Cleaning the kitchen is not just about washing dishes and floors: to rid the kitchen of dirt, unpleasant odors and cooking marks, you need to clean all surfaces and cabinets, the food preparation area, the plumbing area and even the lighting fixtures. To quickly and efficiently clean the entire kitchen, you need to divide it into zones and clean each zone in stages. This is the most rational approach to cleaning the kitchen.
Cooking area
Cleaning the stove
Kitchen cleaning begins with the most contaminated areas - the stove, hood and oven. Remove the burners from the gas burner and wash them with warm water and soap. Electric stove burners are wiped with a damp sponge. Having freed the surface of the slab, a suitable product is applied to it using a sponge.
At the next stage, we move on to the handles - the removable ones can be easily washed with dishwashing detergent. If the elements are not removed, a toothbrush will help clean them - dip it in ammonia diluted in equal parts with water, and carefully clean the handles.
Removing grease and dust from the hood
To wash the hood, use a warm soapy solution. Wipe the outer part of the ventilation with a rag soaked in it, remove the foam with a wet, clean rag, and wipe the surfaces dry. Remove the filters and immerse them in a container with a soap solution. They are put back in after thoroughly washing and drying completely.
Cleaning the oven
Fill a suitable container with warm water and add a mild detergent. The removed oven grates are soaked in the prepared solution to make it easier to remove pieces of food stuck to them.
The oven needs to be washed with special products, or you can prepare an effective composition yourself: mix a quarter glass of salt with ¾ glass of soda, add a quarter glass of water. The paste is applied to the walls of the oven, avoiding holes.
For best results, the product should be left for several hours. You need to remove it with a plastic spatula. After this, all internal surfaces are wiped with a damp cloth. It is easier to remove dirt from an electric stove - you need to turn on the cleaning mode. After the end of the cycle, the remaining stains are washed off with a damp cloth.
Preparatory stage
Kitchen cleaning is carried out in several stages and begins with the preparatory stage. Before starting the process, it is necessary to think through all organizational issues.
Features of the procedure:
- drawing up a cleaning plan, selecting the necessary materials and household chemicals;
- checking the availability of equipment (sponges, cleaning rags, garbage bags);
- to simplify the process and improve the quality of cleaning, it is necessary to clear all surfaces and cabinets of dishes and food;
- remove all food from the kitchen, as the use of household chemicals can be hazardous to health;
- remove curtains, tablecloths and collect towels - place textiles in the washing machine.
Important! For convenience in the cleaning process, you can use special organizers or plastic boxes. The containers can hold food and clean dishes and can be economically placed in any room.
Cleaning the refrigerator
Before cleaning the refrigerator, it is disconnected from the power supply. The main tasks are disinfection of surfaces and elimination of unpleasant odors. You can make an effective remedy yourself: dissolve a couple of teaspoons of soda in ¼ glass of water. A sponge soaked in this mixture is used to treat the shelves and walls of the refrigerator. After this, the surfaces are wiped with a damp cloth and wiped dry.
This home remedy cleans the freezer well: add a teaspoon of vinegar and dishwashing liquid to a glass of water. It is convenient to spray the resulting composition with a spray bottle. If it is not there, the solution can be applied with a sponge. Afterwards, wash the walls with a damp cloth and dry with paper towels.
Know the enemy by sight: common types
Surely, having noticed a pest running around the apartment, no one will have the desire to look at what a cockroach looks like. There will be no possibility, since the insect will run away at the speed of light as soon as it senses danger. A table that contains information about the types of cockroaches will help you recognize your enemy by sight.
