The Complete Kitchen Cleaning Guide for Singaporeans

The Complete Kitchen Cleaning Guide for Singaporeans

If your kitchen always seems to be in a mess after cooking and mealtimes, you’re not the only one. Dirty, messy kitchens aren’t simply unpleasant spaces; they can be health hazards with substantial bacterial build up. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to maintain a spotless kitchen most of the time, as long as you follow some easy strategies for stress-free cleaning. Use these practical tips and you’ll be able to keep your kitchen clean day today and enjoy the benefits of an immaculately clean kitchen.

Tips for general kitchen cleaning

The kitchen’s a heavily used area of the home, so it tends to become dirty and messy during the day. Follow these tips to maintain a good level of cleanliness in this high-traffic area of the household.

• Declutter counters –Keep counters as decluttered as possible. Assign an area for countertop appliances and keep the rest of the space clear. Put cookbooks, fruit bowls, and tea towels away. Avoiding using your kitchen counter as a storage space will make an amazing difference to the feel of your kitchen.
• Sink – Get into the habit of soaking cooking pots and dirty dishes in the sink before handwashing or loading the dishwasher. You’ll get an effective clean and save water on scrubbing stubborn stains.
• Tidy up your fridge – Do a weekly clean out of your fridge and throw out expired items. Rotten items can be a health hazard and create a mess in your fridge. If you don’t do a regular clean-out, checking your refrigerator regularly will also help you avoid waste.
• Dust regularly – Get into the habit of dusting hard-to-reach areas to avoid dust building up. Check spaces like the top of your fridge, high-up cupboards, and spaces around appliances.
• Wipe down stoves and cabinets – Wipe your stove down after each use, as this will eliminate built-up stains that take more work to clean. Apply your detergent and let it work for a few minutes before wiping the surface down. Do the same for cabinets, which are also easy to forget about.
• Wipe down appliances – As with your stove, get into the habit of wiping down your appliances, whether it’s the coffee machine or blender. Spray external surfaces with bio-home Kitchen Cleaner and wipe down regularly, so the stains don’t get a chance to become stubborn ones.
• Trash – Don’t leave out plates of food, and avoid having leftovers sit in the sink overnight. Clean out your sink drain every night and you’ll avoid bacteria build-up and the extra scrubbing that comes with accumulated stains.
• Use an eco-friendly cleaner – Choose an eco-friendly, all-natural cleaner for your dishes and kitchen surfaces like bio-home Kitchen Cleaner with a phthalate-free fragrance of Lemongrass & Green Tea and Lavender & Bergamot. This type of cleaner will be less abrasive on your kitchen surfaces and utensils. Natural, plant-based formulas without harsh chemicals can be effective cleaners while being gentle on your body and home. In choosing a natural product, you’ll protect your family’s health by reducing your chemical exposure, and you’ll be saving the environment from harsh elements like phosphate and chemical enzymes.

Tackling specific areas in your kitchen

When it comes to specific areas of your kitchen, you’ll benefit from having some handy strategies to maintain cleanliness, remove stubborn stains, and avoid accumulating grime and dust.

Kitchen sink

Make it a regular habit to give your kitchen sink a thorough scrub with a quality kitchen cleaner, followed by a rinse with water. Depending on how often you prepare food at home, you might need to do this multiple times daily or weekly at least. Remove all food debris, clean out your sink strainer, and scrub with a sponge or non-scratch scourer. A good quality natural kitchen cleaner will get rid of bacteria and keep your sink bright, clean, and shiny.

Oven

Start witha kitchen cleaning product for your oven. Take out your oven racks and clean these first. If you have stubborn stains, soak these in warm water and natural liquid detergent before scrubbing them with a non-scratch scourer. Set the racks aside to dry.

Soak your scourer or sponge in some natural detergent and wipe down your oven. If you have heavy stains in your oven – like most ovens do – you’ll need to scrub these until they’re removed. Wipe down with a damp cloth, and leave your oven open to dry. Once your oven is clean, remember to do regular maintenance by wiping down your oven and removing food stains as soon as they occur.

