Let’s be honest, the kitchen is the heart of the home and it is the messiest part of the home too. Sticky countertops, greasy stove, smelly sink and so much more. Who can actually enjoy spending time in a dirty kitchen. Cleaning is a lengthy process anyway, don’t make it harder with harsh toxic cleaners that take longer to clean.
To save your time and energy we have come up with 10 kitchen cleaning hacks that are simple, inexpensive, and incredibly great at keeping what we use to feed our families clean. Whether you are a busy parent, a busy schedule, or someone who just loves a tidy space, these hacks will create and maintain some sparkle in your kitchen, with only 5 minutes of effort.
1. Wipe & Sweep Every Day: The Rule Book for Clean Kitchens
So basic, but trust me, this one habit goes a long way.
At the end of every evening, most often after dinner, take two minutes to wipe-off your countertops with a slightly damp microfiber cloth and some soap. Little by little, this habit keeps grease and crumbs away while preventing buildup over time.
Pro tip: Keep a small dustpan and broom or a hand-held vacuum nearby as you wipe roughly down the countertop, and sweep up any food that may have dropped into the kitchen. A clean surface and a clean floor add instant evidence of order to the chaos you may have in the rest of the home.
2. Dishes & Trash Habit: Maximize Your Kitchen Misery Avoidance Techniques
The truth is: A clean kitchen is an easy kitchen so make sure to put the dishes away after use.
Get into the habit of rinse and load the dishwasher (or, if necessary) wash by hand right after your meals. It keeps a cluttered sink demo, and allows for a less awe-inspiring meal prep later.
Same principle applies here too. Keep empties from stacking. Don’t wait until it’s overflowing. Empty each time you cook, every day, especially anything fragrant, like garlic or fish.
3. Get your Microwave Sparkling Clean with a Lemon Steam
Microwave splatters are no laughing matter, but it isn’t necessary to bust out the elbow grease to scrub it off. Give this natural next-to-no-effort tip a try:
What you need to do:
Fill a microwave safe bowl with water and a few slices of lemon, and pop it in the microwave. Heat on high for 2-3 minutes, and then let it sit (with the door closed!) for another minute while the steam works. Simply wipe down the interior with a cloth. The steam will loosen hardened food while the lemon will deodorize, simple and chemical-free!
4. Make your own All-Purpose Cleaner
If you’re working on reducing your exposure to store-bought cleaners with mystery ingredients this is a great alternative.
Just mix:
- 1 part white vinegar
- 1 part water
Transfer the mixture to a spray bottle and it’s ready to go. This DIY all-natural cleaner is perfect for your countertops, cooktops, and even stainless steel.
5. Garbage Disposal Freshener That Actually Works
If you are smelling something funky from your sink, it’s probably whatever is lurking in your garbage disposal. Here is a quick, natural fix:
Put a few lemon peels or half of a used lemon into the disposal and run cold water and turn it on for a few seconds.
The citrus smell will instantly freshen things up and the natural oils help clean the blades. Do this once or twice a week for smell-free disposal use.
6. Easy Range Hood Filter Cleaning (No Elbow Grease Required)
Greasy filters can be intimidating. But, cleaning your filters is far easier than you think, especially if your range hood has removable metal filters.
What to do: Pop the filters in the dishwasher, run it a hot cycle, and use your regular dish detergent. That’s it! No scrubbing is necessary.
If you don’t have a dishwasher, soak your filters in hot water with dish soap and a bit of baking soda (for 15–20 minutes), then rinse.
7. Deep Clean Your Oven Overnight (No Harmful Chemicals)
There was a time when traditional oven cleaners were filled with terrible chemicals that stink and left a film on your oven. No cleaning product is pleasant to work with. Instead, try this very gentle, natural cleaning process.
How to do it:
- Make up a thick paste with baking soda and water.
- Spread the paste in your oven (avoiding the heating elements).
- Allow it to sit overnight.
- Next morning, wipe your oven out with a damp cloth.
8. Olive Oil for Shining Stainless Steel
Even if your stainless steel appliances are clean, fingerprints and water spots can give them an unkempt look. This hack will give you a showroom look using something already in your pantry: olive oil.
How to do it:
Put some drops of olive oil on a soft cloth, and then gently wipe it across the surface of the stainless steel surface of your refrigerator doors, oven, dishwasher, microwaves, etc. Then buff it with a clean, dry cloth. The oil will help remove the fingerprints and leave a thin film of oil to resist any future handprint stains.
Bonus: It smells better than store-bought polish.
9. Declutter & Reset Weekly
The greatest mess can sometimes be clutter, and a public service announcement here: A weekly “kitchen reset” can help you from getting too overwhelmed with things that are out of place.
What you should include in your weekly list:
- Wipe the shelves and remove expired food from the fridge.
- Reorganize drawers and remove things from countertops.
- Empty and clean out your toaster crumb tray. (Trust me, this matters!)
- Check under the sink and remove any empty cleaning bottles or dried out sponges.
A lot of households enjoy doing this on Sunday evenings as it is a nice and calming way to end one week and start the fresh new week.
10. Clean As You Go (The Secret of the Professional Chef)
Have you noticed how chefs on cooking shows don’t seem to have a lot of mess? The chefs work with some kind of magic that makes this possible. And there is magic, it’s called the “Clean As You Go” method.
This onehabit will completely change your kitchen routine. Instead of leaving that big pile of dirty bowls and utensils to tackle at the end, make it a habit to wash and wipe as you cook.
- Just finished chopping an onion? Wipe off your cutting board and rinse the knife under hot water.
- Sauce is simmering? Just grab a clean cloth and wipe the counter.
Conclusion:
To sum up, we can say that organizing and cleaning your kitchen doesn’t have to take up hours of your time. A few easy, repeatable tips and a few natural ingredients (vinegar, baking soda, and lemon) are all you need to help your kitchen go from chaos to calm.
The key is consistency. Pick two or three hacks from this list, integrate them as part of your daily or weekly routine to create a habit, and then add some more hacks. Soon cleaning your kitchen will feel more like second nature than actual work.
Let’s be real, staying on top of the kitchen mess isn’t about aesthetics though either. It’s about creating a kitchen that is pleasant to cook in and gather in and live in. And now that you have all these hacks in your back pocket, you’re on your way. You can share these hacks with your friends and family too.
Numrah Fareed is a freelance writer and home organization enthusiast with a passion for practical, eco-friendly living. When not typing away at her desk, she’s experimenting with DIY cleaning hacks and helping readers simplify their routines one tip at a time.