[Continued from Part 1]
--
With your fridge wiped down and sparkling clean, wipe each item as it goes back into the fridge to make sure no stickiness returns. This is also a great time to sort everything and get rid of items that you don't need in the fridge anymore. Reclaim some lost tupperware, toss expired condiments, and make plans for ingredients that need to be used up.
Apply the same method to your pantry. Now is a great time to get the whole space not only clean, but also organized. Empty and wipe down each shelf from top to bottom. If you have a large pantry, then empty, wipe, and refill each shelf one at a time.
Spring cleaning is also a great time to reorganize your kitchen. Consider using organizer trays, baskets, and bins to better contain and sort the items in your pantry, and to make items more available on the go. Transition your pastas and dry goods into clear, stackable canisters and stack your spices on a tiered shelf or Lazy Suzan. If you have bins or baskets, wipe them out and re-label them with some inspiration from the year before.
With your storage spaces taken care of, it's time to look at the surfaces that don't get cleaned enough. While your counter is probably scrubbed daily, what about the walls and backsplashes around your cooking space?
Take a soapy sponge and remove all the old splashes and nearly invisible grease that may have built up on the vertical spaces around your kitchen, especially near the stove and sink. Your backsplashes are beautiful and deserve the love, and you'll notice a subtly brighter look to your entire kitchen for getting those often-unrealized spaces.
When was the last time you scrubbed every angle of your stove hood? The stove hood collects most of the aerated grease, which can make it sticky to the touch. Use ample dish soap to break down the grease and scrubbing powder to help you safely scour away that stubborn texture on the outside and inside of your stove hood.
This is also a good time to soak your stove hood's reusable filter in very hot, soapy water to remove all the grease it's collected over the last few months. Run hot water from your sink sprayer and dish soap through the stove hood filter until the water that comes out is running clear and the filter feels clean. Then replace it. Don't forget the stove light color. You might have several more lumens than you realized when that cover gets cleaned.
Next, consider the vertical spaces around the edges of your kitchen. Kitchen walls with a gloss or semi-gloss paint can actually be mopped. A wet swiffer (or a damp towel wrapped around a swiffer) is the best way to quickly wipe down all your kitchen walls without busting your back. But you can also wipe down the walls manually with a dishcloth, as well. This is part of the reason we use gloss and semi-gloss paint in the kitchen, after all.
Lastly, get down near the floor and address the baseboards. Make sure you get every crumb and old spill in the toe space under the cabinet edge, in the corners, and along the baseboards around your kitchen. You might be surprised how much nicer your kitchen looks with this subtle detail taken care of.
Kitchen spring cleaning is a tough but also joyful experience. It feels good to scrub away the dirt, chase away the stuffiness of winter, and make your kitchen gleam. If you're also thinking about a few tasteful kitchen renovations. Edesia Kitchen & Bath Studio would be proud to make it happen. Contact us today to explore your spring kitchen renovation options.