Table - Types of cockroaches in the apartment
| View | Characteristic | Where live | What do cockroaches eat in the house? |
| Red (Prussians) | — Elongated body; - color from light red to dark brown; — length — up to 2 cm; - multiply quickly | — Apartment buildings; — country houses; - outbuildings; — catering establishments; — medical institutions | — Fresh and spoiled products; - paper; - soap; — ornamental plants; - human skin; - human excrement; — electrical wiring; — spare parts for household appliances; - corpses of other cockroaches |
| White | — Red cockroaches after molting; - red cockroaches exposed to insecticides | ||
| Black | — Elongated oval shape; - charcoal body with transverse brown stripes; - large insects, can grow up to 8 cm; - reproduce slowly; - emit an unpleasant odor | — Apartment buildings (but not higher than the 5th floor); — country houses; - basements; — sewage drains; - garbage chutes and trash cans | |
| Furniture | — Elongated oval shape; - color from bright orange to red; - transparent wings with brown stripes; - small individuals up to 1 cm | — Libraries; — archives; — residential and office premises; — hotels; - hospital wards | - Starchy substances; — nylon products; — wallpaper (back glued part); - book spines (glued) |
Most insects with wings fly, but cockroaches are an exception. They're more like jumping insects. When a cockroach falls from a great height, its wings help cushion its landing.
Storage systems and countertops
Tidying up your closets
General cleaning of the kitchen is an excellent reason to sort through supplies and throw away products that have become unusable. To remove dust, stains and crumbs, cabinets and drawers freed from kitchen utensils are treated from the inside with a soap solution.
The outer walls of the set must be cleaned of adhering dirt and grease, and special compounds should be used for wooden furniture. A rag soaked in soapy water can handle light stains. After cleaning the surface, it is necessary to wipe it dry; excess moisture may damage the facades.
Cleaning the countertop
The bath cleaner will not only remove grease splashes and limescale from the table and kitchen apron (if it is made of ceramic tiles), but will also add shine to the surfaces. Cleaning the kitchen certainly includes disinfecting the cutting table. Products containing chlorine are suitable for this. However, they are very aggressive and cannot be used on all surfaces. Table legs are wiped with soapy water.
Daily kitchen cleaning
Many people are accustomed to setting aside one day, for example, Saturday, and devoting it entirely to cleaning the kitchen. But if you keep it clean every day, it will be easier for you to do a general kitchen cleaning. Daily maintenance of cleanliness includes cleaning all work surfaces - just walk over them with a cloth and detergent.
After preparing food, we are left with a lot of dirty dishes. A smart way is to fill the sink with hot water and detergent, and then, as dirty dishes appear, put them there. While you are cooking, the dishes will get wet, and all you have to do is rinse them.
Another daily task that will help you save time is to audit your refrigerator: remove all spoiled food and leftover food. If you clean the refrigerator every day for 2-3 minutes, it will be much easier for you to wash it during spring cleaning in the kitchen.
One of the most difficult tasks is cleaning the stove from grease and burnt-on food debris. To make your task easier, wipe the stove daily, after each cooking: both the work area and the side walls. If you baked something in the oven, wipe it down both inside and outside.
Plumbing area
Cleaning the sink
To clean the sink, it is better to use a special product - gel or milk. It is applied to a damp sponge and evenly distributed over the entire surface of the sink. Such products easily remove dirt and are washed off with warm water without leaving streaks.
Mineral deposits on plumbing fixtures are removed by a solution of water and vinegar in equal proportions - a toothbrush will help you reach hard-to-reach areas of the faucet.
Pipe cleaning
A method for removing mild blockages and unpleasant odors from a drain: 250 g of soda poured into the pipe, pour in the same amount of vinegar, and then rinse with plenty of water. You can also use ready-made products - alkaline ones are suitable for the kitchen; they cope better with fat deposits.
Chemicals
Modern industry offers customers many different types of chemical insecticides, both for independent and professional use.
Popular cockroach control products include the following brands:
Remedies for cockroaches
- Raptor;
- Raid;
- Dichlorvos;
- Get;
- Combat;
- Karbofos;
- Fufanon;
- Microfos;
- Regent.
Insecticides are available in the form:
- Aerosols;
- Melkov;
- Powders (dust);
- Gels.
The most popular means today for getting rid of cockroaches in a house or apartment are gels, which include substances that attract insects and substances that kill them.
The bait is flavorings that imitate the smell of cockroaches’ favorite delicacies:
Cockroaches eat the gel
- Honey;
- Chocolate;
- Vanilla;
- Anise.
The principle of operation of the gel is simple: a cockroach that has tasted poison does not die quickly (from 10 to 30 hours). He manages to return to the colony. After its death, its relatives eat its chitinous shell, on which the attractive smell of the gel remains, and also die. A tiny drop of gel is enough to kill several dozen cockroaches. The more cockroaches, the more such droplets you need to make. This gel is sold in syringes or tubes.
