I love a sparkling kitchen.

The kitchen is the heart of the home (and the highest traffic area). In most cases, if you have a clean kitchen, the rest of your house follows suit.

But keeping a kitchen clean is HARD, especially if yours is large and open. It can quickly become a cleaning-time-suck-black-hole-vortex… there are so many shelves, cupboards, appliances, and knick-knacks. Not to mention the endless amounts of paper (that come home with the kiddos, the mail, and the magazines).

If you’re like me, the “tried-and-true” clean your kitchen plans are a bust….seriously, I didn’t know there was a way to fail at The FlyLady, but somehow I did.

So I decided to create something that can be done once a week, in 30 minutes or less, and cleans my kitchen from top to bottom.

How To Clean Large Kitchen In 30 Minutes

Items of note:

• This plan is not deep cleaning; it’s weekly maintenance for the whole kitchen (so it’s best to do a deep cleaning beforehand).
• Speed is your friend. You don’t need to do every surface every week, but can rotate through over a monthly basis. Just do each activity for the time recommended. And when your 30 minutes are up…walk away. 
• Purchase (or gather) a LARGE amount of microfiber towels or rags. I’ve found that changing out a towel often helps clean items and counters faster than using the same disgusting one over and over.

Your tools:

• Microfiber towels (at least five)
• Natural all-purpose cleaner
• Dish soap
• Laundry basket or large box
• Mild abrasive cleanser (if you have a stainless steel sink)
• Elbow grease
• Lemonade Kool-Aid
• White vinegar
• Broom & mop
• Duster with extender pole (or ladder & damp rag)
• Trash can
• Soft toothbrush (and/or cloth-wrapped spatula)

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Fill sink with hot water and dish soap. Put the following items in it to soak: refrigerator crisper drawers, microwave turntable, Keurig maker tray & parts, or coffee maker filter. Then grab a laundry basket or large box: (1.) Throw out any junk; (2.) Put away everything that belongs in the kitchen; (3.) Put items that aren’t supposed to be in the kitchen in laundry basket and set aside. (2 minutes)

2. Grab trash can, pull it next to your refrigerator and toss expired items (including condiments). Work top to bottom, wipe down shelves with hot soapy water and microfiber towel. (2 minutes)

3. Time to dust high zones. Using a duster with extender pole (or a step ladder and damp rag), start above the sink and work your way around the room. Clean upper corners, light fixtures, top of cabinets, top of refrigerator, and any other high spot. Then put dirty microfiber towel into laundry basket to be washed later. Change to a new microfiber towel. (4 minutes)

4. Clean upper cabinets and anything else on the walls. Use either hot soapy water or all-purpose natural cleaner. Don’t forget the microwave – spray interior first and let sit. While waiting, spray exterior. Remember, it’s okay if crumbs or food bits fall on the floor. Afterwards, put dirty microfiber towel into laundry basket. Switch to a new microfiber towel. (3 minutes)

5. Spray the stovetop with all-purpose cleaner. Wipe clean. For stubborn stains, use a mild abrasive cleaner like Bar Keeper’s Friend. Put dirty microfiber towel into laundry basket and grab a new microfiber towel. (1 minute)

6. Go back to those items in the sink, because now it’s time to put them in the dishwasher. Add soap, one packet of Lemonade Kool-Aid (it will clean the items and your dishwasher) and one cup of vinegar. Turn on. Drain sink and start a new batch of soapy water. (1 minute)

7. Clean coffeemaker, toaster, stand mixer, and any other small kitchen appliance from top to bottom with all-purpose cleaner. Lightly wash drip trays or crumb catchers in soapy water. Don’t forget the electrical cords! Dry and replace. Then toss dirty microfiber towel into laundry basket. Start with a new microfiber towel. (3 minutes)

8. Scrub the countertops with warm soapy water. Be sure to get behind small kitchen appliances, sides of countertops, and tile backsplash. (2 minutes)

9. Clean the doors of refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove. Pay attention to handles and edges. Use a soft toothbrush or cloth-wrapped spatula to get tight spots like refrigerator seal or side of stove. Clean lower cabinets with soapy water. (4 minutes)

10. Sweep the floor, especially under appliances and corners. Place mop in hot soapy water and scrub floor. (5 minutes)

11. Drain the sink. If stainless, sprinkle with mild-abrasive and scrub with a new microfiber towel. Rinse with hot water and wipe down with dry microfiber towel. (2 minutes)

12. Empty the trash and wipe the inside of trash can. (1 minute)

Think you can do it? Can you clean large kitchen in 30 minutes or less?