Spring Cleaning: The Kitchen

It’s officially British Summertime, and that means the days are getting longer and brighter. While we’re really looking forward to the summer and some nicer weather, it also means we’ve noticed that the Fresh Design house isn’t quite as…er…fresh as it could be. It’s time to get cracking with the Spring cleaning, and we’re starting with the kitchen.

We can see clearly now

Start by cleaning the windows – if you do a lot of cooking, you might be horrified by the amount of grime that comes off! Make your own natural window clearner with 500ml water, 60ml white wine vinegar and half a teaspoon of eco-friendly washing up liquid. Put it all in a spray bottle, give it a good shake, spray it onto the windows and wipe off with a dry, lint-free cloth. Eh voila!

Cleaning the oven

Instead of a chemical spray, we prefer to use a more natural approach. Mix four or five tablespoons of baking soda to a stiffish paste with some water, then use a cloth to cover the inside of the cold oven with a thin layer (avoiding the heating elements). Leave it overnight, then scrape off the residue with a plastic spatula and wipe the surfaces with a cloth and some warm water.

Cleaning the floor

If you eat family meals in the kitchen, the chances are that the floor under the table could do with a bit of attention. Move the table out of the way, and give the floor a really good sweep and mop. The cheapest non-chemical floor cleaner is warm soapy water with a little squeeze of eco-friendly washing up liquid (don’t go mad, or you’ll never clear all the suds up!).

If your floor is wood, use as little water as possible then dry the area with a towel wrapped round a broom head. For stone and terracotta floors, follow manufacturers instructions. For vinyl and linoleum floors, wash the area again with warm water with a slosh of white wine vinegar added, which will give a brilliant shine.

Kitchen cleaning goodies

Keep yourself motivated with these cute, quirky and colourful kitchen accessories.

Dish Wish, Maiden

We’ve all wished we could wave a magic wand and get the washing up done. Well, we can’t promise supernatural assistance, but we’ve found the next best thing – this wand-shaped washing up brush, £8.50 from Maiden, will keep you smiling while you get the job done.

Squirrel dustpan, Koziol

Who wouldn’t love this squirrel dustpan and brush from Koziol? In bright spring colours, it’s almost enough to tempt us to start cleaning the rest of the house as well. Priced at £29.

Dish draining rack, Umbra

Tidy up your sink with this bright dish draining rack. The handles mean it’s easy to move it safely from the draining board to the sink, and the integral funnel will stop waste water sloshing onto surfaces. There’s plenty of room to drain plates, bowls and cutlery and a steel band to stop cups and glasses tipping over. £29, available from Red Candy. 

Dishcloth and Tea Towel, Jangneus

 Treat yourself to some bright new kitchen textiles ready for Spring. We love this ‘blue bird’ Swedish-designed dishcloth – made from a mixture of cellulose and cotton, it’s fully washable and reusable, and is biodegradable once it’s reached the end of its life.

The tea towel features a bright block print of fish and is made from a mix of linen and cotton for a top quality finish. The dishcloth is £3 and the tea towel £12, both from Berry Red. 

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