KEEP IT SIMPLE
White kitchens are timeless, but every kitchen is more inviting and easier to clean with uncluttered counters and pared-down decor.
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THE KITCHEN
“The best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out.”
—Phyllis Diller, comedian
No matter what its size, your kitchen is, no doubt, the heart of your home. You cook there, eat there, work there, and friends and family gather there. To help keep it a warm and welcoming place, this chapter is filled with tips and product recommendations to clean up in a hurry; keep your appliances humming; rescue burned cookware; tend to floors, cabinets, and counters; and even take steps to keep germs and odors under control.
30 MINUTES TO A SPARKLING KITCHEN
These shortcuts will have this room clean and organized in no time.
1 CLEAR THE COUNTER. A cluttered kitchen looks like a dirty kitchen, even if it’s not. Plus, clutter cuts down on valuable workspace. Relocate mail and papers to a home-office area and rarely used small appliances to upper cupboards or other closets. Wipe counters with an all-purpose product, like Good Housekeeping Lab pick Mr. Clean Multi-Purpose Cleaner with Gain Original Fresh Scent. It makes quick work of cutting grease and grime. 
2 DON’T FORGET THE TABLE. Like countertops, the kitchen table can easily become a dumping ground. Keep it “set” with placemats and a bowl of fruit or vase of flowers so family members will be less likely to drop items there. Set up other areas nearby to stash takeout menus, coupons, invites, and bills. Use desk organizers to keep them tidy and off the table.
3 SPOT-CLEAN THE STOVETOP. Wipe spills, crumbs, and grease splatters with a multipurpose cleaner and a cloth or a sponge well-wrung in hot water. For burned-on bits, use a scrubber sponge dipped in baking soda. Wipe clean.
4 WIPE DOWN APPLIANCES. With a dampened microfiber cloth, go over the handles and fronts of your oven, dishwasher, and refrigerator to get rid of fingerprints and sticky spots. Open the doors slightly and wipe any obvious drips along the edges.
Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Aerosol not only lifts dirt; it helps stainless-steel appliances resist fingerprints, too.
5 STRAIGHTEN THE SINK. Load stray items into the dishwasher. Rinse and wipe drippy detergent bottles, and relocate extra scrubbers, brushes, and rubber gloves under the sink. De-gunk the hand soap dispenser with a hot-water rinse, and wipe up any water that’s splashed onto the faucet and surrounding area.
6 TACKLE THE FLOOR. Just dampen a paper towel and use it to erase any noticeable spills or stains. Dip it in a little baking soda to rub out scuffs; wipe dry. Use a disposable sweeper.
Swiffer Sweeper grabs dust, hair, and fine crumbs in a hurry. Swiffer wet cloths dissolve stuck-on grime in just a few passes.
FOR STONE COUNTERTOPS,
Weiman Granite & Stone Cleaner & Polish Spray is ideal. In lab tests, it left granite, marble, and quartz surfaces clean and shiny.
Keeping these kitchen powerhouses clean helps them work better and last longer.
PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
Major appliances are among the most expensive items in your kitchen. Keeping them in tip-top shape is easy and smart! For the quickest removal, tackle grime before it dries on.
STAY ON TOP OF SPILLS
Wipe drippy bottles before putting them back in the fridge, and sop up drips before they become caked on. Removable, washable shelf liners and mini bins make cleanup quick and easy and keep you from having to empty the entire fridge to clean it. When parts do need cleaning, wash them in the sink in warm, sudsy water. Clean the gasket folds, door handles, and front panels with a warm, sudsy sponge and rinse. Or use a stainless-steel cleaner, like Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Aerosol.
KEEP TRACK OF LEFTOVERS
Forgotten food stuck way in the back causes odors that can transfer to other foods and even ice. Use tight-sealing storage containers, like Snapware® Total SolutionTM Pyrex® Glass Containers. Trash day or your next trip to the grocery store is a good time to toss anything that won’t be eaten or past its prime. Keep smells in check with a fresh box of baking soda. Replace it every three months.
