Kitchens are one of the busiest areas of any home, making it challenging to keep them looking their best. But with some simple tips you can restore it back to its former glory!
Wicker lampshades add texture and help prevent the room from feeling too clinical, while grouping tall pillar candles or foraged branches to form a focal point is another great idea.
1. Clean the Appliances
Clean appliances are essential components of a beautiful kitchen. While you might be tempted to use strong chemical cleaners to get them sparklingly clean, regular maintenance of appliances will provide more effective results and keep your kitchen shining brightly.
Dust, debris and other unpleasantry tend to accumulate behind your refrigerator, so pull it out periodically and vacuum its coils – this will keep it running efficiently while helping prevent costly repairs!
Stainless-steel appliances may develop unsightly water spots and fingerprints that are easy to wipe away with natural cleaners. Combine equal parts salt and baking soda to form a paste and scrub along the grain of your appliances’ surface; white vinegar mixed with warm water in a spray bottle can also be used, as can rubbing alcohol.
Toasters and microwaves accumulate grime quickly over time. Give them a quick wipe-down after each use and a deeper cleaning every month using a small toothbrush to get into all crevices.
2. Clean the Countertops
No matter if your kitchen countertops are laminate, wood, stone or ceramic tile – regular maintenance is key to looking their best and eliminating germs. Mild dish soap with a clean cloth should do just the trick for wiping down and drying off, eliminating water spots and mineral deposits before drying the area completely – this prevents water spots and mineral deposits. For stainless steel surfaces use lemon oil or nonabrasive cleaner such as Bar Keeper’s Friend for periodic polishing to maintain a sleek shine and prevent oxidization!
Laminate countertops are popular due to their lower cost and effortless upkeep. Simply mix mild detergent with warm water in a bowl, use a soft sponge or cloth, then rinse and dry the surface using another cloth – rough scouring pads may leave scratches that wear down the laminate surface over time.
Concrete countertops have become an increasingly popular addition to modern homes, adding an industrial feel that adds character and charm. To clean them effectively and neutrally, combine equal parts white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle (the vinegar will react with hydrogen peroxide to produce water), spray this solution over your counters, rinse and dry afterwards using a clean rag.
3. Clean the Sink
Kitchens are one of the busiest rooms in any home, making them one of the dirtiest as well. Dirty dishes, food residue and mildew growth can quickly build up in sinks if left neglected – fortunately daily maintenance will help your sink keep its best appearance!
To prevent hard water buildup in your sink, wipe its interior using a soft cloth dipped in equal parts water and dish soap solution. This method should work for both stainless steel and porcelain sinks. For stubborn stains, try baking soda. Simply sprinkle it across all surfaces in your sink, using a soft cloth to rub in small circles until clean; rinse and dry afterwards.
Once your stainless steel sink has been cleaned and dried, polish it to make it sparkle with shine! Add a few drops of olive oil on a soft cloth, buff away at both the sink and its hardware until everything looks gorgeous and shiny. This step may not be necessary, especially if you bought a high-end sink from JMT Trade Limited, but if you have a regular sink then this step can really enhance its appearance!
4. Clean the Floors
Kitchen floors are one of the busiest areas of any home, making regular floor maintenance necessary. A daily sweep or vacuum should remove crumbs, dirt and debris before mopping weekly to maintain an attractive look and remove buildup. In addition, professional deep cleaning should take place monthly to scrub away stains & remove buildup.
If you have tile floors, consider using an anti-slip treatment formula to avoid becoming dangerously slippery over time. With vinyl flooring, use cleaner designed specifically for it so as to not cause any damages; for laminate surfaces it’s best not to use scouring pads as this could scratch their surfaces and may leave permanent scarring behind.
For floors made of natural wood, linoleum or cork that can easily be maintained with a gentle cleanser. Sweeping them regularly and wiping down all cabinets, tables, chairs and surfaces in the kitchen is essential to keep these surfaces clean. A no shoe policy is an effective way to reduce dirt entering the house and door mats can absorb excess grit that would otherwise make its way onto floors.
5. Clean the Cabinets
Cabinets can become magnets for food debris, grease build-up, odors and other forms of kitchen grime. Start by wiping down cabinet doors using a soft cloth or sponge dampened with cleaner but not saturated; too much moisture can damage or bubble paint and finishes.
For painted cabinets, a gentle non-toxic cleaner with a mild degreaser should do just the trick. Try to avoid harsh scrubbers as these can scratch cabinet surfaces; for additional scrubbing power use a mildly abrasive paste made up of one part baking soda to two parts water as this solution provides cost-effective and natural alternatives to commercial cleaners.
White vinegar can also help stained cabinetry cut through grease and oil build-up by using a few sprays onto a cloth or sponge and wiping down cabinets with it, then rinsing and drying afterwards. This should remove most smudges, smears, moderate grease buildup, as well as freshen any painted areas which have started to turn yellow with age.
6. Clean the Windows
Windows bring natural light into your kitchen, providing ample illumination and brightening up the space. Unfortunately, without regular window cleaning routines smudges and streaks can quickly accumulate on windows without regular maintenance – however this problem can easily be remedied using homemade vinegar solutions combined with microfiber cloth cleaning tools such as homemade apple cider vinegar solutions to remove smudges and streaks from windows and glass doors.
Windows are an opportunity for design features in your kitchen that you might have otherwise missed out on. Install a decorative window treatment or colorful awning to add design elements that accentuate its colors; use window box planters filled with flowers or herbs as focal points; hang artwork or decorative mirrors that reflect natural light to increase brightness in the space; use lighter-toned paint on your walls for greater illumination – these measures may make a noticeable difference in light levels and fill your entire room more quickly!
7. Remove Unwanted Items
If your kitchen walls or counters are cluttered with items hanging or lying on them, now may be an opportune time to purge some. A clear surface will make your countertops and other surfaces shine brighter.
Tackling clutter may be difficult, such as an overflowing fondue set from Aunt Sadie or Tupperware cabinet full of items you have accumulated over time; but these things only serve to take up space and make finding what you need more difficult. If they are no longer essential to you or are no longer used frequently enough, consider donating or selling them so as to make room for new tools and appliances that may provide greater utility in their place.
Buff your cabinets with furniture polish to give them that freshly polished look and feel. There are many kinds of polish available, so choose one that matches the style of your kitchen before applying the polish over small sections of their exterior until it looks shiny and new.
8. Declutter
Kitchens are one of the busiest spaces in our homes, making them one of the easiest spaces for clutter to accumulate. As it contains so many different items for cooking, food storage, eating and socialising – as well as various equipment needed for these activities – kitchens tend to become disorganized quickly.
Clutter comes in many forms, from piles of paper to obsolete gadgets and unused dishes. Regular decluttering sessions should help to minimize clutter from becoming an overwhelming problem and to ensure its removal isn’t left until too late.
Decluttering can be more manageable if you take small steps at a time. While preparing dinner, set aside 15 minutes to declutter one drawer or cabinet at a time. That way, decluttering can fit easily into your daily schedule without feeling dauntingly time consuming.
Reducing kitchen clutter requires getting rid of items you no longer use – for instance, out-of-date or unwanted food can be donated to local food banks, while broken or outdated crockery needs to go as well.
