In a busy home with children, pets and lots of activity, it can be difficult to always stay on top of kitchen cleanliness. However, from installing hygienic cladding to cleaning as you go, there are plenty of ways to easily stay on top of kitchen cleanliness, no matter how busy your home is.
The importance of cleanliness in the kitchen
A clean kitchen is essential for maintaining a safe and healthy home environment, and is especially important if you have young children, or live with anyone with a compromised immune system.
Kitchen cleanliness prevents the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, therefore reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. Regular cleaning also helps avoid cross-contamination when preparing meals, which ensures food safety, reducing the risk of food poisoning.
As well as this, a tidy and clean kitchen deters pests like ants, flies and rodents, which are attracted to food scraps and crumbs and can be a real pain once they get into your home.
A clean and organised kitchen is also much more pleasant and enjoyable to cook in, making meal times and the cooking process less of a task and more enjoyable. It also allows you to be more efficient, as you can easily find what you need without rummaging through cluttered drawers and cabinets, or searching across dirty countertops.
Methods for keeping a busy home kitchen clean
Clean as you go
This is a game-changer for busy homes and kitchens, and ensures that your kitchen is clean permanently. Instead of letting dishes and mess pile up, complete small cleaning tasks while you cook, or straight after you’ve finished. You should rinse utensils and wipe surfaces as you prepare meals, or while the washing up bowl fills. This easy habit not only keeps your kitchen tidy, but also makes meal clean up much quicker and easier, resulting in you spending less time doing deep cleaning after meals.
Keep on top of any clutter
Cluttering is just as big of an issue as dirt and grime, and clutter can be a source for more dirt to gather in the first place. Regularly declutter your kitchen by getting rid of items and appliances you no longer use, and keep items out of the kitchen that don’t belong in the kitchen. You should donate or sell unused or duplicated appliances and items, and make sure to clean out your cupboards, pantry, freezer and fridge at least once a week in order to dispose of expired or unused food items that are simply just taking up space.
Make sure everyone plays their part in keeping it clean
If all of your household members join together to effectively keep the kitchen clean, then your kitchen will likely stay much cleaner for longer. If there’s one person causing a mess and not cleaning up after themselves, then it will result in others having to clean up after them and therefore an unhappy household and messy kitchen.
As well as this, make sure everyone participates together in teamwork if the kitchen is in a particularly dirty state, as this will make the cleaning process faster.
Organise your space efficiently
A well organised kitchen can significantly reduce cleaning time, and ensure that your kitchen is kept clean and tidy. To effectively organise, you should ensure that everything has a designated place and always try to keep countertops as clear as possible. It’s important to use storage solutions like drawer dividers, shelf organisers, and labelled containers to keep items easily accessible and neatly stored.
As a general rule of thumb, if you don’t use an appliance every day or at least every other day, don’t have it positioned on a countertop/surface. This will only collect dust, and prevent you from safely and efficiently using your available space.
Keep a routine
Consistency is key to maintaining a clean kitchen. Set a daily and weekly cleaning schedule to ensure no task is overlooked or forgotten about. For example, you could make it a habit to wipe down countertops and wash dishes daily, while reserving more thorough tasks like cleaning the oven or the fridge for weekends.
Keeping track of every cleaning task might sound overwhelming, but there are so many kitchen cleaning tasks that are so often overlooked. For example:
- Oven cleaning
- Kitchen sink cleaning
- Bin cleaning
- Fridge/freezer cleaning
- Appliance cleaning (kettle, toaster, etc)
- Window cleaning
- Microwave cleaning
Opt for high quality cleaning supplies
High quality cleaning supplies can make a significant difference in maintaining kitchen cleanliness. Invest in durable sponges, effective cleaning sprays, and a good vacuum or broom for the floor. Microfibre cloths are particularly useful as they are effective at picking up dirt and are reusable.
Durable Sponges:
High-quality sponges last longer and are much more effective at scrubbing away stubborn grime and food residues from pans and utensils. You should look out for sponges with both a soft side for general, softer cleaning and a rough side for tougher, more caked on stains. You should also regularly replace sponges to prevent the buildup of bacteria.
Effective Cleaning Sprays:
You should always invest in high-quality, effective cleaning sprays to make your kitchen sparkle with minimal effort. Multipurpose, antibacterial sprays are great for wiping down countertops, stovetops, and other surfaces, while you should opt for specific cleaning sprays for specific tasks, such as oven cleaners, glass cleaners. Always opt for non-toxic and eco-friendly options to ensure safety for your family, the environment and your kitchen.
To conclude, it’s incredibly vital to maintain kitchen cleanliness in a busy home with children, pets, and constant activity, despite it being incredibly challenging.
A clean kitchen prevents the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses, and deters pests. Moreover, an organised kitchen is much more pleasant to cook in and live in, which makes meal preparation and consumption a much more enjoyable and efficient effort.
