There are few things I find as disheartening as seeing my kitchen in state of serious disarray. And even though I know the mess is only going to get worse the longer I put off cleaning it up, I don’t usually have a lot of time to spend on any one particular task!
Lucky for me (and you!), it only takes about 15 minutes to speed clean a messy kitchen. I’ll show you how to do exactly that in this post, in a kitchen cleaning routine I’ve broken down into 7 quick and easy steps.
Related: These 9 Little Fixes For Kitchen Clutter Make A Big Difference
The next time your kitchen is in a state, you’ll know exactly how to whip it back into shape fast!
How To Clean Your Kitchen Fast: A Step-By Step Guide
You’ll need:
- Sink stopper
- Dish soap
- Basket or other container
- Sponge or scrub brush
- All-purpose cleaner
- Microfiber cloth or dish towel
- Broom or vacuum
Step 1 – Put Dishes In Soapy Water To Soak
Put a sink stopper in the drain and fill your sink with hot, soapy water. (If you have a double sink with a garbage disposal on one side, fill the side without the disposal.)
Determine which dishes around the kitchen are going to give you or your dishwasher the most trouble and put those in the soapy water to soak. If you have large dishes like pans and bowls that need to soak but won’t fit in the sink, fill those with hot, soapy water as well and set them near the sink to soak.
Related: 21 Of The Best Hacks For Cleaning Your Kitchen
Step 2 – Gather Trash And Discard It
While the dishes are soaking, do a lap around your kitchen to gather trash. Don’t worry about clutter at this point—just pick up anything that qualifies as garbage from the floor, countertops, and cabinets and throw it away.
Step 3 – Collect Misplaced Items In A Basket
Next, grab a basket (or a plastic bin, empty box, or whatever container you have handy) and do another lap of your kitchen. This time, gather up anything that doesn’t belong in the kitchen and place it in the basket.
Then either set the basket aside for the time being, or recruit a helper to return the items to their rightful places.
Step 4 – Put Away Kitchen Items
After addressing everything that doesn’t belong in the kitchen, you can deal with the things that do belong there! Take anything that isn’t in its rightful place and return it to wherever it goes, which may include putting clean dishes back in the appropriate cabinet or drawer.
(Do your best to stay focused on simply putting stuff away, and not on organizing cupboards or rethinking your storage. Those are tasks for another time!)
Related: Putting Off Cleaning Your Fridge? Here’s How To Make It Painless
More Ideas You'll Love
Step 5 – Load The Dishwasher
Next, get the dirty dishes off the countertop and load them into your dishwasher, including the ones that have been soaking in the sink. If you have dishes that don’t fit in your dishwasher, wash and dry those by hand. Then once the sink is empty, drain the dirty water.
(If you don’t have a dishwasher, tackling dirty dishes is probably going to take a bit more time. If possible, recruit a helper or two so you can focus on washing and rinsing while they handle the drying and putting away.)
Step 6 – Wipe Down Your Sink, Countertops, And Appliances
Use your preferred all-purpose cleaning spray and a microfiber cloth or dish towel to quickly clean kitchen countertops and appliances. (Focus on visible messes, and don’t get sidetracked by things like wiping out the microwave or getting crumbs out of the toaster!)
Wipe out the sink as well, then rinse out your cleaning cloths. If needed, put them with your dirty laundry so you can wash them later.
Step 7 – Clean The Floor And Finish Up
Finally, grab your broom or vacuum and use it to get crumbs, dust, and debris up off the floor. If the trash is full, take it out and line your trash can with a clean bag. Done!
Remember The Speed In Speed Clean!
This might sound like a lot to tackle in just 15 minutes, but give it a try! I think you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish if you focus on completing each step quickly rather than perfectly.
So the next time your kitchen looks like a bomb went off in there, set the timer on your phone for 15 minutes and follow these steps to clean your kitchen fast. It will look so much better when you’re done, and you’ll feel better too!
You might also enjoy this post: How To Clean Grimy Kitchen Cabinets With 2 Ingredients
What’s your best tip or trick to clean your kitchen fast?
More Ideas You'll Love
Great advice!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.But I was wondering , What kind of Shark vaccume do you have that can go under the refrigerator? I have a upright Shark and the attachments do not look like that one. lol
It’s the Shark Anti Allergen Brush. You can buy it here: https://rstyle.me/+VtixwwpT_efhLQA0Dy-Qkw
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Or the set with a vacuum here: https://rstyle.me/+FIu8annf7eI1AGY4CCkEAg
I think it’s a great idea to set a time limit to tidying and cleaning. I do what I call a half hour, or 15 minute intensive. Set a timer and go for it. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you’re focused and don’t allow yourself to get waylaid by distractions. Do a quick setup first – assemble everything needed to save time and work efficiently.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My best kitchen cleaning tip…
Get someone else to do it!