The most popular gels for getting rid of cockroaches are:
Gel Global
- Global Gel. Apply to the corners of furniture, under radiators and next to baseboards, but in such a way that children and pets do not accidentally reach the gel droplets;
- Raptor. A gel based on cyhalothrin, which penetrates the blood and paralyzes the insect, is applied with dotted lines in the same places as Global Gel. It smells like apricot and vanilla and has a convenient tip for applying to surfaces;
- Absolute gel. The best option in terms of price-quality ratio. It is applied in separate drops and retains its properties for four months;
- Gel Brownie. Domestic product. A gel consisting of chlorpyrifos, bait and bitterness, which prevents pets from tasting it. Paths of Brownie drops should be applied along the edge of the baseboard, under the sink and next to the trash can. After a maximum of three weeks, not a trace of cockroaches will remain;
- Gel Dohlox. Gel with diazinon (organophosphorus insecticide). It acts both when eaten by insects and through contact, which significantly increases the number of insects destroyed;
- Sturm - gel paste. You need to apply it in the same places as other gels. Refers more to professional insect control products. Almost guarantees getting rid of cockroaches.
Sources of light and heat
Window cleaning
The glass is wiped with a cloth dampened in warm water, then sprayed with window cleaning spray and wiped dry with a clean cloth. If there is no spray, dilute a spoonful of ammonia or a glass of vinegar in a liter of warm water. Wash the window sill with soapy water.
Battery washing
Cleaning the kitchen cannot be considered complete if you do not wash the batteries; a vacuum cleaner will help remove the dust that has accumulated on them. Place a film under the battery itself and place a tray, this will protect against leaks when washing. Apply detergent to the surface of the battery with a rag or spray bottle, remove dirt between the elements with a brush, and wash off the remaining product with a sponge or damp cloth.
Chandelier cleaning
The lamps are disconnected from power. Products for a chandelier are chosen, paying attention to the materials from which the lighting fixtures are made - for example, aerosols for crystal can damage metal parts. Light stains can be removed with a soap solution.
Kitchen cleaning ends with mopping the floors. There is no point in starting this process earlier - when cleaning other areas, the floor will still get dirty.
How to create comfort - life hack
It’s worth listing some life hacks to feel comfortable in the kitchen. Important attributes of any home that will attract attention and feel cozy:
- Tablecloth and napkins. The table will look neat and “expensive”.
- Set of tableware. It's nice to sit at the table at breakfast or dinner and admire the beautiful plates and cups in the same style. They can create a mood and a.
- Various sets for spices, napkin holders, potholders, towels and cutting boards will add coziness to the kitchen.
- Beautiful curtains and pots of flowers on the windows will help make the kitchen warmer.
The owner spends a lot of time here. If you spend a little time and effort on cleaning, a clean kitchen will gratefully give you a pleasant time with your loved ones over a cup of tea. Cleanliness and comfort will only bring pleasure.
Useful tips
- Do not mix products that contain ammonia with those that contain chlorine. When they combine, they form toxic fumes.
- Chlorine can damage wood and dark surfaces.
- You can lay wax paper on the bottom of the drawers - grease and dust will settle on them. When the paper gets dirty, you just need to replace it with a new one.
How to make cleaning easier? Avoid old stains from appearing as they are more difficult to remove. If you pay attention to certain areas every week, dirt will not accumulate in large volumes, and the need for general cleaning will arise less frequently.
Why do cockroaches appear in apartments?
It is useless to fight this type of pest alone; it is necessary to carry out sanitary treatment (i.e. poisoning) in an organized manner, together with neighbors, in order to prevent the movement of cockroaches to other apartments. For this, even an ordinary socket through which “guests” can arrive is enough.
If at least one insect enters an apartment, there is a danger that a “column” will follow it, since cockroaches are capable of leaving a “pheramone trail” behind them, thanks to which the entire population will follow in an organized manner to a new place suitable for existence. A specific smell and black spots on walls, household appliances, and furniture are the first signs of cockroaches appearing in an apartment. We must immediately take measures to destroy them.
