Be sure to read all the way to the end of this post to see how you can win one of 2 GE Washer and Dryers sets!
Today is the first day of Spring, everything outdoors is starting to look fresh and new again, which gets me in the mood to do the same indoors.
Last week I mentioned today would start the Spring Cleaning Challenge and I’m tackling the kitchen.
Spring cleaning is especially important in the kitchen. I stay on top of my kitchen on a daily basis, but a least once a year I follow these extra steps to get my kitchen clean enough for a food inspector’s seal of approval.
10 Steps for Spring Cleaning in the Kitchen
Start by removing all clutter and disinfecting counter-tops and dishtowels and then crank up some music and follow these extra steps:
1. Dust and wipe down walls
use this time to clean the grease, grime, and spilled food from your walls. Check corners for cobwebs and dust down corners and trim.
2. Dust and clean items hanging on walls and on top of cabinets.
Wipe down frames and glass and anything hanging on the walls. Don’t forget air vents, doorknobs, doors, switch plates. If you have items on top of your kitchen cabinets, they may need a good scrubbing, as those items tend to get a grease and dust stuck to them. Fill a sink with hot water and dish washing soap to help cut thru grease.
3. Dust and clean light fixtures.
Take down any light fixtures and gently wash and dry them before replacing. If you have a light with exposed light bulb, turn the light off and when it’s cool, dust light bulbs too.
4. Clean windows and window treatments.
Vacuum and clean windowsills. Wash windows, inside and out. Be sure to take down and rinse off screens, before replacing. Remove window treatments and blinds/shades and clean according to manufacture’s instructions. How to clean blinds. My easy window cleaning tip.
5. Clean inside of cabinets and drawers.
Remove everything from inside cabinets , wipe down shelves, and replace and reorganize items. Do the same for drawers. This is a good time to go thru and clean out unused and expired items.
6. Clean appliances.
If you don’t have a self cleaning oven, spray oven cleaner and let it work while you clean other appliances. Don’t forget to open windows in the kitchen to avoid the overpowering smell.
- Refrigerator – Throw out expired food, and remove everything, placing the items to keep on the counter or table. Remove refrigerator shelves and drawers. Wash them down, being careful with glass shelves. Wipe down the entire interior of the refrigerator and freezer with the baking-soda solution, and wipe it dry before replacing shelves and food. Pull refrigerator out, if you can, and unplug and clean behind and underneath. See my favorite tool for this, my refrigerator coil brush.
- Microwave - Start with a damp rag and wipe out any lose crumbs from interior. Then, fill a microwave safe bowl or cup with 4-5 tablespoons baking soda or one-half cup lemon juice and water and heat mixture on high for two to three minutes. When time is up, let it sit for five minutes, then carefully remove cup or bowl and wipe down interior effortlessly with a damp cloth. If you still have stains, try damping your rag with vinegar or a little baking soda to gently scrub away stains. Don’t forget to remove and wash glass turntable. Once everything is sparkling again, leave the door open to air out for bit. Clean exterior and door with only warm, soapy water and soft cloth. Wipe control panels with a barely damp (not wet) cloth; moisture behind the panel could ruin the oven.
- Dishwasher – run empty dishwasher with vinegar. Read my full post on how to clean a dishwasher.
- Oven/Stove – Wipe down and clean out the oven according to the directions on the oven cleaner. Remove, knobs, burners, burner covers, and spill catchers off of the stove and wipe off food spills and splatters, for glass cook tops use a dab of commercial cooktop cleaner on a dry paper towel, and then wipe off the cleaner with another dry towel.
7. Wipe down and clean small appliances.
Unplug all appliances first.
- Mixer – Wash beaters by hand, wipe down base with a damp cloth. If the vent is clogged, loosen the dirt with a toothpick or toothbrush, then vacuum it out.
- Toaster/Toaster oven – clean out crumbs and wipe down the interior and exterior. Be sure to remove racks; wash them in warm, soapy water.
- Coffee Maker – Pour equal parts white vinegar and water into the tank, and run the machine. Empty out carafe and run two or three cycles with fresh water before brewing coffee. Wash carafe and any other removable parts in hot soapy water and wipe down exterior of machine. For any hard water build up on outside of machine, use a cloth soaked in vinegar to removed hard water crust.
8. Clean and shine sink and drain.
Clean your drain with baking soda and vinegar, If you have a garbage disposal, put ice cubes through the disposal to sharpen the blades. Read my post on how to clean/freshen or unclog a drain with vinegar and baking soda. Make you sink shine, by filling your sink to the rim with HOT water and 1 cup of bleach, let it sit for one hour, then remove plug (using tongs or wear gloves), rinse then scrub your sink and faucet with a mild abrasive, I LOVE Barkeepers Friend, rinse thoroughly and finish with a little window cleaner and a paper towel. How to make your sink shine with the Fly Lady.
9. Clean garbage cans.
Wash inside and out with a strong bleach solution (about 3/4 cup per gallon of water).
10. Sweep and mop the floors.
Although this is a step you already do on a regular basis, use spring cleaning to do an extra good job, move furniture to get underneath, get corners, baseboards and even get down on your hands and knees if you can for even a closer clean.
