Fifteen ways to keep your kitchen clean, so cooking for one is more fun.

The goal of keeping your kitchen clean is to enjoy a perpetually functional, comfy workspace without ever having to put in a lengthy cleaning session.

Cooking for one typically requires minimal cleanup, but busy singles are still at risk of building up a big kitchen mess when lack of organization snowballs into guilty, nagging procrastination.  

Don't be that girl...

Here are 15 ways to keep your kitchen clean:

1.  Bridge unsanitary gaps.

Counter gap covers like large cutting boards, mats, and noodle boards can safeguard against spillage in between counter tops and appliances, where tauntingly out of reach trails of dropped food are bound to contaminate both sides of gaps and flooring below. 

In my opinion, bridging counter gaps is essential because it's not a matter of if, but when food will fall through such high-traffic areas.

2.  Cover hidden dust traps.

• If kitchen cabinets don't reach all the way to the ceiling, wax paper can work as a disposable dust cover to protect the top-outer surfaces from dusty, grimy buildup.  Dust clings to wax paper's tacky surface especially well, but old newspapers or cling wrap can also do the job.  
• The same goes for the top of the fridge.  

3.  Eliminate senseless splatter.

• Covering food during microwaving prevents splatter, so the oven stays clean.  It's also very important for food safety.
• Always work with appropriately sized cookware to eliminate bubbling spill over.
• Apartment friendly stick-on backsplashes can add color while protecting the wall behind the stove. 

4.  Reduce cleanup time with lift-away liners.

• Disposable parchment paper helps protect cookware, so cleanup is easier.
• Dishwasher safe silicone cookware liners also offer good protection and fast cleanup.
• Air fryer liners are time savers; both disposable parchment liners and dishwasher-safe silicone baskets can help cut down on cleanup.
• Heavy duty oven liner sheets can work wonders if used properly, however, liners cannot safely be positioned directly onto the floor of certain styles of ovens.  
• Disposable kitchen stove burner liners help catch stove top spills. 
• Cling wrap fridge shelves to keep them safe from seeping spills.
• Fridge (and freezer) shelf liners and absorbent crisper drawer liners are easy on the eyes and easy to pop in and out of the fridge and dishwasher.  
• Fridge liners can help stop spills from spreading, reducing the need for deep cleaning.  
• Heavy duty paper towels can serve as disposable fridge liners.

5.  Consider hiding the kitchen trash bin.

• Hiding kitchen bins keeps pets safe and makes the kitchen look cleaner.  Solo cooks can sometimes get away with hiding medium sized bins in floor cabinets.  Getting by with a medium bin depends on one's kitchen layout, distance to the curb or dumpster, and day-to-day trash accumulation.  
• Get creative with ideas for conveniently concealing trash bins.  For instance, free standing floor cabinets can add cutting board/counter space.  More counter space, and no trash in site?  That's alright!

6.  Shield surfaces from damage.

• Wooden noodle board stove covers provide a lovely, lift-away workspace that protects the entire stove-top area, and seamlessly rotates back and forth between stove and counter top without clutter. 
• Counter mats and cutting boards protect counters from stains and scratches.
• Rubber under-the-sink mats protect from leaks and spills.

7.  Soak, sometimes.

Allow cooked on residues on cookware to soak in hot, soapy water before hand washing or loading into the dishwasher.

Don't soak wooden items, or metal items that may rust. 

8.  Obey the tiny-holed tool rule.

Graters, garlic presses, strainers, zesters, and all other food filled tiny-holed kitchen tools should be hand washed immediately after use to prevent a dried-on mess that may not come completely clean in the dishwasher.

No dishwasher?  No biggie!

9.  Circumvent cupboard rotation with a drying rack.

Do a quick hand wash after meals, then drip-dry pretty everyday pieces on a cute, convenient drying rack.  There's no rush in reloading the cupboard when a clean setting is sitting pretty, ready to return to the table.  

About to run out the door after a quick bite?

Hand washing a single place setting only takes a minute or two, but if you've gotta run, take a few seconds to dump the crumbs and rinse with warm water.  A single setting will only take a minute to wash later, thanks to a quick rinse.

10.  Maintain the drain.

Beware the evil sink monster. 

Sink disposals are wicked seducers who lay in wait to lure small items into a decoy light switch activated grinder trap, like love starved sailors blithely serenaded into jagged rocks.

"Accidents" aside, even everyday scraps like egg shells, bread, rice, and potato peels can cause chaos in the sink.  Thankfully, a simple drain basket can keep the sink safe.   

11.  Disinfect the sink daily.

Always wipe the sink down with cleanser to kill bacteria after working with food.

12.  Obey the empty sink rule.

As a rule, don't reach for clean items unless the counters and sink are clear of dishes, with the exception of pre-soaking cookware.

13.  Be prepared to implement emergency stay-clean measures.

Stock compostable, recyclable dinnerware, flatware and glassware for emergencies.  Consider it a self-care splurge, to be reserved for special circumstances, like rushing out the door to catch a flight.  Should life become way too hectic for housework, save water and stay in control.  

14.  Knock out kitchen floor chores in one-two minute sweeps.

15.  Clean as you cook.

Keep your kitchen clean by taking time to rinse dishes, wipe down counters, and spot clean smudges and spills as you go.  

There's nothing like a clean, well stocked kitchen to make time at home relaxing and enjoyable.  Here's to keeping your kitchen clean with ease, so you can enjoy cooking in style!