VACUUM THE COILS
Dusty coils make your refrigerator work harder and can put a strain on the condenser. Every three to four months, clean coils of dust with your vacuum’s crevice tool, its dusting brush attachments, or a special coil-cleaning brush. Coils may be located on top, underneath, or in the back of your refrigerator, depending on the style. Check your manual or with the manufacturer to be sure. Remove and wash the drip tray under the refrigerator every other month or as dust and hair collects there, too.
FILTER CHECK
Every few months, pop out the removable mesh filter from your kitchen’s exhaust hood and either wash it in the dishwasher (if your brand recommends it) or swish it in a sink of hot sudsy water. Rinse, dry, and replace.
CLEAN THE GRATES
Wash porcelain and cast-iron gas range cooking grates in the sink in warm, sudsy water. After washing cast-iron grates, coat them with a thin layer of cooking oil and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F to “season” them.
WIPE STILL-WARM MESSES
Before you sit down to dinner, wipe range-top spills with a cloth or sponge. They’ll be easier to remove before they dry.
SELF-CLEAN THE OVEN
Do this whenever the oven gets dirty, otherwise built-up, burned-on spills will smoke and smell during cleaning. Turn on the exhaust fan and open a window to help purge odors.
DEGREASE THE GLASS
Between cleanings, go over the oven-door glass with a window cleaner and a delicate scrubbing pad. Rinse and dry.
PICK THE RIGHT PRODUCT
In Good Housekeeping Institute tests, Weiman’s range cleaners removed baked-on soil from gas and smooth-top ranges with little effort. There’s Gas Range Cleaner & Degreaser, Cook Top Daily Cleaner Spray, and the Glass Cook Top Cleaning Kit. Choose the one most appropriate for your style of appliance.
RINSE THE FILTER
Food particles trapped in the filter keep your dishwasher from cleaning as well as it could. Remove any large debris, like pasta or beans, when you see them. Every month or so, remove the filter from the bottom of the machine, rinse it well under hot water, scrub it with a soft brush if necessary, and reinsert it.
PREVENT ODORS
To keep odors at bay, don’t let dishes with caked-on food sit in the machine. If you’re not running a cycle right away, rinse dirty dishes in the sink, or turn on the Rinse-Only cycle and prop open the dishwasher door when it’s done to air it out and help moisture evaporate.
RUN A CLEANING CYCLE
Theoretically, your dishwasher gets clean whenever you run a cycle, but residue and water minerals can build up inside. To purge them, fill a small bowl with 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and place it in the bottom rack of an empty dishwasher. Run a Normal cycle (without detergent or heated dry). Or use a dishwasher cleaner monthly in place of detergent in an empty machine. Cascade Dishwasher Cleaner washes away stains and trapped food bits and removes odors.
5 TIPS TO CLEANER DISHES
1 Purge cold water from the pipes by running hot water at the sink before starting the cycle. The hotter the water is, the better cleaning you’ll get.
brule>2 Nestle glasses between tines, not over them, to prevent spotting. Angle glasses and cups so water drains and doesn’t puddle in bottom wells.
3 Load dishes with the dirtiest sides facing down, toward the center or where the water spray is strongest. Place platters and trays along the side or back, not where they can interfere with the opening of the detergent dispenser. Avoid cramming or overlapping items. If water can’t reach something, it won’t get clean.
4 If your flatware goes in a basket (instead of a top tray), load forks pointing up, knives down, and spoons alternating up and down for best cleaning and to prevent nesting.
brule>5 If you use a detergent tablet, place it in the dispenser, not in the bottom of the tub. Otherwise, it can dissolve too quickly and get washed away before the main wash cycle starts
Keep these small kitchen helpers clean, too, so they are up to the task when you need them.
DAILY UPKEEP
These mini kitchen dynamos often get more use than your major appliances, and have more nooks and crannies to trap food and germs. Clean them regularly or after each use, if needed.
