Counters
Clear the counters of anything that doesn’t belong: straggling mail, cookbooks, and permission slips awaiting signatures.
Sink
Fill the sink with hot water and a few squirts of dish soap. Drop in items that need soaking, like the crisper drawer, the dish rack, and the microwave turntable.
Refrigerator
Empty the refrigerator, tossing anything that has expired. Throw dirty food storage containers into the sink to soak. Working from top to bottom, wipe down the shelves with a paper towel or a rag spritzed with a nontoxic all-purpose cleaner.
High Zones
Dust the high zones, knocking dirt and debris to the floor, where they will be swept up later. Using a telescoping duster, start right above the sink and work your way around the room, cleaning upper corners, light fixtures, and tops of cabinets. Don’t forget the top of the refrigerator. You’re ready to move on when you’re back at the sink.
Upper Cabinets
Clean the upper cabinets and anything else on the walls, including a mounted microwave. Spray the microwave interior with an all-purpose cleaner and let sit for two minutes. With a damp, soapy cloth, wipe down the exterior. (If it’s stainless steel, use a cloth moistened with diluted white vinegar, instead of soapy water, to clean any fingerprints.) Next, wipe the doors and the pulls of the upper cabinets and anything else (frames, hooks, vent grates) you encounter as you circle the room. With a fresh damp, soapy cloth, wipe down the backsplash if you have one.
Microwave
Go back to the microwave. Your two minutes are up. Wipe the solution from the inside using a dry cloth. It’s OK if crumbs fall onto the stove or the floor.
Stovetop
Spray the stovetop with an all-purpose cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes. For stubborn stains, add a powdered scrub that won’t scratch. We like Bar Keepers Friend ($5, amazon.com). Wipe the stovetop with a clean, dry cloth and, again, just let crumbs fall to the floor. It’s more efficient to get them at the end. When you’re finished, swap out the cloth to keep grease from transferring to another surface.
Dishwasher
Load the dishwasher with the items soaking in the sink, or hand wash them. Don’t drain the sink just yet.
Coffeemaker
Clean the coffeemaker, toaster, stand mixer, and other small appliances from top to bottom, using glass cleaner or a multisurface formula (spray the cloth rather than the appliance) or a cleaning wipe. Dip drip trays or crumb catchers in the sink’s leftover warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry.
Countertops
Scrub the countertops with small, circular motions, using a cleaner formulated for your surface.
Appliance Doors and Handles
Get the fridge doors, the front of the dishwasher, and the oven with a cloth dipped in clean, sudsy water (or diluted white vinegar if the door is stainless steel). Pay attention to the handles and the edges. Use a soft toothbrush or a cloth-wrapped spatula to de-grime tight spots, like the folds of the refrigerator seal. Next, clean the sides of the dishwasher door with an all-purpose formula or a cloth dipped in a solution of hot, soapy water and white vinegar. (You can use this mixture to clean the stovetop and the countertops unless they are marble, granite, or some other porous stone.)
Lower Cabinets
Clean the lower cabinets and drawers with a damp, soapy cloth.
Sink
Drain the sink and rinse with hot water. Buff the basin with a mild abrasive cleanser and a microfiber cloth; rinse with hot water. Wipe down the faucet and the handles.
Trash
Empty the trash, swiping the inside of the can and the interior of the top with a cleaning wipe before replacing the bag.
Floor
Sweep the floor with an electro-static dry duster, like a Swiffer Sweeper. Get right up to the baseboards and under the cabinets, where crumbs can hide. Pull out appliances to reach the spaces near the walls. Follow with a mop (or a steam cleaner, if you have one), starting at the corner farthest from the room’s entrance, and use a bucket. (Dipping a mop in the sink could contaminate items that ultimately end up in your mouth.) Dump the dirty water outside or down the toilet.
