Beware, readers — you’re not going to love what you’re about to hear, but you need to hear it.

About 10% of kitchen sponges house Salmonella. There’s likely more E. coli in your kitchen sink than in your toilet. And your kitchen counters are probably not as clean as you think they are — especially if you’re wiping them down with an infected rag.

Did this make you want to throw away your sponge and disinfect your entire kitchen space? Great! Let’s do it!

Daily, weekly, or even monthly kitchen cleaning can keep you healthy and happy, while eliminating the stress of a big mess. Do it alone or enlist your family. We’ll show you how to divide and conquer your kitchen here!

1. Clear the Clutter

First, get everything out of the kitchen that doesn’t belong there. Purses splayed out on the countertops, dirty shoes on the floor, stacks of mail. Get these to their designated spaces, so you’re left with only the kitchen items.

Then, put away whatever of that you can.

On to step two.

2. Tackle the Dishes

Get your sink full of hot and soapy water. Let items with tough stains or stubborn leftovers soak while you clean the rest of the kitchen.

Put all dirty dishes in the sink and put any clean dishes away.

3. Start from the Top and Move Down

Now comes the real kitchen cleaning!

We say start from the top for good reasons. As you dust, wipe, and scrub, everything will fall to the floor. If you can stand it, leave that there until the final step.

Dust your ceiling fun. Wipe all the faces — cabinets, the fridge, the microwave, and oven.

Clean your countertops! Know what materials yours are and how to clean them properly.

For example, knowing how to care for quartz countertops is not the same as knowing marble. Be sure you’re using the proper cleaning solution so as not to damage the surface.

4. Clean Out the Fridge

Time to clean out that fridge!

Dispose of any expired foods. If you’ve got way-late leftovers, trash them and stick the containers in your hot, soapy water. Re-organize your shelves based on condiments, meats, and cheeses, greens and veggies, etc.

Be sure to pay special attention to cleaning the bottom shelf, which tends to see the most bacteria.

5. Sweep and Mop

You’ve made it to the final step! Once all your surfaces are cleaned to your satisfaction, the last step is the floors.

By now, they’ve accumulated everything from your kitchen cleaning session. First, sweep everything into a pile and dump it in the trash. Feel free to take the trash out at this point.

Next, mop to your heart’s desire. Get those floors looking as sparkly as your cabinets.

Kitchen Cleaning: A Necessary Evil

We hope this inspired homeowners everywhere to get busy cleaning! After all, your kitchen is a space of fun, community, and flavor. You don’t want to contaminate that by neglecting kitchen cleaning.

Once everything’s spotless, check out the ‘Food & Drink’ section of our blog under the Lifestyle tab! Try the recipes of the week and let us know how you love them.