Kitchen cleaning checklist templates and tips.

Cleaning your kitchen can be a real bore, but it needn’t be a chore – with a kitchen cleaning schedule template, you can break down tasks and responsibilities. Use a simple cleaning rota and make your to-dos clear and simple so that you don’t get overwhelmed by the task at hand.

Whether it’s for the workplace, home, or part of your cleaning business’s duties, Adobe Express has a cleaning schedule template that’ll help whip things into shape.

Keep things tidy with free cleaning rotas. Read on to find out more.

What tools do you need to clean a kitchen?

If you’re struggling to keep your kitchen clean, it might be because you’ve taken the term “spit shine” a bit too literally. Sure, elbow grease is important, but if tidying your kitchen has you breaking a sweat, it might be because your tools aren’t up to the job.

While a commercial cleaning business may have heavier-duty tools than your household, there’s a bucketful of must-haves, however intense your cleaning is:

• Multipurpose cleaner. An all-stations, any surface, multipurpose cleaner is one of the best buys you can get to cover all bases.
• Baking soda and vinegar. This old trick is one of those myths-that-actually-work and is incredible for unclogging blocked or smelly pipes.
• Brushes and sponges. Don’t use your tea towels or hands – brushes and sponges are versatile, able to clean sides, dishes, walls and more.
• Mops and towels. Having a mop for the floor is both sanitary and convenient, whereas a towel for drying surfaces is better than leaving them to air dry.
• Stain removers. If baking soda and vinegar aren’t doing it, stain removers can work wonders – especially if you have a rug in your kitchen.
• Dish soap. Want your cookware squeaky clean? Then you’ll need a good-quality dish soap.

Daily kitchen cleaning checklist.

If the thought of cleaning your kitchen is overwhelming, using checklists for daily, weekly, and monthly tasks can make everything more manageable.

For example, a daily kitchen cleaning checklist might include:

1. Wash the dishes. This is about tackling easy-to-clean, daily bits and pieces. If you always wash what you use, your workstation remains easy to access, and you never get that feeling of a looming task.
2. Clean the sinks. An important but overlooked part of any cleaning rota is washing down your sinks. If you leave them mucky, you could make future jobs harder. Washing in an oily sink or leaving food floating – which then gets caught in your dishcloth – is going to turn a simple task into an ordeal.
3. Clean down worktops. Having a clean kitchen isn’t just about swilling your mugs – you should wipe down your worktops to remove bacteria, prevent cross-contamination and eliminate any lingering food smells.
4. Empty the dishwasher. Try to empty your dishwasher the same day, so that it’s not blocking your way when you come to clean the next day.
5. Wipe down the hob. Splashed a bit of oil or sauce onto your hob? Wipe the burners down, as well as the hood and backsplash.
6. Sweep. As much as we might try to keep things on the worktop, cooking is rarely that tidy. Sweep up any bits and pieces when you get a minute to stop things from getting trodden into the floor.
7. Remove countertop clutter. Put spices back, tidy any loose items like the post and your phone, and put away those snacks you got out while cooking.

Daily kitchen tasks are easy when you can check off what you need to track. Download a cleaning schedule template and get started with your kitchen refresh.

Weekly checklist for cleaning the kitchen.

Now you’ve got your daily tasks under control, you can think about creating a cleaning rota for weekly tasks. Because they’re not as frequent, these jobs can easily slip your mind – but not if you have a trusty checklist to hand – even better if you add it to your calendar. Some jobs to include might be:

• Clean appliances and the microwave. Don’t forget to give your appliances a good clean – that includes your kettle, microwave, air fryer and any other knick-knacks on the countertop.
• Disinfect the sink. Give your sink a proper clean by using a disinfectant – don’t forget the taps and drains.
• Mop the floors. Sweeping floors is good for daily cleanliness, but you can’t forget to give them a good mop to remove stains and any lingering bacteria.
• Taking out rubbish and recycling. You should have a set date for sorting out your rubbish and recycling. Take note of this on your weekly planner so you don’t miss bin day!
• Perform a thorough sniff test. Check those leftovers and give them a good sniff – if it has a pang, bin it. You’ll appreciate the fridge space.
• Clean dish towels. Pop your dish towels in the wash and give them a spin, so you’re never left with any lingering smells.
• Spot clean cabinets. Worktops aren’t the only important thing to clean; if you notice any mucky prints or spills on cabinets, give them a little wipe.

Want to set a day for a clean so you remember? Try creating a worksheet or fun infographic to set expectations and timelines.

Monthly kitchen cleaning checklist.

Every month or so, you want to really knuckle down and hit those hard-to-clean tasks. You’ll save yourself a lot of bother if you can follow a monthly kitchen cleaning checklist. Make those deep-cleans much shorter by jumping on these monthly tasks:

• Clean cabinet doors and tiles. Cabinet doors and tiles can get mucky, touched by dirty hands or splashed by grease. Try to give them a thorough look every month, to stop stubborn stains from forming.
• Clean the bins. It doesn’t matter how frequently you empty it, your bin can get smelly from lingering waste. Give it a good clean and disinfect to stop the bin smell from wafting through your kitchen.
• Take inventory. Don’t let an empty pantry let you down when you need to cook – take inventory and add the missing items for day-to-day cooking.
• Clean the dishwasher. You can use baking soda and vinegar or other, fit-for-purpose products with a hot rinse.
• Deep clean the kitchen. This includes scrubbing grout, descaling your kettle, cleaning filters, and dusting.

How can Adobe Express help you stick to a kitchen cleaning schedule?

1. Use a kitchen cleaning schedule template.

Get a clean break, with a free kitchen cleaning schedule template from Adobe Express. Choose from daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedules in a style that suits you. With a cleaning rota template, your kitchen will be cleaner than a whistle.

2. Add chores and tasks to calendars.

Do you have every intention of doing your chores, but always seem to forget? Don’t miss another bin day. With Adobe Express, you can create a calendar so that those important tasks are at the front of the mind (when you need them to be).

3. Raise awareness with posters.

Sharing a space? Cleaning isn’t always the easiest thing, especially if you want it done a certain way. Keep a friendly reminder in common spaces with Adobe Express’s free, custom poster creator. Design your posters with instructions and images, so everyone knows what they’re expected to do.

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Create custom cleaning schedules with the Adobe Express AI template generator.

If you want to create a custom cleaning rota, but you’re having a hard time piecing one together, Adobe Express has the solution. With the AI template generator, you can enter a simple prompt and get a selection of unique, AI cleaning rotas. Edit, amend, and design your ideal kitchen cleaning schedule template for use at work, home, or as a professional cleaner.

Try Generative AI with Adobe Express today

Good to know.

What are the 7 steps of cleaning a kitchen?

The 7 steps of cleaning are:

1. Declutter
2. Organise
3. Dust from top to bottom
4. Clean appliances and sinks
5. Tackle surfaces and floors
6. Then sanitize and disinfect.

Start with decluttering, do a top-to-bottom clean, the finish with sanitising (if that helps you memorise it).

In what order should you clean a kitchen?

If you’re cleaning, think “top-down”. Start by decluttering, then dusting and wiping down, starting with the lights, high shelves, and surfaces. Try to save the cabinets and the doors until after you’ve done things like cleaning plates, for example.

What not to do when cleaning a kitchen?

When you’re cleaning a kitchen, remember to never mix cleaning solutions, as chemical reactions may be hard to determine. Don’t neglect those high-touch zones, your skin, proper product disposal, and remember to chuck dirty sponges and cloths. Finally, don’t leave messes – clean them as they happen. You’ll thank yourself tomorrow.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.