Spring Cleaning Checklist: The Kitchen

Spring Cleaning Checklist:

The Kitchen

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□ Dust or (if needed) mop the ceiling (I recommend the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser mop.)

□ Dust and clean light fixtures and fans. I remove the glass from fixtures and wash them with Dawn. I do the same thing with ceiling fan blades. Also replace light bulbs, if needed.

□ Dust cabinets, including the tops if they don't reach the ceiling.

□ Wipe down the exterior of upper cabinets with a damp sponge and a wee bit of Dawn. Or, if they are really greasy, with Windex. Sometimes I use a Magic Eraser. (Test the Eraser in an inconspicuous spot.) Don't forget hinges and handles.

□ Remove everything from the upper cabinets and vacuum the insides.

□ Wipe down upper cabinet interiors with Windex and towels. Or replace shelf paper, if needed.

□ Sort through the contents of the upper cabinets and throw away anything that's bad and donate what you don't use. Place keeper items back in the cabinets.

□ Dust and wipe down (with a sponge and a wee bit of Dawn, or with Windex and towels) door trims.

□ If you have curtains on your windows, wash them. If you have blinds, dust them. If blinds are greasy, a little Dawn or Windex will cut through the grease.

□ If you have rugs in your kitchen, clean them. Wash washable rugs on the gentle cycle of your washing machine, then hang dry; shake or beat rugs that can't be washed. Set aside.

□ Remove art, clocks, etc. from the walls. Dust and clean, as needed. Set aside.

□ Dust and mop the kitchen walls. For the kitchen, I like to use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser mop, as noted in the ceiling directions, above.

□  Clean all windows and window frames - including the tracks! (I vacuum tracks first, then spray with Windex, which not only gets rid of grease, but also kills mold or mildew. Q-tips are handy for getting into crevices.)

□ Clean all doors with a sponge and Dawn. A Magic Eraser should get rid of stubborn spots.

□ Clean backsplashes with your preferred countertop cleaner or with Windex.

□ Clean the sink.

□ Remove everything from the countertops and clean countertops with a soapy sponge, bleach, Windex, or your preferred countertop cleaner. (Be mindful not to mix bleach with other cleaners, like Windex, or the results can be deadly!)

□ As you return items to the countertops, clean them. I use Windex for most things. Give away anything you don't actually use.

□ Clean appliances inside and out. Don't forget the top of the fridge and the inside of the dishwasher! (If your refrigerator top is greasy, use Windex to make the job easier.)

□ Clean the exterior of all bottom cabinets.

□ Empty the contents of the bottom cabinets and vacuum the shelves. Wipe down shelves or replace shelf paper. Vacuum inside drawers and wipe down with Windex.

□ Sort through items from the bottom cabinets. If there's anything that should be donated or thrown away, do so. Put all keeper items back inside the cabinets.

□ Dust and wash all floorboards. (I like to use a Magic Eraser for this job.)

□ Dust or vacuum all crevices between cabinets and appliances, as well as under appliances.

□ Vacuum the refrigerator's coils. If possible, move the refrigerator and clean the floor beneath it.

□ Empty the trash and wash the trash can outside, using Dawn.

□ Re-hang the clean curtains. 

□ Replace cleaned rugs, assuming they are dry.

□ Re-hang all the art, clocks, etc., assuming the walls are now dry.

□ Vacuum or sweep the floor.

□ If there are any dirty spots on the floor where you know the mop won't reach, clean them now, using a sponge.

□ Mop the floor.