When it comes to deep cleaning or spring cleaning, your kitchen deserves a deep clean all of its own. Spring is a great time to do this, ensuring your kitchen is gleaming, orderly, and well set up to cope with the rigours of the holiday season.
There’s a reason the kitchen is often called the heart of the home. It’s where life happens. From morning coffees to late-night snacks, family dinners to casual catch-ups, it’s one of the hardest-working spaces in any household. But with that constant activity comes mess, and even the tidiest kitchens can quietly collect a layer of grease, grime, and forgotten crumbs.
That’s where a deep clean comes in.
Think of it as pressing the “refresh” button on your kitchen – the kind of clean that restores shine, resets energy, and makes you fall in love with your space all over again.
So, roll up your sleeves and let’s talk about how to give your kitchen the thorough, old-fashioned deep clean it deserves.
Start your deep clean from the top down
When it comes to cleaning, gravity is not your friend – dust and debris fall down, not up. Always begin at the top and work your way down. First off, arm yourself with an abundance of microfibre cloths – a deep clean for your kitchen is going to involve a lot of built-up grease and grime.
Start with ceiling corners, light fittings, and vents, where grease particles tend to cling invisibly over time. A microfiber cloth lightly misted with a natural degreaser will help lift the film without spreading it around. Don’t forget to wipe the tops of cupboards and the rangehood canopy – they’re the unsung collectors of sticky dust.
Pro tip from the SOAP team: mix equal parts warm water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. It’s simple, natural, and surprisingly effective on that greasy film that loves to linger up high. If you have a damp or mould problem, add a few drops of clove oil to the mixture, which will remove it and help keep it at bay.
Deep clean your cabinets, cupboards, and drawers
You’d be amazed at what collects inside your cupboards – crumbs, spills, even the odd wayward grain of rice from 2021. Empty everything out, wipe down shelves, vacuum and clean drawer interiors, and give handles and door fronts a good clean too. Use an old toothbrush to get inside those hard-to-reach little places.
For a natural, streak-free shine, use a mild soap and water mix with a dash of baking soda for any scuff marks or sticky spots. Wooden cabinetry loves a quick polish with a touch of olive oil afterwards – just a dab on a soft cloth to bring back its lustre.
And if you’re feeling brave, take a peek behind your kickboards. Brace yourself now – you might just find a new species of dust bunny!
Deep clean appliances: The Big Three
A true deep clean means giving your fridge, oven, and dishwasher some dedicated TLC.
Fridge:
Start by removing everything – yes, everything. Check use-by dates and give forgotten sauces a quick farewell. Wipe all shelves, drawers, and seals with warm soapy water (a dash of vinegar helps here, too). Before you restock, line the shelves with removable mats for easier upkeep next time. While all the contents are out of the fridge, take the time to wash down all the bottles and containers too.
Oven:
The most dreaded task, but oh, the satisfaction when it’s done. Remove racks and soak them in hot, soapy water with a spoonful of baking soda. For the oven interior, a natural paste of baking soda and water works wonders. Spread it over the inside surfaces, let it sit overnight, and then wipe clean with a vinegar spray to lift away residue. Yes, it’s certainly a bit easier to use some of those powerful ‘miracle’ oven cleaners, but we wouldn’t recommend this, as they are highly toxic, and this is where you are going to be cooking your food.
Dishwasher:
Run an empty hot cycle with a cup of vinegar on the top rack, followed by a sprinkle of baking soda on the bottom and another short cycle. It’ll deodorise and break down grime you didn’t even know was there. Empty and clean filters, and get your trusty old toothbrush and some soapy water to clean around hinges, gasket strips, and powered receptacles, etc.
Deep clean the kitchen sink and tapware
If your sink could talk, it would probably ask for a spa day. It’s one of the most used and most neglected parts of the kitchen.
Scrub the basin with a mild cream cleaner or a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. Don’t forget the drain and plug, which can be surprisingly grimy. Finish by polishing your tapware with a soft dry cloth to make it sparkle like new.
For stainless steel sinks, a wipe-down with a few drops of olive oil gives a professional finish and helps repel water marks for longer. (That’s one of our old-fashioned SOAP tricks!)
Deep clean surfaces and splashbacks
Your benchtops and splashbacks see it all – splashes, spills, coffee rings, and everything in between.
Different surfaces call for different care:
- Stone and marble: Wipe with mild soap and water only (avoid anything acidic).
- Laminate: A little vinegar and warm water work beautifully.
- Tiles and grout: Scrub grout lines gently with baking soda paste and a toothbrush – it’s oddly satisfying – even add a little (white) natural toothpaste to the mix for a whitening effect.
And don’t overlook handles, switches, and sockets – these are all high-touch zones and are crying out for a good disinfecting wipe.
Deep clean your floors: the final step
Once everything above is sparkling, it’s time to tackle the floor. Vacuum or sweep thoroughly first to catch crumbs and dust, then mop with a natural cleaner suited to your surface. Wooden floors love a damp (not wet) mop, while tiles benefit from a rinse with warm soapy water followed by a dry buff to bring out the shine.
Remember to get right into those corners with a brush, where grime tends to gather and fester. When you step back and see that fresh, gleaming floor, it’s a moment worth savouring.
Finishing touches
Pop open a window, light a natural candle, or simmer a pot of water with lemon and rosemary on the stove. A deep clean is as much about the feeling it leaves behind as the look.
If time, energy, or elbow grease aren’t on your side, our professional team of SOAPSTARS can take care of every detail for you, with the kind of thoroughness only true cleaning enthusiasts can deliver.
Because at SOAP, we don’t just deep clean kitchens – we restore calm, clarity, and comfort to the heart of your home.
If you’re hungry for more hints and tips on spring cleaning, check out our article; THE A-Z of SPRING CLEANING