Cleaning Hacks for a Sparkling Clean Kitchen

These cleaning hacks are tried and true methods for getting your kitchen sparkling clean. So grab your cleaning supplies and let’s dive into some of the best tips and tricks for getting your kitchen spotless.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also one of the hardest areas to keep clean. Between spills, stains, and daily use, it can feel like a never-ending battle.

Clean Your Stovetop with Baking Soda

This is one of those easy methods where the cleaner does the hard work for you.

First, make sure your stovetop is cool to the touch before cleaning it.
Sprinkle baking soda generously over the entire surface of the stovetop.
Pour some white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it over the baking soda. Let the mixture sit on the stovetop for 15 minutes so it can break down any grime or stains.
Use a microfiber cloth to gently scrub the stovetop in a circular motion, applying light pressure as needed to remove any stubborn stains.
Once you have finished scrubbing, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe away any remaining baking soda and vinegar mixture.
Dry the stovetop with a clean cloth or paper towel.

Use Vinegar to Clean Your Microwave

This is another tip where the cleaning agent does all the hard work. Vinegar will loosen any stuck on gunk in a microwave.

Related: 28 Ways to Clean with Vinegar

Pour about two cups of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar into a microwave safe bowl or cup. Microwave it on high for 5 minutes. It will come to a boil.

Once it’s done, let it stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Then Open the microwave and carefully remove the bowl of vinegar (you may want to use a heatpad or oven mitts just in case the bowl is still hot). You can also remove the turntable at this point.

Now you’re just going to use a sponge or dishrag to wipe everything clean. Starting with the top ceiling of the microwave and the back, and then the sides, the bottom and the inside of the door.

Clean the turntable and replace it.

Shine Stainless Steel Appliances with Olive Oil

Dab a small amount of olive oil onto a cloth and rub it onto your stainless steel appliances for a shiny finish. You only need a few drops, and you only need cheap olive oil.

If you don’t have olive oil, any vegetable oil can work. Almond oil and mineral oil are both good options.

Rub it in the direction of the grain. Then go over it with a dry microfiber cloth, which will buff it to a nice shine. This will also help it resist fingerprints!

Clean Kitchen Counters with Homemade Cleaners

The way to clean kitchen counters and other kitchen surfaces depends on the type of material your counters are made of. Here are some options if you like to use ingredients you already have:

For Granite or Stone Countertops:

Mix equal parts water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle.
Add a few drops of dish soap and essential oils like lemon or tea tree for a fresh scent (optional).
Spray the mixture onto the counter and wipe with a microfiber cloth or sponge.
Rinse with clean water and dry with a clean soft cloth.

For Laminate or Formica Countertops:

Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
Add a few drops of dish soap and essential oils like lavender or peppermint for a fresh scent (optional).
Spray the mixture onto the counter and wipe with a microfiber cloth or sponge.
Rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.

For Butcher Block Countertops:

Mix 2 parts water to 1 part white vinegar in a spray bottle.
Add a few drops of essential oil for a fresh scent (optional).
Spray the mixture onto the counter and wipe with a microfiber cloth or sponge.
Rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.
For tough stains or scratches, sand the affected area with a fine-grit sandpaper and reapply a coat of food-grade mineral oil to protect the wood.

For Stainless Steel Countertops:

Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
Add a few drops of dish soap and essential oils like lemon or eucalyptus for a fresh scent (optional).
Spray the mixture onto the counter and wipe with a microfiber cloth or sponge.
Rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.

Use Lemon & Salt to Clean your Cutting Boards

Rub a cut lemon onto your cutting board to remove stains and odors. Lemon and salt are natural cleansers.

Sprinkle coarse salt all over your cutting board. Chop a lemon in half and use it (cut side down) like a scrubber to scour the surface of the board. Squeeze it as you go so it releases juice.

Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse it clean with a wet cloth dipped in hot water.

Use Lemon & Salt to Clean Coffee Pots

When I worked at a restaurant years ago, we never put commercial cleaners in the coffee pots. Instead, we filled a coffee pot most of the way with water. Then we added a good bit of salt.

Then we tossed in some lemon wedges, which we already had cut. But you can actually just add some bottled lemon juice into the pot and save your lemons for something nicer.

At that point, we swirled the liquid around inside the pot for a few minutes, let it sit, and then poured it out. Because we did this a couple of times a day, that’s all they ever needed.

It’s all you’ll need at home if you do it even a couple of times a week. But if you do get stains in your coffee pot, you can scrub a little after the salt and lemon water has been sitting to get those off.

Clean Your Oven with Baking Soda:

Take the oven racks out first.

Mix baking soda and water to make a paste. With your gloved hand, rub it over any dirty spots on the inside of the oven. (Don’t put it on the heating elements.)

Let it sit for 20 minutes. Then wipe it off with damp paper towels.

Clean Your Stainless Steel Sink with Baking Soda

Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda over the surface of your sink.
Spray a small amount of water to the baking soda to make a paste.
Use a non-abrasive sponge or soft cloth to gently scrub the sink with the baking soda paste, paying special attention to any areas with stains or discoloration.
Rinse the sink thoroughly with water.

Clean Your Garbage Disposal with Ice and Vinegar

Turn your garbage disposal with cold water running into it. Pour a cup of white vinegar and some ice cubes down it. The ice cubes are just to give the blades something to work on.

Clean Your Fridge with Baking Soda

Once again, baking soda is one of your best cleaning buddies. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda and a cup of hot water, and use that to scrub dirty spots on your fridge shelves and walls. Wipe it down with a damp cloth for a clean and fresh-smelling fridge.

Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

This one is so easy! Put a cup of vinegar in your dishwasher and run a cycle to remove any buildup and leave your dishwasher smelling fresh.

Clean your Blender with Dish Soap

First, fill the blender jar halfway with warm water.
Add a few drops of dish soap to the water.
Put the lid on the blender and blend the soapy water on high speed for 30 seconds to a minute. This will help to loosen any stuck-on food residue.
Once you’ve blended the soapy water, remove the blender jar from the base and pour out the water.
Rinse the blender jar thoroughly with warm water to remove any remaining soap suds.
If there are any stubborn stains or bits of food left in the blender jar, use a sponge or brush to scrub them away gently.
Rinse the blender jar again to remove any remaining debris.
Finally, dry the blender jar thoroughly with a clean dish towel.

Clean Grout with Baking Soda & Vinegar

Got grout tiles that seem hopelessly dingy? You can clean these with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Materials:

Tablespoon of white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon bottled lemon juice
A small bowl
A spoon
An old toothbrush or a grout brush

Steps:

First, mix everything together in the bowl. You can add more baking soda, if you want it to be less runny.
Scrub the paste onto the grout lines with an old toothbrush or a grout brush. Dirt should start lifting as you work.
Once you’re done, rinse the grout lines thoroughly with warm water. Use a clean cloth to wipe away any residue.

Clean Sink Drains with Baking Soda & Vinegar

Use vinegar and baking soda to clean your sink drain: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down your sink drain, followed by vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse with hot water.

Clean your Range Hood and Filter with Dish Soap

Range hoods and filters can get greasy from food splatter. Here’s how to clean them.

Fill up your kitchen sink with hot water. Squirt some Dawn dishwashing liquid into it and about a quarter cup baking soda. Stir it around to get it mixed. Put the filters in there for about 30 minutes. Then scrub it with a brush to get off any remaining grease.

You can also clean the hood itself with a dishrag or sponge and some Dawn or any degreasing dish liquid.