Spring is a great time to get your home fully clean before your summer fun. Today I am sharing my deep cleaning kitchen checklist and 19 tips on how to spring clean your kitchen.
The kitchen is the hardest and most time consuming of all the rooms to spring clean. There is a lot of stuff to navigate around.
The kitchen is the hardest working room in your home. You use it multiple times a day and make some pretty big messes in there.
We usually clean it on a daily basis, washing dishes and wiping down counters but there is a lot more that needs to be done.
I am going to share with you everything you need to do to get that kitchen really clean!
When did spring cleaning start?
Spring cleaning dates back nearly 3,000 years! That’s a long time for scrubbing. It dates back to the Persian culture with a tradition called khaneh tekani, which means shaking the house.
It was believed that cleaning the house in the springtime would prevent ill fortune in the upcoming year.
I don’t know about you but that is a great reason to do some dusting and mopping!
*This post contains affiliate links. For more details see my full disclosure.
What are the best products to deep clean a kitchen?
There are a ton of great products out there to clean your kitchen but I have a few favorites.
One thing I can’t live without is my microfiber cloths. They are just amazing!
I use easy-off oven cleaners for ovens that have a self-cleaning option. I never use the self-cleaning option on my oven. A friend of mine did and it burned up her thermostat.
I also love Weimans to clean my glass cooktop. I also use it to clean the interior of the oven door which is glass. It works amazingly!
To clean my sink I use the Scrub Daddy power paste and for all my stainless steel this cleaner is specifically for stainless.
For the counters and backsplash, an all-purpose cleaner will work. And your favorite glass cleaner for the windows.
Deep Cleaning the Kitchen
1. Clean Top to Bottom
Any time I do any deep cleaning I always start at the top. Dust settles so it just makes sense to clean the bottom last.
high walls and ceiling
Start with dusting the walls where it meets the ceiling. I also have a skylight in my kitchen and it collects a lot of dust and cobwebs.
For this, I love my extending duster. It’s slightly angled which is great for reaching tough spots.
light fixtures
Dust off all light fixtures and inside the recessed lighting. It’s a good idea to turn off the fixture for this part just for safety reasons.
tops of cabinets and refrigerator
A couple of weeks ago we helped our in-laws do a little decorating in their new condo. My mother-in-law has a bunch of birdhouses and she wanted them on top of the cabinets.
We found magazines from the 80s and 90s up there to prop up decor. And more dust than you can imagine! So get that duster out and dust off the tops of the cabinets.
Dust off the top of the refrigerator too. If it’s been a while since you cleaned there you might need a microfiber cloth and all-purpose cleaner for this.
top of a range hood or fan
If you have a range hood it’s a good time to give it a good dusting. Don’t want any dust to fall into the food you are cooking on the stove.
2. Clean the Inside of the Upper Cabinets
Once everything up high has been dusted it’s time to start on the upper cabinets. Do one cabinet at a time, empty it out then wipe off all the shelves.
When you are putting things back inside make sure you curate the items. For example, do you really need 1000 mugs? Maybe donate a few so you can buy some new ones while on vacation. (I speak from personal experience here!)
3. Clean the Outside of the Upper Cabinets
Once the insides are clean it’s time to clean the outsides. There are a few things you can do here to get the cabinets clean.
You can use a microfiber cloth and an all-purpose cleaner.
For those cabinets near cooking surfaces, you might have a bit of grease. I really like filling a bowl with dawn dish soap and hot water and using a microfiber cloth to get all that grease off.
If you have white cabinets like I do your best friend will be a magic eraser! It’s the perfect thing to keep white cabinets looking pristine!
4. Clean the Inside of Lower Cabinets and Drawers
Once the uppers are done it’s time to move on to the lowers. Working one cabinet at a time remove the items, wipe out the shelves then put items back in.
This is a great time to organize those cabinets to work better for you!
Working on drawers, remove all the items then vacuum out any crumbs. I was shocked at how many crumbs were inside my drawers! Once vacuumed out give them a nice wipe down. Then put the items back in.
This is a great time to organize and curate some of the cooking utensils you have. And to go through the dreaded junk drawer!
I also recommend finding a good organizing solution for the plastic storage containers. I have a post solely dedicated to this!
5. Clean the Outside of Lower Cabinets and Drawers
Now it’s time to wipe down the lower cabinets and drawers. I would do the same thing as you did when cleaning the uppers.
6. Clean and Disinfect Knobs and Pulls
One thing we don’t think about often enough is disinfecting the cabinet knobs and drawer pulls. Especially when someone gets sick!
But seriously, mine get dirty while I am cooking if I need something and have flour or oil on my hands when cooking. This is a great time to wipe them down and get them clean.
7. Clean out the Pantry
This item is something you should do more than once a year but especially during the spring cleaning faze. Empty out all the shelves and give them a good wipe down.
get rid of expired food
Go through each item before putting it back in the pantry and see if it’s expired. If it is then toss it. If it’s close to expiration then you need to make a plan to use it up ASAP.
organize
As you are putting items back in the pantry organize so things are easy to find and see. There are a lot of organizing things available on Amazon to help with this.