Distilled White Vinegar | Bar Keepers Friend | Bleach | Baking Soda
Count Down to Clean Series (with free Daily, Weekly, Monthly and Annual cleaning checklist to print)
Need other Spring Cleaning Tips
Spring Clean : The Why :: Home-EC 101
Spring Clean: Bathrooms :: i Dream of Clean
Spring Clean: Floors and Windows :: Amy’s Finer Things
Spring Clean: The Kitchen :: Tidy Mom
Spring Clean: Home Office :: Untrained Housewife
Spring Clean: Declutter Around the House :: Live Renewed
Spring Clean : Main Living Area :: Biblical Homemaking
Spring Clean: Conquering the Kids’ Room :: Living Well Spending Less
Spring Clean: Outdoor Living Spaces :: The Greenbacks Gal
Spring Clean: Garage and Cars :: Organize365
Now it’s YOUR turn! Let’s see what Spring Cleaning you’ve been up to!
The 4 winners will receive one of the following:
- Washer/Dryer Set (The approximate retail value (“ARV”) of each prize is less than $4,000) 2 winners
- DIY Easy Track Delux Closet Organization Kit (ARV is $270) 1 winner
- Professional Steam Pocket Mop (ARV is $160) 1 winner
EDITED: GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED
To Enter REQUIRED: Leave a comment on this post telling me what is your favorite or least favorite place to clean. Then, use the rafflecopter widget below to let us know you left a comment. (you MUST use rafflecopter for your comment to count as an entry)
EXTRA entries: there are many ways to earn additional entries. Once you have completed the required entry the additional methods for entry will be unlocked.
**25 entries for sharing your Spring Cleaning accomplishments. If you are posting a link from your blog, please make sure to link to your Spring Cleaning post, not your homepage. Be sure to include: I’m Joining TidyMom and 9 other bloggers in the Spring Cleaning Challenge for a chance to win some incredible prizes! No blog? No worry, you can link to an online photo album with a picture of your Spring Cleaning!
Sample Tweet: I’m joining #SpringCleaning12 and @TidyMom for a chance to #win @GE_appliances Washer & Dryer and other great prizes! http://ow.ly/9LnR7
Giveaway Rules
While anyone can enter their Spring Cleaning link above, the following promotion is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are at least 18 years of age and have a valid email address. Spring Cleaning Challenge (the “Promotion”) starts on March 20th, 2012 at 7:00 AM Eastern Time “ET”) and ends on April 5th, 2012 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (“Promotion Period”). You may view the official rules here.
Linky & Giveaway opens today, March 20th and will be open until April 5th. We have two weeks to share, learn, and clean! Winners will be notified and announced by the end of April.
Use the rafflecopter widget for your giveaway entries. If you have any questions – just shoot me an email tidymom at charter dot net
Disclaimer: Giveaway prizes are provided by GE Appliances, The Stow Company and Shark Clean. I was asked to join the Spring Cleaning Challenge by Christine of I Dream of Clean, and was not compensated for this post.
About TidyMom
I love to clean my living room and hate to clean my kitchen
My least favorite place to clean is the bathroom.
oh, i hate cleaning the bathroom. i can never get all the hair that i shed up off the floor. never ending.
My least favorite place to clean = the stove
I HATE cleaning the tub!
my lease favorite place to clean is of course the bathroom toilets!
Favorite thing to clean…granite counter tops. Least fav to clean…toilet.
Laundry is my hobby and I REALLY need a new washer and dryer!!
Washing clothes is my favorite “thing” there really is an art to it!
I hate cleaning out the closets but love to clean my spa on the back patio in time for summer.
The bathroom is BY FAR my least favorite place to clean!!
The bathrooms
Yuck!
Believe it or not, my favorite place is the bathroom!
Oh my…the least favorite thing to clean is the stove. Yuck. Thank you for such a great opportunity!
I hate to clean the closets. It’s amazing what you find in them.
I got all the appliances cleaned… Wow! What a difference. Today I tackle the den/craft room… This might take 2 days…
I hate to clean the kitchen floor. We have white tile and it NEVER looks clean.
I hate cleaning under the sink, I always forget what I have hoarded under there.
My least favorite place to clean is the bathroom. I don’t know that I have a favorite place to clean.
closet most definately. its my catch all place and it definately catches all…maybe i need a smaller closet
I Hate to clean the floors and folding laundry!!!
My favorite place to clean is the kitchen, and my least favorite place to clean is the bathroom.
My least favorite place to clean is the bathroom and refrigerator!
My least favorite place would probably be the laundry only because where I live, I share a washer and dryer with 11 other apartments. So I’m constantly using disinfectant to somewhat sanitize the machines. Makes me feel better I guess.
I hate cleaning under the couch. I find unidentifiable things down there!!!
my least favorite place to clean are the bathrooms!!
Oh….how I HATE cleaning the bathroom!!
My favorite place to clean is the kitchen, least favorite- the bathroom.
the least favorite place to clean is our home office and my favorite would be laundry in a new washer dryer Thank you very much for allowing me the chance
My least favorite place to clean is definitely the bathroom!
Least favorite place to clean is behind the refrigerator
My least favorite place to clean is the kitchen floor. No matter how many times I mop or brush it up it never seems to keep clean.
I really hate cleaning the basement. It’s creepy with spiders and I don’t even want to know what else likes to live down there.
Am a fan of TidyMom on facebook and shared this giveaway there.
My least favorite place to clean is the bathroom but I have to admit that I feel so much better when its done that I really shouldn’t complain about it too much.
I hate cleaning Period!!! lol! The Kitchen is my least fave yuck!
My least favorite place to clean is my bedroom! Probably because no one really sees it, as opposed to my downstairs, where I need to have it clean for other people.
Who won?!
All winners have just been confirmed and will be announced soon!