(I wish! – hubby cooks and he is a messy cook. I clean :-D)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hello, everyone! It truly is amazing, isn’t it, how different our mood in the morning when you walk into a clean kitchen, as opposed to a dirty mess! It kind of makes you feel like you have a better chance of tackling the day. I always make sure that before I begin cooking, I also have a tub or even my big stainless steel bowl full of soapy water to keep up with prep stuff and messes that go along with them. Then when dinner is cooking, I bring some of the mess up to speed. That way, buy the time it is all said and done, I usually don’t have too much of a mess to deal with. The only counter space I have is the two areas on each side of my sink, so I bought a BIG cutting board and put rubber feet on it, and use it on my stove. It has been a real Godsend! I live in a rental, so when the landlord calls and asks if he can stop by to do something, I run a nice hot sink full of hot water and put the dirty dishes to soak. Looks way better than all the icky dishes sitting there and appears that I was doing more than just lying around watchin’ TV!! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love the tip of collecting everything in a basket that doesn’t belong. I always get side tracked when I return an item to another room and start cleaning in that room! If I have my basket, I’ll be more apt to stay focused and just continue on my way.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is a great motivator to clean and organize without spending too much time (as I turn and look at my messy kitchen!). Thank you for all the great ideas!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Jilliee! I love your posts and its the very first thing I look at in the morning with my coffee It starts my day on a positive note. While I’m cooking dinner, I always have a pan of soapy water in the sink to clean as I go. After the meal, hubs will clear the dishes and rinse, then I will load the dish washer and hand wash any pans, then sweep the floor. Before bedtime, I take one more look at the kitchen and clean up anything that needs put away. I have decided that waking up and coming out to a clean kitchen (and you) is a gift to me. After raising three children, who now have homes of their own to care for, it is truly a gift. We are all at different stages in our lives and sometimes things are not so perfect, but we dol the best we can, and work out what is best useful for ourselves. Thank you for your wonderful posts Bessings!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Nancy,
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for your kind words. My team and I are so happy that you love our website and tips! We are here to make people’s lives easier with solutions to everyday homekeeping, beauty routines, recipes, natural products and more.
Isn’t it great when you set up a routine that works for your family? Sounds like you and your hubby worked out a perfect plan!
The key to getting all this done in 15 minutes is consistency! And you know, it doesn’t have to be 15 consecutive minutes either. Have 2 minutes while waiting for toast or water to boil, you can wipe the front surface of all your appliances. Believe me stealing minutes make you very efficient– I am so into it now I can empty my dishwasher before my morning egg or oatmeal is done cooking. Garbage hanging around makes me crazy –I have always gotten rid of it right away. If the kids leave garbage around–I put at their seat–no dinner til its gone. Funny they don’t leave it around anymore.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I realize I am responding to this post 7 years later, and the kids are older now, but wow…what a great mom! YOU were a parent that actually was not afraid to make your children do something and therefore teach them responsibility and being held accountable!!! I am 64, but I did not and now have a son who is a real slob! :-) Love him, but his room looks like a pig that hoards! (He lives with me due to a brain injury) Hindsight is 20/20, but a big bravo to you for your courage! God bless.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I prefer to put my sharp knives in a largeish cup of hot soapy water. Both myself and my husband have cut ourselves and it’s a habit from growing up because my mom is on a fairly high dosage of blood thinners.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ok, I had 2 big problems since I don’t clean nearly as often as I should (working on that, it’s why I’m here!) First, I think for the first time ever I put every single thing in my kitchen away. No piles of stuff in one corner that would be put away later. I also realized that the junk drawer is full of things that have no place and I’ve been using that instead of finding a place for everything. Second, it took me 15 min to just clear the counters, that’s how overtaken they had become! It is my goal from here on out to do your 15 minute kitchen cleaning at least 3 times per week, then it should NEVER get to the point that is has been before. I am hoping I really can get it down to a 15 min clean-up and be done. Thank you! Do you do this routine daily?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.15 minutes to clear the counters is NOTHING, try all day!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so so much. I don’t mind cleaning, but I am way too ADD to get anything done, because I never know where to start. You made it so easy for me to just clean my kitchen step by step. It looks amazing. Boyfriend couldn’t believe it when he got home.
Now I just need a list for every other room in the house hahah.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When the dishwasher is clean all of our dishes get put away right away. Then instead of dirty dishes going into the sink or on the cupboard they go staight into the dishwasher and no messes. Works great and save a lot of time!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Exactly!!! That is the best way!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.No, Jane, it IS possible! I was happy to see this list, as this is the order and the steps that I do myself, and it really takes less time than you would think.
If you just try it, I think you will impress yourself!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been putting off cleaning my kitchen all morning…. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Not dreading it so much now! Here I go!!! :)
These kinds of posts always make me feel inadequate. There is no way I could do all that in 15 min! It takes me a good 30 min just do dishes and wipe down counters/appliances. Probably another 15 min to do the floor. And that’s w/ help and w/o putting anything away (because I make the kids do that before I even start prepping dinner).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Jane–don’t fret. There is absolutely a learning curve with this. You will get faster & more efficient I promise. As for the floor here’s what I do. When all other chores are done–I sweep whenever I can get away with it, for spills & stickiness–I have a bunch of terry rags (bought from paint store)–I use them to spot clean with the leftover dish water. The food area only gets mopped once a week.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And I’ll tell you a secret–if company is coming and all you have is 15 minutes–mop the floor. The floors are where the dirt is and you don’t want to leave the impression of a dirty kitchen. The rest may be messy but isn’t dirt–does that make sense? And if you have 16 minutes start with a new bag and toss in all the garbage you can find– you can walk the bag to the outside can while you greet your guest(s).
Love your cleaning tips! Just a word of caution: A sharp knife in a sink of soapy water is a safety hazard.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.From the time I started washing dishes, I ALWAYS put sharp knives in the sink with handle downward, point toward the faucet on the right side of the sink . ANd have never cut myself. Even my daughter would ask “is there a knife in the sink?” and when I said yes, she could put her hand in soapy water and pull it out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Habit, I guess. Same as when I make 2 (or more) cups of tea with different amounts of sugar, my cup is always on the right.