Taking Care Of Your New Kitchen

Consumer Information

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. A deep cleaning of your new kitchen may indeed 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 linger 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 start with 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 flip side 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 gratifying and ultimately save you time while keeping your kitchen clean.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Having adequate trash and recycling containers located in the kitchen will also minimize messiness. 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 avoiding harsh chemicals when cleaning 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 knives and oiling cutting boards will also help keep your kitchen functioning smoothly. This only needs to be done every few months, but it will be rewarding each day as you use these items.
The bottom line is: the more time you invest in 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.

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 at 704.434.0823.

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

byStacey Walker/onApril 5, 2017/updatedJanuary 28, 2026/inConsumer Information

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