Beware,
readers — you're not going to love what you're about to hear, but
you need to hear it.

About 10%
of kitchen sponges house
Salmonella. There's likely more E. coli in your kitchen sink than in
your toilet. And your kitchen counters are probably not as clean as
you think they are — especially if you're wiping them down with an
infected rag.

Did
this make you want to throw away your sponge and disinfect your
entire kitchen space? Great! Let's do it!

Daily,
weekly, or even monthly kitchen cleaning can keep you healthy and
happy, while eliminating the stress of a big mess. Do it alone or
enlist your family. We'll show you how to divide and conquer your
kitchen here!

1.
Clear the Clutter

First,
get everything out of the kitchen that doesn't belong there. Purses
splayed out on the countertops, dirty shoes on the floor, stacks of
mail. Get these to their designated spaces, so you're left with only
the kitchen items.

Then,
put away whatever of that you can.

On
to step two.

2.
Tackle the Dishes

Get
your sink full of hot and soapy water. Let items with tough stains or
stubborn leftovers soak while you clean the rest of the kitchen.

Put
all dirty dishes in the sink and put any clean dishes away.

3.
Start from the Top and Move Down

Now
comes the real kitchen cleaning!

We
say start from the top for good reasons. As you dust, wipe, and
scrub, everything will fall to the floor. If you can stand it, leave
that there until the final step.

Dust
your ceiling fun. Wipe all the faces — cabinets, the fridge, the
microwave, and oven.

Clean
your countertops! Know what materials yours are and how to clean them
properly.

For
example, knowing how
to care for quartz countertops is
not the same as knowing marble. Be sure you're using the proper
cleaning solution so as not to damage the surface.

4.
Clean Out the Fridge

Time
to clean out that fridge!

Dispose
of any expired foods. If you've got way-late leftovers, trash them
and stick the containers in your hot, soapy water. Re-organize your
shelves based on condiments, meats, and cheeses, greens and veggies,
etc.

Be
sure to pay special attention to cleaning the bottom shelf, which
tends to see the most bacteria.

5.
Sweep and Mop

You've
made it to the final step! Once all your surfaces are cleaned to your
satisfaction, the last step is the floors.

By
now, they've accumulated everything from your kitchen cleaning
session. First, sweep everything into a pile and dump it in the
trash. Feel free to take the trash out at this point.

Next,
mop to your heart's desire. Get those floors looking as sparkly as
your cabinets.

Kitchen
Cleaning: A Necessary Evil

We
hope this inspired homeowners everywhere to get busy cleaning! After
all, your kitchen is a space of fun, community, and flavor. You don't
want to contaminate that by neglecting kitchen cleaning.

Once
everything's spotless, check out the 'Food & Drink' section of
our blog under the Lifestyle tab! Try the recipes of the week and let
us know how you love them.