Not many of us are cleaning experts; in fact, most of us consider cleaning one of the least favourable tasks we have to do in our homes. Take the kitchen, for example. Kitchens go through a lot of daily use and abuse, and it’s essential for us to keep our kitchens as clean, tidy, organised, and clutter-free as possible. What makes it more difficult is that the kitchen is an area where most of us tend to gather and where we often do other things such as lounge around or do homework or make lists, and since it’s the place where we prepare our food, it’s essential to keep it extra clean too. But if you are constantly faced with a messy or dirty kitchen and are tired of having to continuously deal with the issue, here are some best tips to ensure the cleanliness and tidiness of your kitchen.

Follow the minimalist rule

Most kitchens today are probably lined with all kinds of gadgets and appliances, utensils, jars, and so on. If your kitchen is like this, you may want to find a way to keep more things and items in your cupboards, especially when it comes to things you don’t use that often. If you don’t have too much clutter on your kitchen worktops and counters, you will have more room to do prep work, and it will also be easier for you to wipe down your counters regularly as everything is clear and there is more space. For example, you can keep the gadgets or appliances that you use daily (such as a coffee maker or blender) on the counter, but store other items such as stand mixers in your cupboards.

Clean it first

Here’s another thing you can do to easily maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of your kitchen: don’t cook or prepare anything without cleaning first. If you start cooking and you already have a dirty kitchen to work in, you may just end up more depressed, and it will feel even more impossible to clean up your kitchen. Before you start doing anything in your kitchen, clean it up as thoroughly as you can first. This will not only contribute to your peace of mind,  it will also encourage you to keep the area clean if you see it sparkling and spotless right from the beginning; in fact, it’s one of the best cleaning tips you will hear from the experts.

Clean as you go

Another way to make sure your kitchen is kept clean and spotless without too much effort is to clean as you go. Yes, the old rule works best. If you have some free time whilst cooking food, why not use it wisely by cleaning up your kitchen as you go? For instance, rather than just standing and waiting for the food to cook, do something like unloading (or loading) the dishwasher, putting away utensils and other items, and wiping down your kitchen counters or worktops. It also helps if you have handy cleaning equipment such as good sponges and cleaners. You may be surprised at the sheer amount of things you can do while simply waiting for your food to cook.

Be mindful of the kitchen sink or basin

For some, the task of letting the water drain from the sink right away is a given, but for others, it may not be a priority. Try to make this a priority; let the water drain right away rather than wait for it to become oily, cold and greasy and it will be easier to wipe down the kitchen sink or basin and keep it clean as well. Don’t leave any food refuse stuck in the drain, and dump scraps of food as soon as you are done. It makes a big difference to your kitchen’s cleanliness, and it only takes a few minutes to clean the area and help keep your kitchen look sparkling and spotless.