It is a good idea to clean out the kitchen cupboards after you’ve moved into a place (or right before you move out) and before putting the dishes in. This way you can be sure that you’re not inheriting any of the previous owner’s old and forgotten belongings or any dust and dirt. Even if you’ve lived in a place for quite a long time, a periodical cupboard cleanout never hurt anyone.
Do the clean one cupboard at a time. Open each one, finish everything you have to do with it, and then open the next one. Do not try to take everything out at once and clean all of the cupboards in a single go as this will make everything unnecessarily complicated. When you’re dealing with each cupboard, take everything out of it. Then, wash each cup, dish, pan, utensil and leave everything to dry on a towel on the kitchen counter or table.
While all of the dishes are drying, take care of the cupboards themselves. Usually, a simple wipe down with a damp cloth will do. Occasionally, though you may find mold, mildew or spider webs in your cupboards. This isn’t a testament to your house-keeping skills, these things do tend to happen in old homes and even new ones if there is too much moisture.
If you do find a spider web or two, grab the vacuum cleaner and simply vacuum out the offender, then proceed as normal.
If there is, indeed a problem with mold or mildew, you will need to get a mold killer. These products are sold in most supermarkets and hardware stores. You will need to spray the patch of mold and wait for a few hours (or however long the instructions on the bottle say) then wipe away the mold and clean the cupboard as usual. Be aware that if you use a mold and mildew remover, you should not put back the dishes or utensils immediately. You will have to leave the cupboard open and let it air out overnight, or until the chloride smell disappears. Afterwards, you can proceed as normal.
If, by any chance, your cupboards have glass doors, you can usually use a good all-purpose cleaner and a micro fiber cloth to wipe off any dust or stains from these. If there are any grease stains, you may need to use a more concentrated dose of all-purpose cleaner. There are also specific detergents on the market, which are designed to deal with grease stains. These can, however, be toxic and are therefore not a good alternative.
Something else you could throw at the problem is a bit of simple dishwashing liquid. Simply get a sponge, lather it up and rub at the grease stain. Since dishwashing liquid is designed to deal with exactly this kind of substance, it should work like a charm. Afterwards, simply clean off the foam with a damp cloth and let the cupboard dry and air off with the doors open.
Once you’re finished with the cleaning routine, simply put back the dishes or utensils and repeat for all of the remaining cupboards. Do not put back any items that are still wet, as this can be the cause of mildew or mold. This is a fairly simple cleaning routine. All that is needed is no more than two spare hours a fortnight and your kitchen cupboards will be left clean and spotless.
Nicole is a housewife and a passionate writer. She enjoys writing about House Cleaning and Organizing. You can visit her and read more tips and ideas at https://www.0800housecleaning.co.uk/.
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