1 FRESHEN WITH LEMONS. Put one cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Add several lemon slices for a nice scent. Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes. The steam will soften any dried-on mess so it can be wiped away with a sponge.
2 CLEAN HIDDEN SPOTS. Remove the turntable and wash it by hand or in the dishwasher. Wipe the oven bottom, the inside of the door, and the doorframe to be sure it closes tightly. For the exterior, spray a cloth or sponge with cleaner and wipe the controls and door button. Rinse.
3 ZAP BURNED ODORS. When burned popcorn and other odors linger too long, eliminate them by placing one cup of distilled white vinegar in a microwave-safe bowl inside the oven and boil it on High for 5 minutes. You can also place an absorbent, like Fresh Wave® Gel or Packs, inside the oven overnight. They use plant extracts to neutralize odor molecules.
1-MINUTE TIP! Stash a paper plate close to the microwave to use as a cover when reheating food. It catches splatters better than a paper towel and makes for easy or no cleanup. If it’s dirty and not reusable, just toss it.
1 WASH IT DAILY. Just rinsing the carafe of a drip coffeemaker is not enough. Coffee oils, if not washed away, can build up and give coffee an off flavor. Disassemble and wash the carafe, lid, and basket daily in hot sudsy water or in the dishwasher. Use a delicate scrubber sponge to remove deposits inside the glass carafe or add a big handful of rice to the sudsy water and swirl. For single-serve coffeemakers, wash the drip tray and wipe the reservoir and “pod” chamber of splatters and loose grinds.
2 DE-SCALE IT. Three or four times a year, fill the reservoir with a 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegar and water. Insert a paper filter and brew until the reservoir is half empty. Let sit 30 minutes or up to several hours, then finish brewing the vinegar. Fill the reservoir with clear water and brew until empty to rinse and remove any vinegar traces. For single-serve machines, use full-strength vinegar or follow the manufacturer’s directions.
3 REPLACE THE FILTERS. Stock up on any water filters your brewer uses and replace them bimonthly or as your brand recommends.
4 LEAVE THE LID UP. Germs love moisture, so between uses, open the lid of the empty water chamber to help keep bacteria and mold from growing.
PURGE THE RESERVOIR REGULARLY.
If you haven’t used your coffeemaker in more than one week, “brew” several cups of plain water to empty the external and any internal tanks. Fresh water makes the freshest-tasting coffee.
1 TAKE IT APART COMPLETELY. Studies show the blender gasket is one of the germiest spots in the kitchen. Why? Because most people don’t know that the blender comes apart for thorough cleaning. Unscrew the blade from the jar and remove the gasket. Remove the center section from the lid, too.
2 POP IT IN THE DISHWASHER. Not all blender parts are dishwasher-safe. Check with your brand to be sure. If so, place the small parts in enclosed dishwasher baskets or secure in the top rack. The pitcher often can go in the bottom rack, or wash everything by hand in warm, soapy water. Rinse, dry, and reassemble.
3 WIPE THE BASE. With a warm, sudsy sponge, go over the base, paying special attention to any buttons or knobs. Rinse and wipe dry.
1-MINUTE TIP! For a blender jar that’s only lightly soiled, fill it halfway with water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Blend for a few seconds and then rinse it thoroughly.
1 CLEAN THE CRUMB TRAY. Unplug the toaster oven and remove the crumb tray. Dump any debris into the trash. Give the tray a quick wipe with a damp sponge or cloth.
2 TACKLE THE REMOVABLE PARTS. Pull out the racks, pans, and, yes, even the crumb tray, and spritz them with a multipurpose cleaner. Use a nonabrasive scrubber sponge to remove any gunk. Rinse and dry.
3 WIPE AWAY GREASE. Spray a regular sponge (for nonstick interiors) or a scrubber sponge with a multipurpose cleaner and wipe down the inside, outside, and glass door. Repeat on any areas with heavy buildup. Never spray the appliance or heating element directly. Rinse and let dry.
