Speed-clean your kitchen

One of my favorite things: useful and organized little lists. Although I wouldn't put much stock in the timeframes given for each task or the regularity, depending on the size of the household. :) But the point is to regularly take care of smaller tasks so that kitchen cleaning doesn't build up into unmanageably huge tasks over time. Who has that kind of time, anyway? :)

How to Speed-Clean Your Kitchen


When cleaning the kitchen always start with the sink. "Keep it empty and shining," says Marla Cilley, author of Sink Reflections (Bantam, $15, amazon.com) and creator of FlyLady.net, a housekeeping website.

A sparkling sink becomes your kitchen's benchmark for hygiene and tidiness, inspiring you to load the dishwasher immediately and keep counters, refrigerator doors, and the stove top spick-and-span, too.

Every Day

* Wipe down the sink after doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher (30 seconds).
* Wipe down the stove top (one minute).
* Wipe down the counters (one minute).
* Sweep, Swiffer, or vacuum the floor (two minutes).

Every Week

* Mop the floor (five minutes).
* Wipe the cabinets, backsplashes, and appliances (10 minutes).
* Wash the dish rack (four minutes).
* Wipe the switch plates and phone (one minute).
* Wipe the inside of the garbage can (one minute).

Every Season

* Empty and scrub down the inside of the refrigerator (30 minutes).
* Empty and clean the insides of the utensil drawers (15 minutes).
* Scrub down the cupboard exteriors (30 minutes).
* Clean the stove-hood filter (10 minutes).
* Perform "Shiny Sink 101"