A kitchen can be a very messy place.

There’s usually a lot of foot traffic, shoes or not, with people bustling around to prepare food as quickly and efficiently as possible to satisfy their hunger.

With this in mind, they might not take the time to clean up after themselves properly.

Therefore, most kitchens could benefit from a good, thorough and deep cleaning.

STEP 1

Before you even think about cleaning the kitchen, remove all clutter from the area.

Items that don’t belong in a kitchen — but usually end up there — should be taken care of before you start.

STEP 2

Always start cleaning from the ceiling and work your way down to the floor, according to Merry Maids, a nationwide cleaning service with a location in Gainesville.

The business also offered several other tips for how it cleans kitchens.

Dust the light fixtures and air vents and replace any light bulbs while up there on the step ladder.

STEP 3

The amount of time you set aside for the project will determine the next step. But always consider cleaning out everything in the refrigerator and pantry.

If you do, take every item out and sort through the edible and inedible.

String cheese sticks you had in the bottom of your drawer for four years are probably not good anymore. It’s time to throw them out, along with the rest of the expired or otherwise unusable food.

The same goes for the pantry, such as those cans filled with mysterious ingredients you’ll probably never use. And the pickled sauerkraut can go, too.

STEP 4

Wipe down any surfaces in the pantry and fridge with your preferred cleaning products, as well as the outside and inside of any organizational containers used to store food.

The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Service publication on cleaning suggests using hot water and soap to clean the surface and rinsing it to remove any residue.

The agency then advises sanitizing the surfaces with a simple homemade solution. The preferred cleaning product is one teaspoon of chlorine bleach and one quart of water applied to the surfaces.

Then allow the surface to air dry if possible. If you can’t, the UGA Extension Service suggests using paper towels instead of cloths. And definitely avoid using sponges altogether.

STEP 5

Merry Maids suggests once you’ve placed all of the edible, from-this-century items back into the fridge, clear out the cupboards. Scrub down any surfaces in your cupboards.

Take out all of your dishes, cups, storage containers or whatever else you have in there. Clean these as needed. And replace them once they are dry.

STEP 6

Scrub the interiors and exteriors of the appliances and surfaces.

Clean the inside and outside of the stove, microwave, dishwasher and other kitchen appliances.

Another Merry Maids tip is to wash the fronts of the top and bottom cabinet fronts.

Then, remove everything from the countertops and scrub them down, including the backsplash. Replace the items after the areas are cleaned.

Scrub the kitchen sink. If dishes are in the sink, wash them or place them in the dishwasher.

STEP 7

End your cleaning spree with the floors. If you have hard floor surfaces, steam them.

If you have any area rugs, vacuum them.

Then sit back and enjoy a cup of tea in your clean kitchen.