Disinfection in the Kitchen

Many people are home now for longer periods of time and are really jumping into cleaning and purging.

Also, with the virus going around, and with each of us hopefully cleaning more thoroughly, I decided to do a post about deep cleaning the kitchen.

Since my cupboards have already been cleaned out, I'm going to concentrate on the outsides and counters.

Let's get started!

The first thing I do is remove everything from the countertops.

I don't wipe and clean around items; I move them so I can get every area clean.

I use a mixture of Thieves Concentrated Cleaner by Young Living mixed with water in a glass spray bottle.

This is my everyday cleaning spray as well.

I also use E-Cloths for cleaning.

I spray my cloth generously with the Thieves cleaner. It's very damp-wet but not soaking.

I always spray my surfaces with the Thieves and leave it on for 10 or more minutes.

Whatever disinfection spray you use, the trick is to spray your area and LEAVE IT WET for 10 minutes or more. (Check the directions on your bottle for specific information regarding your cleaning solution.)

I also make sure to spray/disinfect handles and areas where my fingers touch often.

This includes dials on the stove as well.

With the dampened cloth I thoroughly wipe down all the items that I removed from the counter area.

I wipe the backsplash and any edges and ridges that are around.

I then wipe down the sprayed areas with the cloth and replace the items back on the countertop.

I make sure to remove and clean out any dirt, grime, crumbs, and dust in the crock that holds my cooking utensils.

One of the most neglected areas of any kitchen seems to be the microwave.

I clean this weekly using the steam method.

I remove the glass turntable and the wheeled runner and wipe up any debris that is loose.

Using a glass measuring cup filled with water, I place it in the microwave, close the door, and put 5 minutes on the high cook setting.

I start the micro and let the water boil up and create steam all throughout the interior of the microwave.

At the 5 minute mark, I CAREFULLY REMOVE THE GLASS WITH POTHOLDERS AND PLACE IT IN THE SINK.

The inside is now all wet and hot, making it easy to wipe down every nook and cranny of the interior.

Sometimes I put a drop or two of lemon or orange essential oil inside to really refresh the space.

I repeat this counter process on the rest of those areas in my kitchen.

I'm not a big fan of having a lot of stuff on my counters.

So moving and cleaning is quite a bit easier for me.

This is our coffee station area, so I am always having to wipe up coffee beans and spilled sugar.

(Wonder who makes such a mess here? Hmmmm)

I also take the time to disinfect the coffee maker as there is a lot of handling going on with this needed appliance in our kitchen.

About once a month I run a white vinegar and water solution through the coffee maker and then run a water only rinse through the machine.

This keeps the machine from producing stale coffee as well as cleans it from the inside out.

Once everything is wiped down thoroughly I put it all back.

I purchased this wooden tray from Marshall's a few years back and it's been great to corral all the coffee supplies needed in our home.

Because I was doing such a deep clean I also went through our coffee cupboard above the station and cleaned it out. I made sure to disinfect the handles and outsides of the mugs and boxes as well.

After the counters were done I decided to tackle the tedious things in the kitchen.

I started with the mug of pens, box cutters, and scissors.

People often forget that these things are handled quite a bit and therefore can carry germs as well.

I laid them out on the counter and gave them a good spray, rolling them back and forth to cover.

I let them air dry while I worked on other areas.

I made sure to wipe down all the electrical outlets.

TIP: Don't spray the outlet directly. Spray the cloth and wipe the outlet as well as light switches, leaving them wet.

Just the counters, the wet spray will help to disinfect if it has time to do its magic.

I took the time to wipe down the baseboards with my damp rag, removing splashes (ugh, how do they get here) and dust.

I used Lysol wipes to wipe down every door handle and drawer knob, again letting them remain wet and dry on their own.

I wiped down salt and pepper shakers and any other decor item that is exposed in our kitchen.

Our doors have lots of fiddly bits and raised areas, which ALWAYS seems to capture drops and drips.

While they are farmhouse rustic with a worn finish - hiding many of these things - they need to be wiped down, especially around the sink and areas of heavy meal preparation