Deep clean kitchen checklist
The kitchen that gets wiped around the toaster every week still hides grease nobody's touched in months. This is the version where everything comes off the worktop first.
21 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Everything cleared off the worktopsNothing gets properly cleaned around a toaster and a fruit bowl. Clear the lot, then work through the empty surface.
- Cupboards emptied outDo this before anything else touches the room — you need the surfaces empty to reach the corners.
- Contents checked and out-of-date food binned
- Shelves wiped out before anything goes back
- Extractor fan filter degreased or replacedA greasy filter barely extracts anything. It's the reason a kitchen still smells of dinner the next morning.
- Oven cleaned inside, racks out and soaked separatelyRacks soak while you do everything else, so they're not the thing holding up the whole job at the end.
- Hob cleaned, knobs and grates removed and soaked
- Splashback and tiles degreasedGrease travels further than it looks like it has — check above eye level too.
- Inside of the microwave steamed cleanA bowl of water microwaved for a couple of minutes loosens dried-on food enough to wipe off without scraping.
- Kettle and toaster wiped down and descaled if needed
- Fridge emptied and shelves washed
- Seals wiped, where mould collects unseen
- Out-of-date items binned
- Freezer defrosted and wiped outOnly if it needs it — a modern frost-free freezer can be skipped.
- Dishwasher filter cleanedSits in the base and clogs with food nobody notices until the dishes stop coming out properly clean.
- Cupboard fronts and handles wipedHandles carry more grease than the doors do — hands touch nothing else in the kitchen as often.
- Bin and the floor underneath it cleaned
- Sink and taps descaled
- Kick boards and skirting wiped
- Floor swept, then moppedLast, once nothing's about to fall on it from above.
- Windows and window sills cleaned
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How often does a kitchen need this rather than a wipe-down?
- Every three to six months, more often if there's a lot of frying. A weekly wipe keeps surfaces clean; it never touches the grease building up on top of cupboards or inside the extractor filter.
- What's the one thing people skip that makes the most difference?
- The extractor filter. A greasy filter stops extracting almost entirely, so a kitchen that still smells of last night's dinner the next morning usually has this as the actual cause.
- Can the oven be cleaned with a shop-bought spray instead of scraping?
- Yes, but ventilate the room properly — oven cleaner is strong stuff, and it needs a proper rinse afterwards or the next thing cooked in there will taste of it.