Fridge

If you don’t already clean your fridge on a regular basis, now’s the time to start. Your fridge, like any other appliance, can’t operate optimally if it’s not kept clean. Dust the area around your fridge, including the top and the floor below, to ensure the air is well ventilated.

At least once every few months, clean out your fridge. Unplug your fridge if necessary. Remove detachable drawers and shelving and clean these with bio-home’s natural Kitchen Cleaner. Wipe down the interior of your fridge by using diluted bio-home Liquid Dishwashing Detergent, and ensure all debris and dirt is removed. Bits of food encourage bacteria and even mould to grow in your fridge. Wipe down the outer surfaces of your fridge as well, including handles gaskets, and seals. The door seals can be easy to miss and they can be a hotspot for bacteria and old stains so don’t forget to clean these.

Give the surfaces a thorough wipe down with a clean, damp cloth, and leave your fridge open to dry before putting everything back and turning on your fridge again. You’ll want to repeat the process for your freezer and make sure you follow any manufacturer’s instructions where relevant. For example, if your fridge has coils that need to cleaned, check the owner’s guide and follow the instructions.

Cabinets

For standard cabinets, you can wipe the insides and external surfaces with a diluted detergent mix, followed by a damp, clean cloth. If you have wooden cabinets, you’ll want to use appropriate wooden furniture cleaners, along with suitable polish and furniture cream products to keep those cabinets in pristine condition. Like your fridge and freezer, your cabinets will benefit from regular cleaning, such as a weekly wipe down and monthly clean inside with Kitchen Cleaner.

Dishwasher

If you rely on your dishwasher regularly, you’ll want to keep it clean and free of food particles. Clean out the drain with every wash, and wash the filter as often as the manufacturer recommends. If you have a self-cleaning machine, run the self-cleaning cycle as often as recommended. Use dishwasher salt if you live in an area with hard water. Choose a natural, plant-based dishwasher detergent as this can be gentler on your dishwasher and your cutlery while minimising chemical exposure for your household.

Plates and knives

Keep your knives in a knife block or tray rather than the cutlery drawer. This not only makes it convenient for you when you’re preparing food, it ensures your knives won’t blunt as quickly. Wooden or plastic chopping boards could be better for the same reason. Similarly, handwash your knives rather than putting them in the dishwasher. The dishwashing cycle can be harsh on handles and blades.

Plates, on the other hand, can go in the dishwasher. Use plate racks to minimise the risk of chipping when storing your dishes in cabinets, and opt for a natural dish detergent that’s less harsh on your plates and dinnerware. Plant-based detergents free of chemicals can be gentler on your plates and other items in your kitchen, enabling you to extend their lifespan.

Floor

Spotless floors can lift the mood of your kitchen and set the basis for a clean, well-maintained space. Wooden hardwood floors are popular in Singapore, typically made from oak, walnut, maple, or one of the other popular woods.Whether your hardwood floor comprises planks, tile-like pieces, or strips, you can take preventative measures to avoid damage and dirty build-up.

Dust your floors regularly and clean up spills right away to avoid staining. It might be a good idea to avoid wearing hard-soled shoes or slippers in the kitchen so you don’t damage the floors. Furniture protectors on the legs of tables and chairs can also prevent damage to your flooring.

Use lacquer or oil treatments on untreated solid wood floors. If you have treated floors, feel free to use a pH-neutral, all-natural cleaning solution, but avoid vinegar, ammonia, and other mainstream products containing harsh chemical agents. These items can wear away the finish and make your floors dull and discoloured.

Clean your floors a few times a week with non-scratch brooms and mops, and make sure the mop is damp rather than wet as too much water can damage the finish.

The average kitchen has a lot of different elements to keep clean, and it can seem challenging to maintain everything from countertops to appliances and the floor. However, with a regular routine, you can maintain cleanliness and eliminate unwanted dust and build-up without dreaded marathon cleaning sessions. By keeping your kitchen clean and using ecologically friendly cleaning products, you can create a pleasant space and support your family’s well-being.

bio-home is a leading provider of 100% plant-based, biodegradable cleaning products. Find out more about our all-natural cleaning products here and explore our blog for more news and tips on keeping your home clean and pleasant.