30-Min Kitchen Cleaning Hacks for Messy House Rush Jobs

Published on 10 Oct 2023

Are you a functioning adult? Like the rest of us, you probably do a good impression of one. After all, you rarely leave dirty plates overnight, let veg fester in the fridge freezer or whistle when you drop food for you dog to lick the floor. Nor do you clean your kitchen last minute in a rush with guests en route… right?

If you do, don’t worry. It happens to us all; a friend calls to say they’re coming just at the moment your kitchen is messier than your parents’ marriage. It’s fine. The question is: can you save your reputation without flinging clutter into every cupboard and giving yourself an asthma attack in the process?

In short, yes! What’s more, with kitchen cleaning hacks, you can scurryfunge at breakneck pace. Only got 40 minutes? 30? 10? No problem! Today, we’ll share an evidence-based process of cleaning life hacks that will help you get your kitchen as clean and tidy as possible whenever you’re in a hurry.

Declutter Kitchen Worktops

Cleaning experts love to share knowledge on how to clean a kitchen, recalling facts about lemon juice and using bread to pick up broken glass, but those won’t help right now. You need needle-moving actions. So, declutter junk and clean dishes, paying priority attention to surfaces at eye level.

Indeed, humans are biologically geared to look in that vacinity. Research from supermarket merchandisers states as much. That’s why they shelve priority products at eye level. Most shoppers don’t register products any lower. The same goes for clutter and grime. So, start with kitchen worktops.

Surfaces can look fine at a distance, even with blemishes, but no distance hides a messy home. Hence, declutter worktops and kitchen islands first. Our Farmhouse Oak and Carrara Marble patterns make this easier. They disguise marks so it doesn’t matter if you can’t clean them as long as they’re tidy.

Wipe Kitchen Counters

So, the junk is gone? Good. Don’t get distracted, though; rather than moving on, double down – this time by cleaning your kitchen worksurfaces. Begin by dusting high zones like cooker hoods and loose crumbs from much-used spots like around your kitchen sink and chopping board for fastest results.

Then clean surfaces like chef’s tables with soap and water. If you can use kitchen cleaners without damaging surfaces, do so to kill mould. And don’t forget the CSI-style sauce spatters on kitchen wall tiles. If visitors wanted to see that lasagna you murdered, they’d have followed you on Instagram.

Move on after you’ve hit these high-priority areas, but make a mental note to wipe under appliances and repeat the declutter-and-clean process inside your refrigerator if you have time later. Guests are unlikely to encounter those places if you control their experience, but it’s worth it just in case.

Hit Wall Cabinets and Extra Appliances

Once the counters are pristine, consider wall units, dressers and appliances. Think hobs, air fryers, Nespresso machines, microwaves, toasters, food mixers, and any additional appliances you keep on display. Yes, cabinet doors can hide a multitude of sins but you never know where guests might look.

Again, with your wall cupboards and devices, declutter before cleaning. Remove food and packaging waste then vacuum gaps. Doing so will impact presentation more than even a deep clean. Then, when you do clean, stick with soapy water and limit glass cleaner to glass surfaces to minimise damage risks.

At Sigma 3 Kitchens, our units are built for practicality and aesthetics in every situation. We removed the centre posts from our Linea wall kitchen units, for instance, without compromising stability, making them sleeker and easier to clean. Plus, thanks to bi-fold doors, our Breakfast Dressers can safely hide gadgets.

Clean Kitchen Tiles

Scrubbing low messes can raise your kitchen’s perceived status from “tidy” to “spotless.” Unless you own a pack of newfoundland dogs, or you’ve greased your floors so much Torvill and Dean use your kitchen for skating practice, though, you don’t need to prioritise cleaning kitchen floor tiles just yet.

First, tidy and clean base kitchen units as you did their eye-level counterparts. Similar to the Linea units, our LineaPlus ones simplify the job, enabling more space for cleaning. Then, if you have time, throw in a few dishwasher cleaning tablets and scrub the inside of your oven.

Leave sweeping and mopping the floor until last. That way, you’ll stop yourself re-introducing new dust, crumbs and spillages to areas you’ve already covered in the clean-up. And if you’re unsure where to hide any dust bunnies you gather, our integrated kitchen bins offer the ideal solution. Voila!

Bake Kitchen Cleaning Hacks into Your Space

If you need more help designing a kitchen that’s optimised for keeping clean and tidy, locate a Sigma 3 showroom near you and book a meeting with one of our world-class kitchen designers, or become a Sigma 3 Insider. As a subscriber, you’ll get lifestyle guides and exclusive resources, all for free.

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