It’s June and (almost) officially summer! School’s out! So, for myself as a teacher, it is summertime! It’s hard to pick a favorite season. I’m not a big fan of SUPER hot weather. But I LOVE the time off of school and getting to spend time relaxing and doing fun things with my family. If you are new to my blog and haven’t been following along with my monthly cleaning jobs, I have a Deep Cleaning Schedule for Your Home you can print off. I’d love to have you join me in following it each month!
For June, we are tackling cleaning and organizing the kitchen. This is a big one because most people’s kitchens have SO much stuff! I clean the kitchen every week (It is my Thursday job on my Weekly Cleaning Schedule). But, once a year I give it a really good clean and reorganize things that may have gotten a little crazy throughout the year. So read on to learn how to deep clean your kitchen!
June’s Cleaning Jobs:
- Wipe down the kitchen cabinets -inside and out.
- Organize all the cabinets and drawers.
- Clean all kitchen appliances.
- Disinfect the sink.
- Wash the backsplash.
- Clean the countertops.
- Clean the kitchen floors.
I also recommend getting the carpets in your house cleaned this month. You can read here why getting your carpets steam cleaned twice a year is so important. I have this job listed in June and in December on my Deep Cleaning Schedule.
How To Deep Clean Your Kitchen
What You’ll Need
- Cleaning Concentrate – I’m using Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds here. I also love Branch Basics. Both concentrates are free of harmful ingredients, work great, and are cost effective. This bottle of Sal Suds’ has lasted me years!
- Microfiber Cloths
- Bucket of Warm Water
- Dish Soap – This is my current FAVORITE one! It’s made with probiotics and is great for the skin!
- All Purpose Cleaner – I use my homemade all purpose cleaner – check out the recipe here.
- Stainless Steel Cleaner – I make my own of this also, but sometimes I use Branch Basics for that as well.
- Baking Soda
- White Distilled Vinegar
- Broom
- Dust Pan
- Mop – I use this one and LOVE it!
What To Do
1. Wipe Kitchen Cabinets Inside and Outside
Okay, this is a time-consuming chore, but an important one. Kitchen cabinets and drawers can get pretty yucky. I don’t know how so many crumbs can get in a drawer of pot holders! The outside and the top of cabinets can get very greasy if you do a lot of cooking, too!
So, to get started, fill a large bowl with warm water and about a teaspoon of Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds. I love this product because it’s a safer alternative to many all-purpose cleaners. It’s free of toxic ingredients and artificial fragrances, and you can use it for SO many things!
Dip a microfiber cloth into the soapy water, and wipe the outside of the cabinet or drawer first. Get in all the grooves, wiping away all the dirt, grime, and crumbs. Make sure you clean the knobs and pulls as well.
Then, pull the drawers open or open the cabinets. Take everything out – yes, everything! If you have shelf liner in your cabinets, like I do, take it out as well. Wipe the entire inside surface of the cabinet or drawer – the sides, top, and bottom. Then replace the shelf liner and wipe it clean as well.
While I’m at it, I wash my drawer organizers and silverware trays (and the rest of the dishes I had piled up in the sink!).
While I’m taking everything out of the cabinets, if I see something that needs to be cleaned better (the dishwasher does not seem to clean some things as well as hand washing does – especially knives!), I’ll go ahead and wash it in the sink.
I go through the whole kitchen, one cabinet or drawer at a time, cleaning it all out, and then completing step 2 – putting everything back in the cabinets in an organized way.
Watch my YouTube video for more tips on cleaning and organizing your kitchen cabinets and drawers.
2. Organize All Cabinets and Drawers
After each cabinet or drawer is clean and you’ve let it dry, it is time to neatly replace the items. As you go through each section, make sure to:
- Declutter – get rid of anything you no longer use or need. Throw it away if it’s not in good condition, or else put it in a pile to sell or give away.
- Organize – put like items together. All glasses in one cabinet, pots in one cabinet, pot holders in one drawer, etc.
