As someone who writes about all the best tips to clean and declutter your home, I thought I knew a thing or two about keeping my own home in top shape. But when my mom visited recently, she left my kitchen looking cleaner in a way I couldn't wrap my head around.
It wasn't that she'd overhauled the kitchen in any obvious way; it just looked fresh and clean in a way that I'd never seen it before. So I asked her what she'd done to bring my kitchen to the next level, and (most importantly) how I can replicate it in my own cleaning routine.
The three things she recommended? One, wipe down the trash can. Two, don't just clean around countertop appliances, but under them. And three, always wipe down the sink once you're done.
My mom's tips for keeping your kitchen spotless
No, I'm not in the habit of inviting family over and asking them to clean my apartment, but after I'd cooked us a nice meal, my mom volunteered to do the dishes. And when she was finished, my partner and I stood scratching our heads in the kitchen, wondering why it looked so much... better.
Here's how she did it.
1. Wipe down the trash can
The first thing my mom told me was that she'd wiped down my trash can. I've got quite a fancy trash can, but even though it's easy on the eyes, it still gets dusty or covered in splashes and spills relatively easily. I clean it every now and again, but according to my mom, I should be wiping it down every day.
I know — a trash can is meant to be dirty. It's where I keep my trash! But as soon as mom pointed it out to me, I realized that this one small task had elevated the look of the whole room. I went to the effort of getting a fancy Joseph Joseph trash can, so I may as well keep it looking neat and tidy.
2. Don't just clean around your appliances, but under them
I've got a lot of appliances. As someone who reviews air fryers, coffee makers and blenders, it comes with the territory that my countertops are well-stocked with my favorite gadgets. But it does create not just visual clutter, but more mess in general. Splashes of coffee around my espresso machine and crumbs around the toaster require me to wipe down my countertops on a very regular basis.
The mistake I'm making? According to my mom. I shouldn't just wipe around my applinaces, but under them. When wiping down the counters, mom moved my air fryer out of the way to reach all the way to the back of the counter. She did the same with my other appliances, and now I've started doing it myself, the payoff it well worth it for the small amount of extra time and effort it takes.
3. Always finish by cleaning the sink
I have a half-size dishwasher, so I do a lot of my larger dishes by hand. When I'm done and the sink is drained, I tend to throw any food waste that's gathered at the bottom of the sink into the trash, and then call it a day in the kitchen.
But my mom rightly pointed out that there's a lot of scum and oil buildup that can sit around the inside of your sink after doing the dishes. And if you don't wipe it down, it can quickly build up and dry onto your sink permanently.
So, ever since my mom taught me, I've been finishing doing the dishes by wiping down the inside of my sink and then flushing out the drain with disinfectant. This leaves a lovely fresh smell, and prevents any odors and bacteria buildup.
What are your favorite cleaning tips your parents taught you? Let me know in the comments!
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