How to Clean the Kitchen in 15 Short Minutes

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How to Clean the Kitchen in 15 Short Minutes

Staff Writer · Jan 13, 2010

The key to quickly achieving a clean kitchen lies in the ability to multi-task. The best strategy is to maintain a clean kitchen throughout the week, particularly in keeping up with dirty dishes, but sometimes that isn’t always possible. To successfully tidy and rid the space of germs in 15 minutes, get dishes started before you hit the areas that require a bit of scrubbing, like the stove and fridge. Follow this efficient method to get the aesthetic appeal of sparkling counter tops and the sanitary benefits of bacteria-free surfaces.

Soak Dishes: 2 minutes

If you have a dishwasher, this part is already taken care of for you. Many apartments don’t come with this super convenient appliance, but you can still simulate the work that it does. If you’re facing a load of dirty dishes, fill your sink, or better yet, a rubber basin with warm water and dish washing liquid. This cleaning solution can start attacking dishes while you’re working on the rest of the room. Let the water run directly on top of dishes with caked-on or dried food; the pressure will loosen the grime at a faster pace than soaking.

Disinfect and De-Grease: 5 minutes

Your main aim, beyond tidiness, in cleaning the kitchen should be to remove the bacteria and germs that breed from raw foods, particularly poultry. Target your stove with sanitizing cleaners specifically made for stove-tops-using cleaners not intended for the kitchen can introduce dangerous chemicals that should not come in contact with food-preparation surfaces. Be sure use paper towels or a sponge that has not come in contact with dishes or areas other than the stove top. For food stains or spills that have dried onto the stove, dab with a concentrated cleaner and let soak while you go onto the next step. As the shelter of raw foods, the refrigerator itself is a hotbed for breeding bacteria. Be sure to regularly wipe down with a disinfecting spray, inside and out.

Scrub and Rinse: 5 minutes

This is pretty self-explanatory, but use the tough side of sponge to kill any leftover specks that weren’t destroyed in the soaking period. When done, squeeze the sponge hard to thoroughly drain it of excess water; a soaking sponge will start breeding bacteria all over again, especially after it’s come in contact with so many different kinds of food. Give the sink a good final wipe and dry for the same reason.

A Final Sweep: 3 minutes

After you’ve targeted the sink and appliances, don’t figure to rid counter tops of germs and grime. Use a cleaning solution that disinfects but it safe for eating services. Dry thoroughly with a fresh paper towel. Be sure to use gloves or wash your hands throughout this cleaning process, so you’re not transferring germs from the previous location you’ve cleaned onto the next. It’s best to leave this part last so that the drips from cleaning the stove and washing and drying the dishes don’t contaminate the newly cleaned surface. Give floors a quick sweep to get rid of dust and match the shine of your other kitchen surfaces.

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