Kitchen Cleaning Checklist For When You Need To Deep Clean

Grab this free printable Kitchen Cleaning Checklist to get a step-by-step kitchen deep cleaning routine that won’t take you all day.

The kitchen is one room in the house that gets messy fast. If you’re like me, you want it to be clean but you don’t want to spend all day scrubbing it.

Sometimes, just knowing where to start is the hardest part of cleaning a room. Having an order in which to clean your kitchen makes getting the job done much simpler and faster. Everything seems easier when you have a plan, doesn’t it?

So, here’s a simple step-by-step routine for how to deep clean a kitchen. I suggest doing this just before grocery shopping when your refrigerator is almost empty.

At the end of this post, you’ll find a free printable Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist you can download and use.

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

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1. Gather Kitchen Cleaning Tools

Get all of your kitchen cleaning materials so you have everything on hand. Running around looking for cleaning supplies e.g. cloths, sponges etc. wastes time. Plus, you risk getting distracted by something else.

Here’s a list of suggested items you might need:

Sponges
Cleaning cloths
Gloves
Toothbrush
All-purpose, non-abrasive cleaner
Stainless steel cleaner, if you have stainless steel appliances
Glass cleaner
Lysol wipes
Caddy or basket for cleaning supplies
Telescoping duster
Steam mop or conventional mop and bucket
Vacuum or broom and dustpan
Empty basket or box

2. Declutter Kitchen Countertops

Remove everything that doesn’t belong from your countertops. Place them in the empty basket or box so you can easily tuck them away where they should be later. Clear surfaces make it so much easier to clean and clutter-free counters look better anyway.

3. Fill Up The Sink

Plug the drain and fill the sink with soapy water. Place items that need soaking like the microwave turntable and dish rack in there.

4. Empty The Fridge

Go through the contents of your refrigerator and remove all expired or spoiled food. If there’s food in storage containers that needs to be discarded, empty it into the trash and place the containers in the sink.

Wipe down the shelves with a soft rag and a non-abrasive all-purpose cleaning agent. Work from top to bottom. Place the crisper drawer in the sink to soak, if you need to. If not, just wipe it out and replace it.

5. Dust

Use a telescoping duster and dust the kitchen starting up high and working your way down. Don’t forget light fixtures, the top of cabinets and the fridge.

Start at one end of the kitchen and work your way to the other side, knocking the dust to the floor. Don’t worry, you’ll get that later!

6. Clean the Upper Cabinets

Now, get a cloth and wipe down the front of the upper cabinets, including the handles, and the microwave, if you have one that’s mounted. Also, clean grates, the hood and anything else that may be up high in your kitchen.

Spray the interior of the microwave and let it sit for a few minutes. Next, wipe the backsplash using a cloth and soapy water. When you’re done, go back and clean the inside of the microwave.

7. Clean the Stovetop

No kitchen deep clean is complete if you don’t tackle the stovetop. Using a dry cloth, brush loose crumbs to the ground. Remove the grates, if your stove has them, and wipe the stovetop with a non-abrasive cleaning agent. If the cloth is greasy, be sure to swap it out for a clean one before you move on.

8. Wash the Dishes

Either wash the items soaking in the sink by hand or place them in the dishwasher. Don’t drain the water just yet. You’re still going to use that.

9. Tackle the Small Appliances

Now, it’s time to clean the small appliances in your kitchen e.g. coffee maker, toaster and toaster oven.

Remove any crumb trays or drip pans and place them in the water left in the sink. Then, wipe down the outside of each by spraying cleaner onto a cloth instead of on the appliance itself. Afterwards, rinse and dry the trays or pans in the sink and replace them inside the appliances.

10. The Sink

Drain the sink and rinse with hot water. Scrub the basin with a cleaning agent and rinse again. Clean the faucet and handles.

11. Clean the Countertops

Spritz the countertops and wipe them clean. Make sure to use a cleaner that’s appropriate for your counters.

12. Wipe Down Lower Cabinets

Clean the front of the lower cabinets and drawers including the handles and pulls.

13. Clean Large Appliances

When you’re done with the lower cabinets, move on to clean the front and handles of your large appliances i.e. the oven, dishwasher and the refrigerator. Use a soft toothbrush to clean the seals of the fridge and dishwasher doors.

14. Clean the Floors

Mop and vacuum or sweep the floors. Empty any debris you collect from sweeping into the trash.

15. Empty Trash

The final step on your kitchen cleaning list is to wipe down the outside of the bin and lid. I love using Lysol wipes for this purpose. Dispose the used wipes and remove the trash bag. Place a new garbage bag in the bin.

You’re all done! Wash your hands, pat yourself on the back and relax! You definitely earned it.

Now, you know how to clean a kitchen, step-by-step and it won’t take all day because you’ll be working in a well-thought out order.

Click here to download the Kitchen Cleaning Checklist printable.

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