- Contain – put smaller items in containers with other like items to keep them neat!
I love these little drawer organizer from Walmart to keep my “junk drawer” organized. I don’t like to call it a junk drawer, because I don’t like to keep junk. But this is the drawer where I keep pens, batteries, notepads, matches, tape, and a Bluetooth speaker – some office supplies that I don’t want to have to walk upstairs to our home office to get when needed.
I don’t like cabinets to be overly crowded. If it’s getting too crowded, I’ll throw away (or put in a pile to give away) some things that we don’t need anymore. This time I got rid of a few sippy cups that leak or my youngest son, Jase, doesn’t use anymore. I put all the old baby bottles and pacifiers in our “get-rid-of” pile.
The pic on the left is what our medicine cabinet looked like BEFORE cleaning and organizing it. Not shown in this picture – I also had a bag of vitamins and supplements on the counter that don’t fit in this cabinet. I took everything out, wiped it down well, and replaced the liner.
And the pic on the right is what it looks like AFTER I put everything back neatly. I threw away several things that were expired, close to expiring, or we didn’t need anymore. This is an IMPORTANT step. Always throw away or flush expired medication to avoid harmful consequences.
After getting rid of many things, I was able to fit the vitamins and supplements I had on the counter (which is more than I normally have – but I’m currently going through health issues and trying out some different supplements) into the cabinet.
I have:
- my son’s nebulizer on the top shelf;
- medicines, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol on the middle shelf;
- vitamins, supplements, band aids, and thermometers on the bottom shelf.
I like to keep things that we use more frequently on the bottom shelf.
Also, when I put items on the shelves, I like to line everything up in rows, leaving a little space between the rows. This makes it easier to see everything and reach what you need.
In my pots and pans cabinet, I line my lids up on the top shelf and stack all my pots and pans on the bottom shelf.
When you’re going through and putting stuff away, make sure you only put away the things that you USE and WANT TO KEEP.
I recently threw away some pots and pans that had the Teflon coating on them, and the coating was starting to come off. I am slowly going away from using cookware and containers that are toxic and switching to safer alternatives. When the coating starts to chip off pots and pans, it is the most harmful. So, it was definitely time to throw those away and get some new pots and pans.
I rearranged some things in this cabinet and stood my cutting boards up, making it easy to reach for the one I want to use.
This is my cabinet of storage containers. Plastic is definitely not an eco-friendly, safe material, especially when it is heated in a microwave. This is another area that I am working on, over time and as the budget allows. I plan on getting rid of all this plastic-ware and replacing it with glass and stainless steal containers.
*Update: I switched to these glass ones and absolutely LOVE them! Much safer and more eco-friendly.
As far as organizing it – before I put anything back in the cabinet, I make sure that it had it’s matching lid. I threw away any containers or lids that didn’t have a match. Then I stacked like-size containers with each other. And I put the matching lids under the containers.
3. Clean All Kitchen Appliances
Dishwasher
For the dishwasher, I start by pouring about 1 Cup of white distilled vinegar in a bowl (or a measuring cup) and placing it on the top rack.
Then I close the dishwasher and run it as normal with the sanitizing and heated dry options on. The vinegar is a great natural cleaner to loosen up grime and buildup. The hot water and vinegar works like magic.
While the dishwasher is running, I clean the stainless steel on the outside. A few teaspoons of Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds and 2 Cups of water shaken together in a spray bottle works great as a safe stainless steel cleaner. Just spray a few times onto the stainless steal and wipe with a paper towel or microfiber cloth until all the streaks are gone.
After the dishwasher runs, I spray my homemade all purpose spray over the entire inside surface of the dishwasher. Then I use my microfiber cloth and wipe away all the grime, mold, crumbs, etc.
Here’s what the bottom edge of my dishwasher looked BEFORE running it with the vinegar and then wiping it away. GROSS!