We must understand that these are not harmless creatures, they cause enormous harm to humans, they are carriers of parasites, dysentery and other infectious diseases, even typhoid, and they are sources of allergens.
It should be noted that cockroaches quickly adapt to poisons, so sanitary products must be periodically replaced with new ones.
Where do uninvited guests come from and what attracts them?
If you have never had insects in your home, and one day you were surprised by them in the kitchen at night, there is reason to think. How did barbels get into your home? You can use a variety of measures to exterminate cockroaches, but if you do not block the channel of their entry, everything will be useless. New hordes will rise to take the place of your fallen comrades, and you may lose this battle shamefully. The most common sources of invasion:
- housemates who neglect sanitary standards;
- bags and packages from stores;
- things from long trips;
- postal items: parcels and letters.
Hi, neighbor!
If there is a “dysfunctional” apartment on the site above or below, you will most likely have this problem. The Prussians will first settle there, and then inevitably go to explore new territories and will certainly find a loophole into your apartment. The slightest crack is enough for them, not to mention the “highways”: ventilation and garbage shafts. In apartments where unscrupulous owners have bred insects, as a rule, there is not much food, so the mustachioed colony will certainly send scouts throughout the area in search of a better life.
If you have a habit of leaving food freely available in the kitchen, the Prussians will really like it
Hordes of red insects can attack your home if your neighbors have started pest control. An emergency evacuation can overwhelm your kitchen in literally a matter of minutes, and it is truly a disaster that is almost impossible to deal with.
Unexpected purchase
Pests can get to you on bags and packages from the supermarket. Where there is a lot of food, insects feel very at ease. You may not notice how a female longhorned beetle crawls into a bag of groceries, but in your kitchen she will lay eggs, and literally a few days later, you will have a new colony.
You can bring in Prussians not only from a grocery store, but also from any retail outlet
Southern guests
A vacation, a business trip or an exciting trip - all this can also cause the appearance of barbels in the apartment. Especially if you stayed in hotels with not very good conditions. Cockroaches can move into your suitcase or bag of belongings. So it turns out: you will save on a good hotel, lose your nerves, time and money on pest control.
Not every southern guest will be welcome
A package for you
So don’t be surprised if, after receiving the coveted package from China, exotic creatures appear in your apartment
Folk methods of struggle
The folk method of dealing with these neighbors is simple. The natural characteristics of cockroaches do not allow them to live in frost starting from -5 degrees.
To get rid of them completely or cause noticeable damage to their population, it is necessary to open all windows for a while in winter. Residents at this time may be at work, at school, kindergarten, or just walking.
Secrets of cleanliness
A sense of order lifts your mood and increases your energy. Research was conducted to determine what it depends on. It turned out that clean surfaces without unnecessary objects give a pleasant feeling. To make cleaning easier, you need to ensure that:
- there were no unnecessary items left on the tables;
- There were only flowers and decorative items on the windowsills;
- the sink was empty; there were no dirty dishes in it.
Advice. When you don't have time to deal with dirty dishes, simply move them out of sight and put them in the dishwasher.
It is easier to save time on cleaning when you follow a clear rule: do not leave foreign objects on horizontal surfaces (open shelves, tables, in the sink). Place items needed for cooking immediately after use. This will take a few seconds, unlike the global cleaning that would otherwise have to be done.
What are they afraid of?
Despite the vitality and adaptability of pests, there are some things that cockroaches are afraid of in an apartment. There are three factors that can make your home uncomfortable for cockroaches.
- Strong odors. Cockroaches cannot tolerate chemical odors. That's why they run away from the house during renovations. If you paint, for example, a radiator with oil paint, pests will not want to stay in the room.
- Temperature changes. This factor can be used in the cold season, when the heating season begins. Ventilate the apartment daily for 15-30 minutes. Pests will not like frosty air.
- Bright light. Keep the curtains open during daylight hours. Screw bright light bulbs into chandeliers and sconces.
Cockroaches cannot tolerate the aroma of essential oils. They especially dislike anise, wormwood, mint, citrus fruits and pine needles. Light an aroma lamp with your favorite ether every day to prevent unwanted proximity.
