Squeaky Clean:Keeping an Ever Sparkling Kitchen

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By Rachel Derry
Staff Writer LIFamilies

The kitchen is the center of entertaining in most households. You clean the house and prep the living room with extra seating, but everyone gathers in the kitchen. What about the unexpected visits? Do you have a mother or mother-in-law who likes to pop over unexpectedly, leaving you antsy about how your kitchen looks? Here is a simple cleaning regimen that will keep your kitchen spotless and worry free at all times.

On a weekly basis you want to clean:
•Floors: You want to mop your tile, stone, or linoleum floors at least once a week. For a green alternative to harsh cleaners try one cup of vinegar to one gallon of water.

•Countertops: Wipe down your countertops daily after cooking and cleanup, but once a week go over them well with a multipurpose or disinfectant cleaner. This will keep them germ free and sparkling.

•Sink: Weekly pour a pot of boiling water down your drain to clear out the pipes of any debris and grease. Follow the water with one cup of white vinegar. Be sure to also scrub your sink basin to keep it clean and stain free.

•Microwave: Possibly the most used appliance in the kitchen is usually the dirtiest. Take the turntable plate out of your microwave and run it through the dishwasher, or soak it in sudsy water and scrub it with a sponge. Wipe down the inside of your microwave with disinfectant wipes or a soapy sponge.

On a monthly basis make sure to clean:
•Refrigerator: Empty out your fridge, entirely, and wipe down the interior walls, shelves and draws. Make sure to use a product that isn’t harmful for your food to be near. A good alternative to cleaner is ½ of baking soda to a gallon of water.

•Cabinets: Wipe your cabinets down with diluted dish soap and water. Also, go through them to get rid of all out dated and stale items.

•Oven: Most ovens have a self cleaning cycle. Make sure to use it once a month. (Opening doors and windows to provide plenty of ventilation for fumes) If you don’t have a self cleaning oven, scrub any stuck on stuff with a soaped up scrubbing sponge.

•Dishwasher: Once a month, run your dishwasher, empty, with dish detergent. This will clean out the majority of smells and residual stains from a month of use.

Long Island Home & Lifestyle Articles > Squeaky Clean:Keeping an Ever Sparkling Kitchen