Taking Care Of Your New Kitchen

Now that the kitchen of your dreams is actually in your home, you may not want to use it. It looks so clean and pristine, untouched by gunk, splatters, and spills. It is true that a deep cleaning of your new kitchen may be due every few months. However, the most beneficial cleaning tasks can be done every few days to help your kitchen remain beautiful and functional for years to come.

Fight Countertop Clutter in your New Kitchen

One thing you can do daily is fight countertop clutter. It is so easy to bring home things and set them all over the countertop, unfortunately, things can pile up quickly and often find a lingering home there, making the workspace feel cluttered and claustrophobic. It isn’t inviting to attempt to cook in an area covered with clutter. To fight the likelihood of unwanted items landing on your counters there should be designated places provided for bags, keys, mail, etc. along the path from the main entry to the kitchen. Most unnecessary items should be dropped off before they reach your kitchen work zone.

Another simple tip that I found to keep my new kitchen running smoothly is to begin by having a clean sink and an empty dishwasher. If you make a habit of unloading your dishwasher at night and cleaning your sink, then when you begin cooking the next big meal, the cleanup will be much easier. On the flipside of this, if the dishwasher and sink are already full you’ll only be compounding the problem by dirtying pots and pans on top of a sink full of dirty dishes. Once you make a habit of doing this it will be very rewarding, and ultimately save you time, while keeping your kitchen clean.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Having adequate trash and recycling containers located in the kitchen will also keep messiness to a minimum. Before we completed our kitchen renovation we barely had a large enough trash can, and no place for recycling. I planned that into my kitchen when we renovated and I love having a space allocated for “overflow” trash.

If you want to keep your new surfaces looking their best, I would recommend not using harsh chemicals to clean your new cabinets or countertops. Cleaners that work well on appliances in many cases are abrasive to painted or stained finishes and can quickly deteriorate the sealants used on granite and tile. The best thing to use on your countertops is a mild dish detergent and water mixture on a cloth. For the cabinetry, the same type of damp cloth can be used to spot clean a sticky mess, but we clean the cabinets in the Walker Woodworking offices with pledge every week to keep them looking new.

Maintenance on your cooking supplies is another helpful habit that can add to your kitchen’s longevity. Go through your pots and pans monthly and examine their wear and tear, toss out what is damaged and add whatever is needed to your shopping list. Such tasks as sharpening of knives and oiling of cutting boards will also help keep your kitchen functioning smoothly. This only needs to be done every few months but will be rewarding each day as you use these items.
The bottom line is: the more time you invest into cleaning and maintaining your kitchen, the more enjoyable it will be to cook in. Enjoy your new kitchen and put in the work so that you can keep enjoying it for years to come.

Article by guest blogger: Jeneane Beaver, Designer at Walker Woodworking

“Having worked with Walker Woodworking for 7 years, I have the opportunity to share my experiences as a designer as well as a client, I remodeled my own kitchen in 2012.”  ~ Jeneane Beaver

If you are only in the dreaming stage of beginning to plan for a new kitchen? We would love to talk to you and work with you to fine-tune your very own remodel plan.  If you’re ready to be further from dreaming and closer to construction, call Walker Woodworking today 704.434.0823.

Please feel free to add a comment about your own personal experience with keeping your new kitchen clean.