How To Deep Clean Your Kitchen After The Holidays

The holiday season is over, and we are all slowly returning to our everyday lives. And even though you enjoyed the holidays with your family, your house could probably need a deep clean after all those guests – especially your kitchen. All that meal preparation, baking good, and frying has definitely left its mark on your kitchen and appliances. And if you need a bit of help getting things started, here are some useful tips on how to deep clean your kitchen after the holidays.

Photo by roam in color on Unsplash

Declutter and Organize Again

Decluttering the kitchen is a good start. You probably have some misplaced pots and pans, glasses, mugs, and plates. If those are clean, it’s time to put them back in their place. Also, clean the surfaces of all the unnecessary items – go through the stuff on the counters, kitchen island, dining table, etc. Make sure that everything that doesn’t belong to those surfaces either goes to its place or in the trash. You can also organize a few things again and even find a new method to store all of the dishes, rerack the spices, and clean every surface that is left clear now.

Deep Clean the Appliances

The kitchen appliances (especially the oven) probably did some heavy lifting before and during the holidays. You had your fridge and freezers packed with food that you cooked for the holiday season, and all of that was probably prepared in the oven. So, now is the time to clean and disinfect everything. 

You can start going through the fridge and freezer and see what leftovers are good to eat and what needs to be thrown out. Also, make sure to empty the fridge and give all the shelves and sides of the fridge a good scrub. You can clean it with vinegar, which will clean and disinfect. 

Then, you can move on to the oven. If you prepared a lot of food there, you probably have some burnt grease and other mess in there. Soak everything in baking powder and vinegar, and add some elbow grease to get rid of the stains and smells. And if that doesn’t do enough, you can always look up some advice on how to do this with more power and research effective methods for cleaning oven door glass. The glass can be tough to clean but do not be discouraged, as there is help.

Dust and Sweep

Now that the appliances are clean, move on to the floors. You can start by sweeping any mess that’s left (poured flour, bits of food, crumbs, etc.). Get all that in the trash, and you can give your kitchen a nice round of vacuuming. After that’s done, you can clean the floors with your favourite floor cleaner for a fresh smell. Then, you can dust the surfaces and make sure to get into every corner. Clean the dust from the countertops, exposed shelves, and even from the top of the cabinets if there is space up there. And don’t forget to clean the dust or any grease from the surfaces of your appliances (in case they are close to the stove).

Give the Backsplash and Sink a Good Scrub

You probably did your fair share of dishes during the holidays, which means that the sink and backsplash need some help. Clear the surfaces around the sink and you can spray it with some vinegar (including the backsplash). Leave it for a couple of minutes to do its magic, and rinse everything out with warm water and some soap. This will help remove any water stains or stains from the dirty dishwater. And if that doesn’t work, you can always rely on your favourite tile and kitchen cleaner or even some Pink Stuff.

Refresh Cabinets and Drawers

If you have wooden cabinets and drawers, that wood probably needs some refreshment. You can clear out the drawers and cabinets and clean any dust that’s piled up there. Once dry, you can go over all the elements with a wood polish and leave everything to dry. After this, you will restore that nice shine and wood smell to your kitchen. 

Deep Clean the Carpets

If you have an area rug or any similar floor fabric in the kitchen, clean it. There are probably crumbs in there that you cannot get with your vacuum. The best idea is to get it professionally cleaned, especially if there are food stains and spillage on the rug. If not, you can wash it yourself with some mild soap and warm water and leave it to dry thoroughly. 

The holidays are truly amazing and heartwarming. You get to spend quality time with your friends and family and enjoy some amazing food. However, all that amazing food does leave its mark on the kitchen, and now it’s time to give it a good scrub and a fresh new start.