With spring-cleaning season in full swing, you may be giving your home a deep clean and tackling those jobs that don’t need to be done regularly. Vacuuming behind couches, washing curtains, and decluttering cabinets are common tasks tackled at this time of year.
However, a kitchen expert warns that there’s one task that gets overlooked during your routine cleanup, and it shouldn’t be left until you spring clean.
Daniel Beadle, kitchen expert at Kitchen Warehouse UK Ltd, says there are certain spots he notices instantly whenever he walks into a kitchen and they’re not always the obvious ones.
“I can usually tell within seconds how clean a kitchen really is. It’s not about whether the surfaces are wiped down. It’s the smaller, overlooked areas that give it away.”
And he adds, “People focus on the obvious. But in my experience, it’s always the same hidden spots that let a kitchen down and they’re usually the quickest to fix once you know what you’re doing.”
Check your cabinet handles
So what is one of the top spots that Beadle notices when he goes into someone’s kitchen? It may seem innocent, but cabinet handles are among the biggest hidden areas that homeowners forget to clean. What’s more, they can quickly become covered in grease and grime.
Beadles says that cabinet handles are the first giveaway that a kitchen isn’t as clean as it could be “I’ll walk into a kitchen, open a cupboard, and instantly feel that sticky layer that builds up from cooking.”
He adds that most people underestimate how quickly this builds up, but it can be solved easily. “What I always do is take a microfibre cloth with warm, soapy water and go over every handle properly. If they’re particularly greasy, I’ll use a mild degreaser and let it sit for a minute before wiping.”
"From experience, consistency matters. I’ve found if you wipe them down once a week, you never get that heavy buildup. Leave it longer, and it becomes much harder to shift.”
But aside from greasy cabinet handles, Beadle also notices six other areas in people's kitchens that aren’t as clean as they could be.
Around the cooktop
Beadle says many people clean the cooktop and not the surroundings. He suggests wiping the cooktop first, then moving outward. His tip is to act quickly: “If it’s fresh, it comes off easily. If it’s been sitting there for weeks, you’ll need a proper degreaser and a bit more effort," he advises.
The sink and faucet base
“I always look at the base of the faucet. If there’s limescale or grime there, it stands out straight away.”
His go-to method is to use a small amount of white vinegar on a cloth and wrap it around the base of the faucet for a few minutes. Finish by wiping it clean and drying it properly.
Beadles adds that drying afterwards is key. “If you leave it wet, the marks come back quickly. If you do this every few days, it never gets to the point where it looks bad.”
Inside the microwave
Beadle says that many people avoid cleaning their microwave as it feels like a bigger job than it is. He advises, “Fill a bowl with water and a slice of lemon, microwave it for a couple of minutes, and let the steam do the work.”
Once the steam loosens everything, you can wipe it clean in seconds.
The trash area
Dirt builds up not just inside the trash can, but around it. “I always move the bin completely and clean the floor underneath. You’d be surprised what collects there,” he says.
He also recommends wiping the bin itself. “The lid, the sides, even the back, all of it. I use antibacterial spray and give it a proper wipe. Once you start doing this regularly, the whole kitchen feels fresher.”
Light switches and appliance buttons
Light switches and appliance buttons are touched constantly but hardly ever cleaned, although it’s a 30-second job. Beadles suggests taking a slightly damp cloth with a bit of cleaner and wipe over switches, appliance buttons and stove dials.
Cluttered countertops
From Beadle's experience, clutter is one of the biggest barriers to a clean kitchen, and he says it’s less about dirt and more about how it makes the kitchen look.
He starts by clearing everything off the countertop, wiping it down before putting everything back. And he suggests being selective about what stays out, keeping only items on your countertop that you use every day.
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