A couple of things I use is a lazy Susan for my canned goods. I also have baskets for my snacks and another for bread. I have a deep pantry and things get lost in the back very easily.
8. Clean Windows
This is pretty self-explanatory and probably something you do often anyway. But since you are getting everything clean it’s a good time to give those windows a good wipe down.
I love a microfiber cloth for windows. They are so much better at NOT leaving streaks than paper towels are.
9. Clean out the Refrigerator and Freezer
I hate cleaning out the refrigerator but it’s so necessary, especially when something leaks.
Remove all items and give the inside of the fridge and freezer a good cleaning. Take drawers out and clean them in a sink with soapy water. Dry everything thoroughly.
Replace items but just like when you replaced things in the pantry, check for expiration dates and organize items so they are easily accessible for everyone in the family.
10. Clean out the Microwave
Oh, the microwave. Have you ever worked somewhere where people use the microwave and never clean up if their food explodes? I have and it’s almost nauseating!
Because of this, I keep my microwave pretty clean but this is a great time to give it a good wipe down.
11. Deep Clean Kitchen Oven and Cooktop
No one likes cleaning their oven but if you do it pretty regularly then you will have an easier time getting it clean. I try to clean mine twice a year, once in spring cleaning and again after Thanksgiving.
I really like this easy-off product. It has worked fabulously for me! I do not recommend using the self-cleaning feature, it can actually cause harm to your oven.
If you have a gas or electric cooktop then you can typically use a good all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth to clean it.
If you have tough stains I love Weimans to get it clean. I put it on, let it sit for 20-30 min then scrub it with a microfiber cloth. It works really well.
12. Clean the Inside of the Dishwasher
There are products on the market to clean the inside of your dishwasher so when you clean your dishes you aren’t bouncing around gross stuff or bacteria.
There are many DIY methods too.
13. Clean the Exterior of all Large Appliances
Wipe down the exterior of all your large appliances such as your fridge, oven, dishwasher, etc. Depending on what type of finish you have determines what you need to use.
If you have white or black then use a good all-purpose cleaner. If you have stainless then use a stainless steel cleaner and wipe with the grain to prevent streaks.
14. Clean Small Appliances
Now it’s time to clean small appliances inside and out.
Empty out the crumb tray on your toaster and give it a good wipe down.
Run the clean cycle on your coffee maker and wash the pot.
Any small appliances you have give them a good cleaning.
15. Deep Clean the Kitchen Sink
Many people don’t think about cleaning your sink but it’s the dirtiest place in your home. I use this Scrub Daddy power paste and a scrubber to get mine completely clean.
This is a great time to clean out the garbage disposal too. Run your disposal, add some ice, and run it again. Put some vinegar and baking soda in it, let it sit for a few minutes then with lots of water run the disposal again.
16. Wipe Down the Countertops and Backsplash
Most of the hard work is done so give those countertops and backsplash a good wipe down. Use your favorite all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
17. Clean out the Trashcan
You might think I am crazy for this one but the trashcan can get so gross! When it does it can start to smell and make your kitchen, and home, smell awful.
Take out the bag and wipe down the whole thing inside and out.
18. Wipe Down Baseboards and Mop Floors
It’s no fun but get down on your hands and knees and wipe down those baseboards, especially under the cabinets.
Once this is done give the floors a good sweep and mopping. All the hard work is done! This is the finishing touch.
19. Throw Away any Stained or Old Kitchen Linens
One of the things I like to do once I get my kitchen clean is go through all the linens. First, any dishtowels that are stained or have holes get rid of.
Check your pot holders and see if they need to be washed or (if yours are like mine) have burn marks and need replacing.
Then check table cloths and napkins to see if they are still in good shape. If anything needs to be replaced then you get to go shopping!
Frequently Asked Questions on Deep Clean Kitchen
Where do you start spring cleaning the kitchen?
Always start at the top of the room and work your way down.
How do you spring clean cabinets?
First, you empty them, wipe down the inside of the cabinet, then put everything back in. Once that is done wipe down the exterior of the cabinet.
What month do I start spring cleaning?
Since spring starts in March, this is typically a good time but there is no exact rule on which month you need to start.
Deep Clean Kitchen Checklist
If you are interested in having a checklist to keep you on track for spring cleaning your kitchen I have you covered!
Other Cleaning Posts You Might Like:
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- DIY Closet Organizer Ideas
- 13 Unique Blanket Storage Ideas You Need in Your Life
- DIY Closet Organization Ideas on a Budget
- Deep Cleaning Bedroom Checklist: 6 Tips to Get It Clean
Deep Clean Kitchen
As a licensed Real Estate Agent and an avid home decorator, I strive to give my clients the very best I can when it comes to staging, selling, and decorating their homes. I have lots of experience with paint color choices and love to DIY my home so I can have everything just the way I want it. I share my ideas and projects with the world in the hopes that I can help others have their homes just the way they want as well.