This Is How Often You Should Clean Everything in Your Kitchen

The hardest working room in the home deserves special attention.

Of all the areas of a house, the kitchen is the one where cleanliness is of the utmost importance. Given you're preparing and storing food in this space, having a clean kitchen is paramount to having a healthy home.

But how often do you actually need to clean everything in your kitchen? Is it necessary to clean out your fridge on a monthly basis? Do you actually need to clean out your dishwasher? Below we're looking at how often you should clean everything in your kitchen to keep it in tip-top shape.

Countertops: Daily

Any day you prepare food in your kitchen is a day you should be wiping down your countertops. Cleaning up any spills, removing crumbs, and any food residue is the easiest way to maintain a healthy cooking space. You can also give countertops a more thorough cleaning once a week.

Sink: Weekly

Rinsing your sink once per day to flush away any residue is good practice, but giving your sink a proper scrub once a week should be your baseline. You can use a mixture of baking soda and water to sanitise the area.

Stovetop: After each use

Your stovetop should be wiped down after each use to remove any food spills, splatters, and grease that will become harder to clean with time. If you don't use your stovetop often, ensure you still give it a wipe-down once a week.

Oven: Monthly

Many of us forget to clean our ovens, or just dread doing so. If you have a self-cleaning oven, congrats! Simply turn it on once a month and let it do its thing. For the majority of us who don't, remove the racks and soak them in warm, soapy water to loosen grease and grime and then give them a good scrub. The interior walls should be cleaned with a commercial cleaner.

Microwave: Once a week

A good rule of thumb is to clean your microwave once a week unless there are any spills that happening in the meantime. If there is stubborn grime on the interior walls, fill a bowl with equal parts white vinegar and dish soap, pop it in the microwave, and set it for three minutes. This will help loosen the grime and make it much easier to wipe down.

Fridge: Every 3-4 months

Another cleaning task many of us avoid is cleaning out the fridge. Cleaning this big ticket item is no mean feat, but the good news is you only need to give it a deep clean every 3-4 months. Pull out any removable sections and use a soft cloth with warm water to wipe the surfaces. For hard-to-remove dirt, use a diluted kitchen detergent.

Kettle: Every 1-3 months

Over time, kettles develop limescale. To get rid of this, you can sprinkle baking soda into the vessel and scrub the inside with a soft sponge.

Pantry: Seasonally

When was the last time you properly cleared out your pantry? A well-organised pantry can help your cooking run more smoothly and save you time, stress, and money. The opened packet of pasta from two years ago you forgot about can go, as well as anything that you haven't eaten in the last month or so (tin cans get a pass). Wipe each shelf down and organise foods and condiments by their category.

Dishwasher: Once a month

Dishwashers can harbour mould, bacteria, food, and other particles. Thankfully cleaning them is very easy and should be done approximately every month. To do so, pour 2 cups of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe container place upright in the lower rack, and then run your dishwasher cycle as normal.