KEEP PLASTICS AWAY.
Some toaster ovens can get hot during use, so avoid placing any plastic bags or storage containers on top. Melted plastic can be difficult or impossible to remove.
Some of the hardest-working pieces in your kitchen are your cooking and baking utensils. Here’s how to keep them in tip-top shape.
TURN DOWN THE HEAT
Lower heat means less burned-on residue and easier cleaning. And for safety, nonstick cookware shouldn’t be heated above 500°F. For high-heat cooking, like searing and browning, choose stainless steel or cast iron.
SHINE UP STAINLESS. Cleaning stainless steel takes effort, especially if food has burned on. Use a stainless steel cleanser, like Bar Keepers Friend® or Cameo® with a nonabrasive cleaning pad and a little elbow grease.
DE-GUNK GLASS. Glass bakeware may look clean when you wash it, but over time, residue builds up and becomes visible. To clean it, generously coat the bottom of the pan with baking soda and pour on some dishwashing liquid. Fill the dish with hot water and soak for 15 minutes. Clean the grime with a scrubber sponge, sprinkling on more baking soda if needed. Once dry, hold the dish up to the light, checking for traces of residue in the corners or on the handles.
DON’T DISCOUNT THE DISHWASHER. Most of today’s cookware, even nonstick, is dishwasher-safe. Check your brand’s care recommendations to be sure.
BE GENTLE WITH NONSTICK. The obvious benefit of nonstick cookware is that food slides off and pans are supereasy to clean with just soap and water. To keep them that way, skip the nonstick cooking spray. It bakes into the finish, making it tacky and food more likely to stick. Metal spatulas, used gently, are fine for lifting and turning, but stirring with metal spoons wears away the finish and should be avoided.
PRESERVE CAST IRON. Much of today’s cast-iron cookware comes preseasoned, so that’s one less step you have to do. To preserve the finish, it’s best to wipe it out, then clean it by hand under hot water with a stiff brush; it’s okay to use a little dishwashing detergent. Dry right away and then rub with a very light layer of cooking oil.
SOS FOR A BURNED POT
When a boiling pot boils dry, it’s not a lost cause. Fill it with hot water and a generous squirt or two of dishwashing liquid. Put it back on the stove to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes, carefully loosening the burned bits with a spatula as they soften. When done, empty the pot and scrub clean.
Second—maybe!—only to the range top and oven, the sink zone is command central in the kitchen. Restore order fast.
DECLUTTER
If possible, store only the cleaners and supplies you use in and around the kitchen in this area. Find another location for the rest. This will make room under the sink to stash dish drainers and trays when not in use so counters around the sink are clear.
ORGANIZE. Line the floor of an under-sink cabinet with inexpensive vinyl tiles or a shelf liner for easy cleaning when spills or drips happen. Use bins and door-mounted hooks or clothespins to organize and give cloths, brushes, scrubbers, and rubber gloves a place to dry after use.
GO ’ROUND. A lazy Susan can corral dish detergents as well as multipurpose and metal cleaners while making them easy to access.
HANG DISH AND HAND TOWELS. Mount decorative rods on walls or inside cabinets, or hang towels from the oven or dishwasher door handle for quicker drying and a neat look.
STASH THE TRASH. If under the sink is where you toss trash and recyclables, install dual pails mounted on smooth gliders for easy access and fewer “missed shots.”
KILLING GERMS & CONTROLLING ODORS
Make your kitchen off-limits to the things that make it stink and can make you sick.
CLEAN AND DRY THE SINK
Germs grow wherever there is water and food, so clean the sink daily with a bleach or germ-killing cleanser. Pay special attention to the faucet handles and drain. Dry the area when you are done.
ZAP COOKING ODORS
Eliminating, not covering up, cooking odors is key to getting rid of them for good. Start by running your kitchen’s exhaust fan and opening the window, even just a crack. No fan? Open the window and simmer a mix of 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar in 2 cups of water while you cook. When dinner’s done, spray soft surfaces, like curtains and chair cushions, with an odor-eliminating spray to neutralize smells trapped in the fabrics. Febreze Fabric removes lingering odors and is safe to use on washable fabrics.
