Do you remember the last time you changed your sponge? Scrubbed the stove? Wiped UNDER the coffee machine? If the answer is ‘no’, it seems that a massive cleanup is well overdue. You may have heard of bestselling author Marie Kondo and the KonMari Method that allows even the messiest of us to maintain a decluttered and shiny home? Here are some of the daily habits from people with clean kitchens that Marie swears by.
Keep everything off the counter. We realise this is probably the moment you stop reading any further. Yes, it’s tough as, but it’s also really doable! Your blender, fruit bowl and half-finished pack of chippies not only take up space, but also make it nearly impossible to clean the counter properly. They gather dust and oils that most of us diligently ignore when we’re wiping the counter. People with clean kitchens put everything away after use (yes, even if the appliances are being used every day!) so that nothing gets in the way of the cleaning cloth!
Wipe the stove, sink and counter after every use. Seriously, isn’t one quick move so much easier than scrubbing it for hours after the oils and dust have already caked up in a thick unremovable layer of yuckiness?
Keep your sponge under the sink. Put your wire sponge holder under the sink, not above it. Simply wring the sponge after use and hide it away with the dish soap and rubber gloves. A neat empty sink makes the whole kitchen look way more inviting.
Dry dishes immediately after washing them. Sorry, drying rack, but you need to go! Having one on your kitchen counter makes it far too easy to pile the dishes up without ever putting them away. Instead, dry all the dishes right after you’ve washed them and you won’t have to worry about sorting them out later.
Have a special place for everything. It’s tempting and so convenient to keep oil, spices and kitchen implements within arm’s reach of your stove so you can easily access them while cooking. But the heat can damage them and the oil splatter from cooking just makes everything around so messy and greasy. Instead, store everything away in places specifically allocated for these items and take them out just before you start cooking.
While you’re in cleaning mode make sure you check out our 14 best tips to clean your entire house like never before.