And here’s the AFTER!
Lastly, you’ll need to clean out the filter. Unscrew the filter from the bottom of the dishwasher. Run it under water, using your cloth to help scrape off all the yucky stuff. Then replace the filter.
Watch this video for more helpful tips on deep cleaning kitchen appliances.
Microwave
For the microwave, I use basically the same trick I used for the dishwasher. Fill a bowl with about 1 Cup white distilled vinegar and place it in the microwave. Turn on the microwave for 5 minutes. The steam from the vinegar really helps break down any stuck-on food.
While the vinegar is heating up, clean the outside of the microwave with my stainless steal cleaner. Spray a few squirts on the front of the microwave, and wipe with a microfiber cloth until there are no streaks. Make sure to clean the top, bottom, and side of microwave too.
When the microwave timer goes off, carefully take the vinegar out. Finally, use your microfiber cloth to wipe away all the food particles and grime on the entire surface of the microwave’s inside.
Stove
First, clean the top section of the stove (where the buttons and knobs are) with your stainless steel cleaner and microfiber cloth.
For the stovetop, start by sprinkling baking soda over the surface.
Then run hot water through your microfiber cloth and squeeze out the excess. Next, rub the cloth in a circular motion over the whole surface of the stovetop. If you have a lot of stuck-on food, put 1/2 Cup water and 1/2 Cup white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the mixture on top of the baking soda. This will help break up the food and burnt pieces even better.
Lastly, use your all purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth to wipe away any baking soda or water left on the stove top.
Oven
For the oven, my go-to cleaning products again are….dun, dun, dun, dun….baking soda and vinegar! They’re safe and SO effective. First, remove the oven racks and the pans, if you have them, in the drawer under your oven. Turn the oven on to 200 degrees. The heat makes it easier for the grime and burnt food to wipe away easier. But it’s still not so hot that you’ll burn yourself when you go to wipe it down. Let the oven reach 200 degrees and stay at that temperature for about 5 minutes, and then turn it off.
Once the oven is off and has had a minute to cool down some, sprinkle baking soda throughout the oven. Then put 1/2 Cup water and 1/2 Cup white distilled vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the solution on the sides, back, bottom, and the door of the oven. The vinegar will react with the baking soda and will help to loosen everything up.
Then take your microfiber cloth, soak it in water, and wring it out. Scrub the whole inside of the oven, wiping away all the baking soda, grease, food, etc. Some parts may need more elbow grease than others. And you may need to add more baking soda and water/vinegar mixture to some stubborn parts.
Next, wash the oven racks. I wash them over my sink with my scouring pad and warm soapy water. Let them sit out to dry, and then place them back into the oven.
Clean the outside of the oven with the same stainless steel cleaner you used for the dishwasher and microwave.
Finally, you’ll need to clean the drawer under the oven. Spray with your all-purpose cleaner and wipe it clean with a microfiber cloth. If there are a lot of crumbs that you can’t get out with your cloth, use your vacuum cleaner’s hose to reach in and suck up all the crumbs. Then replace the pans in the drawer.
Refrigerator
Start by cleaning the outside of your refrigerator. Spray the outside with your stainless steel cleaner. If your fridge isn’t stainless steel use your all purpose cleaner. Then wipe it down until all the streaks are gone.
Next, it’s time to tackle the inside of the refrigerator and freezer.
Go shelf-by-shelf, taking everything out, cleaning it well, and then replacing only the things I want to keep. I throw out anything that has expired, is close to expiring, or I know we won’t eat.
Start with the freezer. After you take everything off a shelf, take a cloth and run it under HOT water. Spray the sides, back, top, and bottom of the shelf with your all purpose cleaner. Then wipe it with your cloth. Finally, replace everything (after you’ve thrown away anything you don’t want) back onto the shelf in an orderly way. Remember to put like items with each other. So, have one drawer for frozen fruit, one for frozen veggies, one for meat, etc.
