Kitchens work overtime during the holidays and winter, so a thorough deep clean is integral come spring. The new season is the perfect time to take care of yearly cleaning tasks, give attention to overlooked spots, and refresh the space from top to bottom (including conducting an audit of your pantry). The kitchen is one of the most hard-working areas of the home, so to ensure it functions at its best and looks sparkling clean, tackle the following eight spring cleaning chores ASAP.
1. Clean Tops of Cabinets and Appliances
Hard-to-reach places, such as the tops of cabinets and appliances, typically get overlooked during weekly cleanings, so be sure to hit these spots during your yearly spring cleaning routine. We often forget to deep-clean the range hood, where dust, grime, and grease tend to build up. While you have the step ladder out to wipe down cabinet and appliance tops, clean the sticky buildup from the top and sides of the range hood.
2. Do a Pantry Audit
Pantries are used often during the holiday season, so spring is the perfect time to conduct an audit of it. Remove everything from the pantry and clean the shelves, tops of cabinets, hardware, and floors. Check expiration dates and inspect opened goods, discarding anything that's expired or stale. Check storage containers for cracks and damage, throw away broken ones, and clean those you are keeping. Organize pantry staples into groups that make sense for the space and how frequently you use them, and utilize storage containers such as bins and baskets to eliminate bulky packaging. Add labels where necessary so other household members know exactly where everything belongs.
3. Toss Broken Kitchen Items
Go through kitchen cabinets and drawers and toss out any broken items. Check cooking utensils for cracks and test small appliances and gadgets to be sure they are still functional. While you have battery-operated items out, check whether they work properly, and discard old batteries and replace them with new ones. Holding onto broken items only clutters the kitchen, potentially damages items in good condition, and makes it difficult to find what you need.
4. Deep-Clean Appliances
We rely on dishwashers to clean dishes and utensils, but we forget that the appliance itself can get dirty and needs a periodic deep clean. If your dishwasher has a sanitizing or self-cleaning cycle, run it according to the manufacturer's directions while you clean the rest of the kitchen. Similarly, ovens often have self-cleaning settings that should be run regularly to keep them working properly and to avoid hard-to-remove buildup. Don't forget to scrub the appliances' doors, handles, and operating buttons while you run self-cleaning cycles.
5. Clean Refrigerator Coils
Refrigerator coils are one of those things you might not see, but it's important to clean them frequently so the appliance continues running well and lasts longer. Spring cleaning is the ideal time to tackle the chore. While it's best to follow the manufacturer's directions, the general procedure is to unplug the refrigerator, locate the coils, and brush any dirt and dust off before plugging the appliance back in.
6. Wash the Trash Can
We might take out the trash regularly, but chances are the trash can itself rarely gets cleaned. Even though used trash bags get thrown out, bacteria, dirt, germs, and odors can linger inside the trash can. Not only can this make the kitchen stink, but it can also invite unwanted pests in. This spring, give your trash can a thorough cleaning by rinsing it out, spraying the interior and exterior with a disinfectant spray, and scrubbing off any stuck-on messes.
7. Throw Kitchen Curtains in the Wash and Dust the Blinds
Window treatments accumulate a lot of dust in general, but in the kitchen, there's an added layer of grease, food splatter, and cooking odors. Cleaning your kitchen window treatments will instantly refresh the entire room. Vacuum and dust the blinds, wipe down the curtain rods, and throw kitchen curtains in the wash for a fresh-feeling space.
8. Wipe Down High-Touch Surfaces
High-touch surfaces such as cabinet hardware, appliance handles, operating buttons, and light switches don't get a lot of attention during weekly cleanings. Yet, given their daily use, these surfaces can get incredibly dirty. This leads to a buildup of grime and bacteria, which can feel sticky and cause a discolored look. Add these high-touch surfaces to your spring cleaning list so they are sanitized and your kitchen looks its best.
Source: Sabella, M. (2025e, April 13). Tackle these 8 Must-Do Kitchen Spring Cleaning tasks for a fresh start. Better Homes & Gardens. https://www.bhg.com/kitchen-items-to-clean-this-spring-11707798