Basic Kitchen Organizing Part 4 – Cleaning the Major Appliances

Did you get your refrigerator cleaned off?  Cleaned out? Are those counters still cleared? Most of the remaining tasks in the Kitchen Challenge will be those that are done occasionally, but you need to daily watch those dishes and counter tops. It takes on average between 21 and 30 days to develop a new habit. If you were to work on it every day over the next several weeks, you should develop a habit that will make it easier for you to enjoy your kitchen.  You will be turning out some great meals for your family and saving money by happily eating in more.

Today we are going to tackle cleaning all of the other major appliances you have in your kitchen.  Yes, all of them.  You can do this. It will be easier than you think. If you need to, take one appliance each day for the next few days.

Most of your remaining appliances will stay disinfected simply because of the heat they put off during each use. So in most cases there is not any real need to use heavy cleaners and chemicals. Regular cleaning will reduce any stains already in place and keep new ones from setting in. Check out my ordinary cleaning routine. One day each month, during kitchen week I make a point to check out the appliances, and clean them if they need it.

Once you get them clean the first time, preventing mishaps and quickly wiping up messes as they happen will save you days in accumulated scrubbing. You should be able to do all of the appliances including your refrigerator in less than a half hour if you follow regular maintenance. This time, you may need to replace the soapy water in your sink several times.  With regular maintenance, one sink half full will probably do the job.

Cleaning the Microwave

Let’s start with your microwave.  You will need to fill a decent sized microwave safe container half way with warm water and a dash of liquid dish soap mixed in. A lot of people use vinegar, but I think it makes the house smell horrible when it cooks. Put the bowl in the microwave and run it on high for five minutes.  Fill the bottom of the sink with soapy water.  When the microwave beeps, leave it closed for another five minutes.  Using hot pads, remove the bowl.  Wipe out the microwave.  Wash the tray and the rotatory ring.  If It did not come clean fairly easily, do not scrub, just repeat the process as many times as you need to until it is clean.

Cleaning the Dishwasher

To clean your dishwasher, make sure it is empty, and then run a short cycle using a half cup of white vinegar instead of the dishwasher soap.  That’s it. The vinegar will dissolve a lot of the soap residue and break down some of the deposits built up in the drain screens.

Cleaning the Stove Top

The manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning your oven and stove top should always take precedent over anything I suggest.

They make specialty cleaners to clean the flat surface stove tops that not only clean these extremely well, but will very effectively clean all ceramic surfaces without damaging the finish.  If I needed something stronger than plain soap and water to clean my former electric stove top, I used the specialty cleaner.

Simple soap and water will usually take care of the knobs and gauge panel. If you need something more, try a simple magic eraser type sponge or soaking before trying harsher chemicals.

A warning against using steel wool pads on the stove top. My last range was an electric eye with drip pans.  A family member was very kindly helping out shortly after the birth of my son by cleaning my kitchen.  Sadly, they over vigorously took a steel wool pad to the stove top.  The finish was damaged and afterward always looked dirty because of the rust that kept developing in the hairline scratches around the eyes.  The mere act of cleaning the stove promoted the rust to return quickly, so this was a lost battle. If you have stains that you can not remove, it may be the same rust stains.  If it bothers you, you can repair the damage using special touch up paints that are made for stove tops or by hiring a professional to refinish it.  Eye covers do not fix the damage, but are a very inexpensive way of keeping it out of sight.

If you have an electric range with extremely tarnished drip rings, consider replacing them.  You can purchase replacements fairly inexpensively.  Try to find black or dark brown replacements whichever more closely matches your decor.  They hide stains and look much better long-term than the shiny silver ones. To clean the ones you have, I have not found an easier method than soaking, scrubbing with a light abrasive and then repeating the process. Be careful not to damage the finish when you scrub.

If you have stainless steel stove tops and rings, there are polishes/cleaners made specifically for stainless steel that work extremely well. Just remember to follow the directions and always rub with the grain.

Cleaning Under the Stove Top

Most electric ranges and some gas ranges have tops that lift completely to clean up spills. Kind of like the hood on your car. You can take a steel wool pad and a mild abrasive to this area.  (I make sure to use the pads that do not rust. They are less messy and are more friendly to your hands if you forget the gloves.)  The first time you do this, it will probably be pretty ugly, but will improve and be easier every time you clean it later.  Don’t spend a lot of time today making it perfect.  Do the best you can and come back to it next time.

Cleaning The Oven

To clean your oven, again follow the manufacturer’s instructions, before following any of these suggestions.  Most ovens are self cleaning.  You just run the cycle and wipe out the debris after it has cooled.

You can also use the dish soap and water method from the microwave. Find a large casserole dish. Fill it half full of water with a couple of dashes of dish soap.  Turn the oven on around 350 – 400 degrees.  Cook for 30 to 45 minutes and let it sit until the oven cools down enough that you will not get burned.  Wipe out using a scrub pad as needed.

Make sure before you use an oven cleaner to read ALL of the instructions.  Some need a cold oven. Some warm but not on the self cleaning cycle.  And there are some that can be used while self cleaning. Make sure to really read and follow all of the instructions carefully every single time.  My husband once used one that did not require the oven to be turned on, but did turn the oven on. The fumes were horrible (and highly toxic) and the residue that was left behind took hours to scrub off.

When I cook something in the oven that may spill over, I put a large cookie pan with low raised sides on the rack immediately below the rack I use for cooking.  If I am cooking something that is likely to splatter, I typically use the cookie sheet and a loose tent of aluminum foil. You can purchase special mats that line the bottom of the oven or do like my Grandmother and use foil.  It is often easier to prevent the mess than to clean it up.  Just make sure to watch and learn how using pans and foil may alter cooking times so you can make adjustments when trying new recipes.

Cleaning the Stove Hood

Wipe down the stove hood top and bottom.  A simple grease cutting dish soap is the best thing to use.  You can usually simply soak and rinse the vent filters. Make sure that any bulbs are cold before you wipe them off to keep them from breaking. (And make sure that you take precautions to not electrocute yourself!) Wipe down the stove back splash again while you are here.

Further Considerations and Follow Up

You may not get everything to sparkle this time around if it has been some time since you cleaned the appliances last, but each time you do it, they will get better.

Go to your calendar and schedule to check the appliances once every month.  Other than the microwave, you will probably be able to go much longer, but check them and take care of the messes you see before they turn into a big job.

If you will wipe up spills as you go, you may seldom actually have to clean on those days.  But make a point to schedule and check each appliance anyway.

Don’t forget to leave me your tips in the comments!  And let me know how you did. Did it take less time than you thought?