After you’ve cleaned all the freezer shelf and drawers, move onto the refrigerator side. Go through the same steps. First, take everything out of the drawer or shelf. Spray the all-purpose cleaner and wipe the drawer or shelf clean. Then replace neatly everything that is good and that you want to keep. Make sure you get all the crumbs sitting on the bottom of the refrigerator too!
I recommend while you’re cleaning out your refrigerator, evaluate the food that you have. Get rid of unhealthy food that you don’t NEED to have in your house. Cleaning out your kitchen can be good for both cleanliness and health benefits!
Make sure you have a designated section for each type of food in your refrigerator. For example, this drawer is for our greens (lettuce, cucumbers, etc), and the drawer underneath it is for the rest of our refrigerated vegetables. Our drawer above this one contains our cheese and lunch meat. We have a shelf for drinks, a shelf for leftovers/prepped food, and a shelf for fruit. On the side of our refrigerator, we have all our jarred food items – pickles, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, etc.
Small Appliances
After you’ve cleaned all your large appliances, clean your small kitchen appliances as well. This might include your stand mixer, food processor, tea kettle, coffee maker, griddle, etc.
For the electric appliances I use the same products I used to clean the cabinets. I dip a microfiber cloth into my Sal Suds/water mixture (a new, clean mixture), wring it out, and wipe the surface of the appliances.
I cleaned my tea kettle in the sink, since it it is not electric. It had some stuck-on grease, so I used my scouring pad to scrub it off.
For your coffee maker and/or Keurig, run a cycle of just water. Take the water reservoir out of the Keurig and wash it in the sink. Change the filter if needed. Then clean your coffee pot in the sink with soapy water as well.
4. Clean the Sink
To clean the sink, spray your stainless steel cleaner all over the sink. Use your microfiber cloth and scrub the entire surface of the sink. Make sure you clean the outside edges, where there can be lots of grime.
Then, to clean the drain, sprinkle baking soda around and inside of it.
Pour some vinegar around and inside the drain and let it bubble up. Next, use your cloth and scrub to get all the gunk out of the cracks and the sides of the drain (whatever you can reach WITHOUT sticking your hand down in the drain).
Take a few handfuls of ice cubes and throw them down the drain. Run the garbage disposal and let it grind up the ice cubes. This helps to sharpen the blades. Finally, cut a lemon into four pieces, throw them down the disposal, and let it run. This helps to disinfect and freshen sink.
5. Clean the Backsplash
Next up is the tile backsplash. I use the same Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds/water mixture and my microfiber cloth again (Well, not the same one! I switch out clothes SEVERAL times throughout this whole process.). Dip the cloth into the soapy water, wring it out, and wipe all the tile and grout.
The section above the stove will need some extra elbow grease to remove any grease from cooking.
6. Clean the Countertops
Almost done! Next is cleaning the countertops. Remove everything from the countertops. Spray them with your all-purpose cleaner and wipe them clean with a microfiber cloth or paper towel. Repeat for all the countertops in your kitchen.
Wipe down other objects on your countertops, like lamps, picture frames, or other decorations, to remove any cooking grease.
In your next load of laundry, wash your washcloth and kitchen towels and put some fresh clean ones out.
7. Clean the Kitchen Floors
Finally, you’ll need to clean the kitchen floors. There are bound to be tons of crumbs and dirt on the floor after cleaning everything else in the kitchen. So get your broom and dust pan out and sweep the floor well. Then clean it with your favorite mop. I use a Shark Steam Mop. I like it because it cleans with steam – no harsh chemicals. And it doesn’t get the floor soaking wet, which is good since we have laminate flooring.
I like to put a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil in the water reservoir. It helps disinfect the floor and give a nice clean scent to the kitchen.
Your kitchen should look nice and sparkly clean now!! Let me know if you have any questions about how to deep clean your kitchen that I didn’t answer here. Do you have any extra tips for deep cleaning your kitchen?
