With Daylight saving and the first day of Spring under our belt, we thought we would share some of our tips for Spring cleaning your kitchen! Here in New England we are getting the last of winter snowstorms out of our system (hopefully) With that being said make the most of the snowy and cold days by getting your Spring cleaning in motion. Below we will break this process down into sections and make a checklist for you to print out and follow along! Some of these we mentioned in our New Year’s resolution blog. It’s good to try to regularly keep up with some of these so a spring clean isn’t as daunting.

Pre-Clean:

  • Put on some music to enhance the process
  • Open windows to get some fresh air
  • Light a candle or use an essential oil diffuser
  • Gather cleaning supplies
  • Be sure to have an empty sink and dishwasher, have all dishes clean and put away
  • Have your countertops clear of miscellaneous items and spills
  • Remove any items that do not belong in the kitchen

Tip: As your cleaning make a list of items that need replenishing whether it be cleaning products, paper products, replacing kitchenware, or food items.

Pantry & cabinets:

  • Empty your cabinets of food items and place on countertops or table
  • Remove any existing liners to clean underneath or replace
  • Dispose of any expired food items (this includes stale, empty, or inedible items)
  • Create a box of unopened, unexpired nonperishable food items to be donated
  • Wipe down interiors of cabinets (be sure to use the appropriate cleaner to avoid damaging interior finish)
  • When placing food back on shelves place like items together
  • Invest in some air tight containers to keep frequently used or bulk items fresh and visible
  • Place older items in front and newer items in back

 Tip: This would be a good time to reorganize your items and change up the way you store or label things

Refrigerator & freezer:

  • Empty all items in refrigerator and freezer onto countertop or table
  • Dispose of any expired food items (this includes empty items or items you don’t plan on using)
  • Remove and wash any drawers or shelving that can be washed in a large sink or tub
  • Wipe down interior of refrigerator and door
  • If you have magnets or papers on the exterior of your fridge, remove them all and wipe down the entire surface. Declutter and sort through these items.

Tip: If you are feeling extra ambitious this would be an ideal time to defrost your freezer and refrigerator  https://bit.ly/2GcZwQZ

Oven:

  • If you have a self-cleaning oven great. If not, you can make a paste with baking soda and water. Rub on, let sit while you work on other projects, and clean off in your final stages.
  • Don’t forget to deep clean the stovetop
  • Degrease area surrounding stove top; hoods, back splash, etc.

Tip: Make a habit of changing carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries during your spring clean.

Dishwasher:

  • This may seem like a self-cleaning appliance; however, dishwashers need cleaning too.
  • Empty out the dishwasher. If you have a food trap be sure to clean that out.
  • Purchase a special dishwasher pack or bottle of solution and follow instructions.
  • Don’t forget to wipe down the exterior of the dishwasher

Microwave:

  • Fill a microwave safe bowl with water and microwave for a few minutes. When complete keep the door closed for a few minutes to let the steam work its magic. Wipe down interior with soapy rag, rinse, and wipe dry.

Tip: If you haven’t adjusted all of your appliance clocks do so now

Windows:

  • Remove curtains and clean according to label
  • Remove blinds follow this link for instructions on how to clean the type of blind you have http://bit.ly/2Gwkag7
  • Wipe down windows (don’t forget to wipe down the outside as well) and vacuum sill if filled with debris

Garbage & recycling:

  • Bring bins outside and wash the inside and outside with the hose, air dry outside.

Countertops:

  • Clear off counters and wipe down

Tip: If you have natural stone countertops get in the habit of including sealing them in your Spring cleaning routine

Sink:

  • Give your sink a deep clean. Fill to the top with hot water and add in some bleach to disinfect, let it sit, then drain. Give it a good scrub after to remove stains.
  • Rinse off hand soap and dish soap bottles
  • Replace sponge
  • Replace dishtowel

Garbage disposal:

  • Run your garbage disposal with pieces of sliced up lemon or cup of white vinegar to remove odors.

Dust:

  • Floorboards
  • Ceiling Fans
  • The top of the refrigerator

Floors:

  • Give them a good deep clean, vacuum, sweep, Swiffer, mop. Whatever your surface calls for.
  • Launder any throw rugs or runners

Knives:

  • Did you know dull knives are more dangerous than sharp ones? Having your knives professionally sharpened as part of your spring cleaning routine will keep them working their best.

Errands:

  • Now it’s time for a trip to your nearest donation center
  • The dry cleaner if necessary
  • Your local knife sharpener
  • Replenish supplies from the list you created!
  • Take a trip to a store like T.J. MAXX to purchase liners, containers, new kitchenware. Anything you may need to replace or things to keep your kitchen clean and organized.

Speaking of T.J. MAXX and spring cleaning, Kitchens by Lombco is doing “The most foolish thing about my kitchen” Facebook photo contest. Visit our Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KitchensbyLombco/ to see the contest post and enter. Enter by sharing a photo of your least favorite part of your kitchen. The photo with the most likes will win a $50.00 T.J. MAXX gift card!

*THE MOST FOOLISH THING ABOUT MY KITCHEN PHOTO CONTEST
Contest runs March 2nd 2018 to April 1st 2018, winners will be announced on April 1st 2018
We encounter ALL kinds of kitchens, and we have come across some very unique kitchen features over the years. In honor of April Fools’ day, we want you to share a picture of one of the most foolish things about your kitchen. It can be anything from a DIY mishap, something outdated, an improper install, or something broken that you have been living with. The picture on this post with the most likes will receive a $50.00 T.J. MAXX gift card by mail. So be sure to share with your friends to help you win!
How to Enter:
Comment with a picture of your kitchen in THIS post with a brief description
Like and share this post
Like the Kitchen’s by Lombco Facebook page
Rules:
Make sure you can tell the photo is in a kitchen
Must be a picture of your kitchen
Must live in New England

 

Open and print your Kitchens by Lombco Kitchen Spring Cleaning list at the link below

KBL Kitchen Spring Cleaning Checklist