rugs have become a trendy must-have in kitchen design, but if the thought of staining gives you stress hives, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are plenty of stain removal cleaning hacks for kitchen areas prone to splatter, but this is the only one that lends itself to a celebratory cocktail once you’re finished. It’s vodka! Dab a small amount onto the stain and gently rub. Ideally, you should treat the carpet as soon as the spill occurs, but even if you tend to it later than planned, the vodka should lighten the damage.
4. Try microwaving vinegar
A quick search for kitchen cleaning hacks will tell you that vinegar is on every list. But most of the tips call for mixing it with baking soda as a gentle scrub. This tip, however, is for managing mangy microwaves. Simply mix lemon juice and vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl, and put it on high for about one minute. You’ll find the mixture creates a lemon-scented steam, so let the bowl sit for around ten minutes to enable the steam to permeate the sides of your microwave and avoid scalding yourself with the hot water. Once everything cools, wipe a damp cloth around the inside of the microwave for a sparkling and odor-free space.
5. Use citrus as a cleaning agent
Almost any citrus fruit can function as a cleaning agent. Use half a lemon with table salt to rub out stains, or drop orange peels down your drain to remove odors plaguing your garbage disposal. If your oven and pots are caked in grease and other cleaning hacks for kitchen appliances aren’t cutting it, try sprinkling salt on top, squeezing on some grapefruit juice, and scrubbing with a sponge after a ten-minute wait. The grease should loosen and dissolve.
6. Clean out your oven's overhead filter
When it comes to kitchen cleaning hacks you can see, the resulting effect can be super satisfying. But the invisible spaces need love, too! Above your stovetop, the exhaust filter can get majorly grimy and, as a result, much less effective. The best method is to remove it and soak the filter in a mix of hot water and bleach. If you prefer to avoid bleach, try a mixture of boiling water and half a cup of baking soda. Whichever you use, wait around 20–30 minutes, rinse, and let dry.
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