Tips and a Printable Checklist for a Clean Kitchen

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ScotchBriteSponges #CollectiveBias

One of my goals for this year has been to change how I clean house.  There have been times in the past, where I’ve walked around my house and literally felt sick, looking around at the mess and all the work that had to be done.  Sometimes things were in a mess, because I’d been too busy with blog and shop work to clean; other times things were in a mess, because I’d been taking on extra big projects around the house (things like decluttering, garage sales, and DIY projects), and still other times things would be in a mess from a lack of cleaning due to migraine or other illnesses.

But as I said, one of my goals for this year has been to change I clean house, and after doing a little research on the topic and putting some new habits in to place, I think I’ve finally found a good formula that works for me.  Today I’m going to discuss one of the most difficult rooms to keep clean: the kitchen.  I’m going to give you some of my tips and a checklist to keep your kitchen clean.  And we’re going to talk about a few products from Scotch-Brite® that will help you maintain a clean kitchen.

The above photo is the main counter in my kitchen.  There was definitely a time when I would have said that this is my counter on a good day, and believe me, there are definitely times of the day when you could walk in, and this counter would be covered in dishes and/or food, but my goal is to make it look more like this more often than not.

Something about clear counter tops just give me peace of mind.  There was a time when I liked a lot of decor on my counters, but now I’m very minimalist, and that is, perhaps, my number one tip for a clean kitchen: Items on the countertop must be functional and should be items that are used almost daily.  For instance, my main counter has a bread box, a few canister, and our air fryer.  We also have a small counter top in between our sink and refrigerator, and on top of it, is our toaster oven, can opener, paper towel dispenser, and cutting board.  And finally a small counter next to our stove has a utensil caddy, spoon rest, and salt & pepper shakers.

In order to keep our counter tops clean, I have to clear the clutter.  The easiest way to get rid of clutter is to nip them in the bud!  Get rid of the clutter before it becomes clutter.  To do this, I try to avoid placing papers and other items that do not belong in the kitchen on the counter, and if these items magically appear in the kitchen, I try to take care of them by doing a quick cleaning sweep a couple of times  day.

Of course, the biggest source of kitchen clutter for me, are the items that occur there naturally, namely dishes and leftover food.  I try to take care of these by not letting them pile up and become clutter.  Immediately after each meal, I clear the table, raking out the dishes and placing them in the sink.  Then I place any leftovers in storage containers or put them in the trash.

Then if I have time, I wash the dishes or rinse them off and place them in the dishwasher right after we at.  And in the event that I don’t have time to do this immediately, I make it a habit to do dishes at the end of the evening or early in the morning.

I find that evening is best, because this allows me turn on the dishwasher right before bedtime so that it does it’s thing while we are sleeping.  This also ensures that I go to bed with a clean kitchen, which gives me real peace of mind.  But as with everything else, I’m flexible with this.  If I’m not feeling well or I have other things that need to be my priority, I let the dishes wait till morning.

When it’s time to do dishes, Scotch-Brite® has an array of products to help you get the work done.  You can find their sponges and dish wands at Target.  They have a large display on the cleaning tools aisle, as well as a small collection of products on the dish detergent aisle.

Right now through September 3, Target also has a Cartwheel offer of 10% off a 9-pack of Scotch-Brite®.  (I love the Cartwheel app!  Since I have a Target less than 5 minutes from my house, I am always checking the Cartwheel for savings on the things we need.)

The Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge is green.  It is said to clean tough messes, included baked on messes 50% faster than other sponges.  This makes it perfect for cleaning pots and pans, as well as those pesky casserole dishes and crockpots.  And these sponges also work well for tougher jobs like cleaning oven and grill racks, sinks, and even car tires and outdoor cleaning.

I also like the Scotch-Brite® Non-Scratch Scrub Sponge.  It is a blue sponge.  It is a sponge that cleans well without scratching.  It’s safe to use on your non-stick cookware, and it’s also great for you dishes, cook tops, and counter tops.  It’s also great for cleaning your windows, tubs, and showers.

Scotch-Brite® also makes great dish wands.  They have wands featuring the blue non-scratch scrub sponges, the green heavy duty scrub sponges, and scrub brushes.  I like to use these on those extra tough jobs like casserole dishes and crockpots.  Using the dishwand helps me to really put a little elbow grease in to the job without getting my hands too dirty.

As long as my dishes are out of the way, maintaining a clean kitchen becomes relatively easy for me, and I keep it relatively easy by doing various daily and weekly tasks.  I’ve learned (the hard way) that it’s much easier to keep things up and looking great, if you just do a little bit each day and make cleaning a habit.  This doesn’t mean you have to be a neat freak and constantly go behind people cleaning.  It just means that you try to clean up messes as they occur and don’t allow things to pile up.  Here’s a checklist of things that I try to do to keep my kitchen clean.  I’ve broken the list down by daily, weekly/twice monthly, and monthly tasks.  (Keep in mind these are suggestions; you may find that you need to do some of these tasks more or less frequently than suggested.)

Download Your Printable Checklist Here

Checklist for a Clean Kitchen

Daily Tasks:

• Clear dishes from table and stove after each meal.
• Wash dishes or load dish washer immediately after each meal OR at the end of the day.
• Unload dishwasher in the morning or as you are prepping your next meal.
• Wipe off stove and food prep areas after cooking.
• Wipe off all counters at the end of the night.
• Spray and wipe out sinks.
• Clean all spills immediately.
• Clear clutter from work and project spaces.

Weekly or Twice Monthly (depending on your family’s needs and your personal schedule):

• Sweep and Mop.
• Refrigerator Clean Out. (Do this the day before garbage day.)
• Wipe down outside of refrigerator and clean shelving on the inside of the refrigerator as needed.
• Wipe down the stove.
• Inspect and clean microwave, dishwasher, and other appliances.
• Kitchen Inventory, Grocery Shopping and Re-stocking (to coincide with weekly meal planning).

Monthly (or as needed):

• Dust and clean on top of refrigerator and cabinets.
• Wipe off the front of cabinets.
• Dust ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
• Clean windows and doors.

Looking for more housekeeping tips? Check out these tutorials, ideas, and helpful hints from Scotch-Brite®, Target, and social influencers.