SANITIZE SPONGES
Stinky sponges are germy sponges. Toss and replace them often. The best and easiest way to de-germ them is with a five-minute soak in a mixture of 3 tablespoons chlorine bleach per quart of water. Do this weekly or whenever they have an off odor. In-between, a run through the dishwasher and the heated dry cycle will help freshen them. After every few uses, machine-launder dishcloths and dish towels in hot water with a fabric-safe bleach.
GUT GARBAGE ODORS
Keep trash contained and sprinkle baking soda liberally in the bottom of the can to absorb odors. Wash the pail often and spray it with a disinfecting spray. Flush garbage disposals and drains regularly. Baking soda that’s done its job in the refrigerator can be poured into drains to absorb odors. Grind ice cubes or citrus peel slivers in the disposal to freshen.
CLEAN CUTTING BOARDS
Keep separate cutting boards for raw meat and veggies. Clean plastic boards in the dishwasher. Give wooden boards a scrub with hot sudsy water. Sanitize plastic boards with a 2-minute soak in a mix of 2 teaspoons chlorine bleach per gallon of water and air-dry. For wooden boards, up the concentration to 2 tablespoons bleach per gallon of water for the soak, then rinse with the less concentrated solution and air-dry.
1-MINUTE TIP! Antibacterial cleaners are effective at killing germs on sink and countertop surfaces after cutting or handling raw meats, but only if you let them sit for the time (30 seconds to several minutes) specified on the label. It takes time to kill germs, so resist the urge to spray and immediately wipe.
Treat your cabinets like fine furniture and they’ll stay looking great.
HIDDEN DIRT
Vertical surfaces, like cabinet and drawer fronts, don’t show grime as easily as flat surfaces do, but they attract dulling, greasy kitchen dust just the same.
Tackle this task thoroughly once or twice yearly with a cleaner that’s safe for the material.
Laminate cabinets can be cleaned with a multipurpose cleaner. For wood cabinets, try Parker & Bailey® Kitchen Cabinet Cream. It safely cuts grease and leaves wood with a smooth feel and a soft glow.
Every week or so, go over and around doorknobs and drawer pulls (and wherever hands touch and grease collects) with a sudsy sponge.
1-MINUTE TIP! Run your kitchen’s exhaust fan during cooking—especially while frying or sautéing. In addition to odors, smoke and grease particles will be drawn out instead of settling on surfaces.
5 NO-SKIP KITCHEN FLOOR–CLEANING TIPS
1 KEEP A MINI VAC HANDY. Stash a lightweight stick vac in a closet close to your kitchen. It’s perfect for handling dry spills quickly and makes after-dinner floor cleanup a cinch.
2 NAB STICKY MESSES. Wine dribbles or jelly blobs dry in no time and are not only hard to remove but attract more dirt. Spritz a little cleaner on a paper towel and wipe to remove stains. Dab a damp paper towel into a little baking soda to rub out scuff marks.
3 VACUUM FIRST, THEN MOP. This way, you’ll capture loose dirt and dust before it sticks to the floor and gets pushed around by the mop.
4 LAY DOWN A MAT. Before any messy cooking projects, like frying or making pasta or pizza, place a large towel on the floor to catch any spills or grease splatters. When done, shake out and wash the towel, and admire your clean floor!
5 DON’T OVERLOOK THE NOOKS. Dust gets caught in hard-to-reach places, like under the cabinet toe kick, around chair and table legs, and along the base of the refrigerator. Use your vacuum’s hose and crevice tool to nab the dust and hair lurking there.
BISSELL CROSSWAVE® ALL-IN-ONE MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER
This unique floor-cleaning appliance both vacuums and washes bare floors and area rugs. In tests, it was easy to use and clean and a time-saver.
