The kitchen is the dirtiest room in the house: grease settles on cupboards, bacteria thrive in the sink and crumbs under the cooker attract insects. A big clean once a month does not help if everything builds up in between. It is far easier to keep things in order with small steps every day.
A clean kitchen also saves money: food keeps longer, appliances last longer and doors and drawers do not work loose from grime in their hinges and runners.
What you will need
- Washing-up liquid, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar
- Separate microfibre cloths for worktops, appliances and glass
- Sponges and a sink brush
- WD-40 Multi-Use for hinges, label residue and appliance exteriors
- WD-40 Specialist Silicone for drawer runners
- WD-40 Smart Straw for precise application into hinges
Important: Do not apply WD-40 products to food preparation surfaces, chopping boards, dishes or the inside of the fridge or oven. Any surface that will come into contact with food must be washed with soapy water after treatment.
Step 1
A 10-minute daily routine
Wash up straight away, or at least load the dishwasher right after a meal; do not leave dishes in the sink overnight. Wipe the worktop and hob after every cooking session, before grease dries.
In the evening, wipe the sink and tap, take out the rubbish if it contains food waste and sweep the floor near the cooker. Let sponges and cloths dry: a damp cloth becomes a breeding ground for bacteria within a day.
Step 2
Sink and drain
Once a week, scrub the sink with bicarbonate of soda and a brush, and freshen the drain: pour in soda, add vinegar and after 15 minutes flush with hot water. This cuts odours and blockages.
Step 3
Hob, cooker hood and oven
Soak the cooker hood filters in hot water with soda or washing-up liquid and scrub them once a month. Soak and clean gas hob grates the same way.
Clean the oven soon after heavy spills, before they bake hard: warm water, soda and a little time do more than harsh chemicals.
Step 4
Fridge and cupboards
Once a week before shopping, check the fridge, throw out anything past its date and wipe the shelves with a soda solution.
Wipe cupboard fronts with a soft damp cloth: greasy film collects mostly around handles and above the hob.
Step 5
Hinges, drawers and small fixes
Treat squeaky cupboard and dishwasher doors with WD-40 Smart Straw, aiming the thin jet right into the hinge, open and close the door a few times and wipe off the excess. Lubricate stiff drawers with WD-40 Specialist Silicone along the metal runners: it is not sticky and does not collect dust.
Sticky label residue on glass jars and containers comes off easily with WD-40 Multi-Use: apply, wait a minute, wipe off, then wash the jar with washing-up liquid. Stainless steel exteriors on the fridge or dishwasher can be lightly buffed with a cloth and a drop of the product to remove fingerprints.
Step 6
Floor and bin
Mop the kitchen floor at least twice a week, including the space under the cooker and fridge, which you can reach with a narrow vacuum nozzle. Wash the bin with hot water once a week and let it dry to prevent smells.
Tip: Pin a short plan to the fridge: what is daily, weekly and monthly. When everyone in the family knows their part, the kitchen stays clean without whole weekends lost to cleaning.
What next
Start with the daily 10 minutes and spread the weekly and monthly tasks across different days. Keep WD-40 Multi-Use in the kitchen for hinges and labels, and small household niggles will take a minute to sort.
These uses come from the experience of WD-40 users in many countries. Always follow the instructions and warnings on the product label.
More guides in «How to use».