How do I clean my kitchen quickly and easily?

The kitchen is my favorite place in the house (except for the barbecue). This is where I prepare all my famous meals. After such a cooking feast, the oven is covered with leftovers, grease splashes high against the walls and pans and pots are everywhere. Rest assured: in addition to cooking, I also know a lot about cleaning the kitchen quickly and easily.

Step 1: Make way for the cleaning!

The quick cleaning starts very simply: collect all loose items that do not belong in the kitchen. Grab a box or basket and pack everything that doesn't really belong in the kitchen. And yes, I say collect, not clean up! Today you focus completely on the kitchen, cleaning up the stuff will come later. So you can store the kitchen utensils. Do the last dishes or empty the dishwasher to put the last dishes back in place. This way the plates and cups will not get in the way later.

Step 2: Get rid of the dust!

Start the real cleaning with a good dusting. Fabric gets dirty and sticky when it gets wet, so it's helpful to have this on the side first. And as cleaning rule number 1 goes: start at the top and work your way down. This way you will not encounter the falling dust again and again. Now also remove the top of the kitchen cabinets. Use a feather duster or, if it is greasy as well as dusty, a degreaser and a cloth.

Step 3: Clean the small appliances

The kitchen counter is often cluttered with all sorts of items, from small appliances to knife blocks and other kitchen utensils. Before you clean the countertop yourself, you will first take care of all the things on the countertop. Start with the inside of the small appliances. Knock all the crumbs out of the toaster and descale the kettles and coffee machines with cleaning vinegar or descalers.

Heat the microwave with a bowl of water and cleaning vinegar. The released steam loosens all the fat and food residues, so that you can easily remove them afterwards with a Sorbonette. Then wipe the outside of the devices with a slightly damp microfiber cloth.

Step 4: Get started with the countertop!

Now wipe the other items on the counter, including all loose spice jars, with a microfiber cloth. A good time to think about whether you want to keep displaying everything on your counter. Because: the more stuff there is on the counter, the more you have to clean every time.

Now you can finally get started with the countertop itself! Tackle the countertop in sections: remove the items and wipe the countertop with a cleaner that is suitable for the material. Also take all nooks and crannies with you and remove crumbs with, for example, an old card. Scrub the counter and put the stuff back. Go around the entire counter until it's spic and span again!

Step 5: Clean the stove and oven

Time for the stove and oven! Don't go too far here either: first clean the outside thoroughly. A thorough cleaning can wait until you have a little more time. Clean the gas stove with a mixture of hot water and washing-up liquid. Soak the pan supports in boiling water with a dash of soda. Soda is harmful to aluminum burner caps, so only use boiling water.

Wipe the oven door with warm soapy water and don't forget the handles! A clean exterior immediately gives a fresh look.

Step 6: Tackle the sink

First rinse the sink well to wash away any leftover food. Then scrub the sink with soap and water. Do you really want to wash it thoroughly? Then scrub it again with cleaning vinegar. After cleaning, polish the taps and knobs with the Multi Shine to make them shine again.

Step 7: Give the refrigerator a little cleaning

A thorough refrigerator cleaning will come later, but you can give all the shelves a cleaning. Go shelf by shelf through all products to throw away everything that is past the date. Wipe the board with soapy water and washing-up liquid or a mild all-purpose cleaner. Also polish the inside, the rubbers and the door. Polish with clean water and a tea towel over it to dry everything.

Step 8: Wipe out the trash

The trash can is easily overlooked. Please take the time to wipe the inside with a damp cloth and remove any food residue and crumbs. Wipe the outside as well.

Step 9: Dot on the i

Now that everything is completely clean, it's time to clean the floor. Sweep together the coarse dirt, even from hard-to-reach places, and use a vacuum cleaner for the finer dirt. And last but not least, give the kitchen floor a good mop. To top it all off, hang up clean kitchen towels and replace sponges and the washing-up brush with new, clean cleaning aids. All ready for the next cooking party!