Spring Cleaning!

So, I am not big on cleaning. Not my favorite activity. But there is something about Spring Cleaning that gets me excited. Here are some of my tips for Spring Cleaning your Kitchen. Which is what I am doing today.

1. Open your kitchen window and get that clean, spring air flowing.

2. Start by doing your daily kitchen chores. Make sure all the dishes are clean and the counter tops are wiped down. 

3. Take all the food out of your Fridge and Freezer (place all perishables in a cooler if possible). Throw out anything mostly empty or expired or freezer burned. Take all the drawers and shelves out of your fridge that come out and wash them with soap and water. If you have really big drawers and a small kitchen sink, use your bathroom tub, or a hose outside.  Then spray the inside of your fridge with some kind of disinfectant. I prefer Clorox Clean Up, except when I am Preggers, then I prefer to use something natural like Natural Source or anything with "Green" "Eco" or "Nature" on the label. Wipe the fridge down from the top to the bottom. While your fridge is empty, pull it away from the wall and sweep and mop underneath it. Also, be sure to wash all the sides, handles, and top of your fridge before pushing it back. Then put all the food back in. 

(*Tip, as you clean out your fridge and Cabinets, make a list of anything you need to replenish). 

4. Take everything out of your cabinets. This is a perfect time to get rid of stuff. Old food. Any appliance or any anything that you haven't used in the past year. Wipe your cabinets out. Wipe the outsides of your cabinets down too. The tops will be really dusty, so start at the tops and move down. A Magic Eraser works perfectly for getting anything caked on or sticky off of the wood. Then go over them with a wood cleaner. 

5. Clean your oven and Microwave. This includes the oven vent and knobs. Clean or replace the little stove top tray thingys. You can buy new ones at Wal Mart for like $10, so don't kill yourself cleaning old ones that will never look good again. 

6. Clean any base boards, windows, window sills, doors, walls, door frames, window frames, light fixtures, curtains etc.
7. Wipe down any stools, chairs, tables, or other furniture you keep in your kitchen.
8. Put a few table spoons of bleach in your garbage can and fill the rest with hot water in your bathtub. Let it soak for a half an hour and then scrub it out and let it dry before you put a new liner in it.
(*Tip: If you hate your garbage can, just toss it and go buy a fresh one, same with your broom, sponges, or ANYTHING else... lets not hold on to things we hate or don't use.)

9. Give your floor a good cleaning. I prefer to do a quick clean with a rag and cleaner and then go over it with a steam mop. 

(*Tip: Have you ever tried a really good steam mop? It will change your life. I recommend one that produces a LOT of steam and has a waffle pad and NOT a microfiber one. And one that doesn't require a cleaner, just water. Like the Eureka Enviro Steamer.) 


Ok, so that is my OCD  guide to Spring Cleaning your kitchen. Hope it helps!