For most, the heart of the home is in the kitchen – the place where families and friends gather to eat, drink, and be merry, bake cookies, work on kid’s craft projects, and make memories. Of course, this also means the kitchen sink and appliances take a serious beating…a small price to pay for the good times to be had! Besides, we wouldn’t want you to have smudges taking attention from your newly clean granite, stone, or marble countertops! So how do you give your kitchen sink and appliances the same TLC? Check out these tips below…
The Fridge: What lays behind your fridge is a scary thought, which is why it is so convenient to pretend a mess doesn’t exist. From time to time, it’s a good idea to pull out the fridge (ugh…) and vacuum the dust, gunk, and other stuff that’s found a home behind your fridge (How does all that stuff get back there???). While you’re at it, vacuum the refrigerator coils behind or beneath the fridge which will help put less stress on the fridge’s motor and prolong its life. To clean the outside, use a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar or just, plain old soapy water to make the fridge shine. For the inside, wipe gaskets down monthly with warm, soapy water; rinse and dry.
The Stove Top & Oven: Even with the convenience of a self-cleaning oven, there are still spots the self-clean doesn’t reach, such as the gunk around door hinges and frames and the crumb-catching space between double ovens. These spots can be easily cleaned with vinegar or soapy water. If you’ve got baked-on crud in the bottom of the oven, use a little baking soda on a sponge or a spritz of commercial oven cleaner. Make a habit of wiping spills after using the oven to prevent crud from becoming crud.
Cleaning the stovetop is easy. Just fill your sink with hot, soapy water; soak burners, knobs, and hood vents (if they fit) for a couple hours; then scrub. Simply replace metal drip plates if they’re beyond cleaning. To get those pesky crumbs that have fallen in the cracks between the stovetop and counter, use the sofa attachment on your vacuum and go to town.
The Dishwasher: This one is easy since your dishwasher pretty much cleans itself with every run. However, it’s a good idea to check the drain in the bottom of the machine for debris and wipe the gaskets around the door to ensure a tight seal. Once a week, deodorize your dishwasher by placing a bowl of white vinegar on the top rack, and run it empty for a full cycle. To clean the outside, follow the same instructions as the fridge.
The Microwave: An easy way to remove tricky baked-on food is to fill a microwave-safe container with water, microwave until the water boils, and let it sit for a few minutes while steam loosens the gunk; wipe clean.
The Sink: To remove splotches and scratches, use an eraser-type sponge (stubborn marks may also require a spritz of all-purpose cleaner with bleach). To sanitize, plug the drain and fill the basin with a gallon of warm water. Add a tablespoon of bleach, dip in a sponge, and wipe down the faucet and handles. Let sit at least five minutes, rinse, and let air dry. To prevent stains and scratches from getting worse, sprinkle baking soda on stains before they set in, wipe and rinse. To keep a stainless-steel sink sparkling, smooth away scratches with a powdered stainless-steel cleanser and a regular sponge.
While we can’t get all the crumbs hiding in your kitchen, we can make sure your countertops get the attention they deserve. Zerorez uses chemical-free cleaners and seal your countertops when we’re done so your family stays safe and your kitchen remains sparkling long after we’ve left. Contact our Tampa area cleaning company today!