It’s not exactly a ‘sexy’ task, but it’s gotta be done at least once a year. If the thought of deep cleaning your kitchen makes you groan, don’t worry – this article will not only show you some innovative ways to easily deep clean your kitchen, it will show you how to save money the whole way through.

Ready? Let’s do it!

You Will Need…

Before we get started, I’m going to recommend a few very affordable tools. These will make your job a lot easier, and most of them cost just $1.

• Duster
• Spray Bottle
• Cleaning Cloth
• Microfiber Cloth
• Scrub Brush
• Clorox Mop

I recommend you search these on Vipon first, as we often have coupons for 50% off or more. If you can’t find a coupon, then go to your local Dollar Tree for the second cheapest option.

Making Your Cheap, All-Purpose, Natural Cleaner

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of using harsh chemicals to clean. I hate how it makes my kitchen smell like chemicals for days. I also don’t like what it does to my hands. The cheap solution? I make my own cleaner with vinegar and water.

To make your solution, mix equal parts distilled water and white vinegar into a spray bottle. You can now use this just about EVERYWHERE in your kitchen to kill all the germs, get rid of dirt and grime, and make the place spotless. Yes, it will smell a little like vinegar. Personally, I far prefer it to chemical cleaner.

Setting The Stage

Once you’ve made your cleaner, you want to clear off all the countertops and surfaces. If you keep pretty organized, this is an easy task. If not, well, what better time than the present! Wash all the dishes and put them away. Make sure every surface is clear.

Dust From The Top Down

First, we want to dust everything from the top down. Use a dollar tree duster to clean the top of the cabinets and the top of the fridge. Don’t forget the tops of your doors! If you have drapes on your windows, take them down and toss them in the washing machine.

By starting from the top, all the dust gradually falls onto the cabinets. Then, when you dust the cabinets, the dust falls to the floor, where it gets swept up. This means you never need to clean something twice!

Bust Out The Water + Vinegar

Now for the fun part. Take out your homemade cleaning solution and use a dollar tree cloth to clean the cabinets, countertops, light fixtures, and electrical outlets. The water + vinegar is simple, but it’s going to surprise you how effective it is! It’s true: you don’t need borderline radioactive chemicals to deep clean.

When it comes to cleaning stainless steel appliances like the fridge, use your solution with a dollar tree microfiber cloth. And here’s a special tip: if you want your stainless steel to look better than ever, put a tiny dab of olive oil on the microfiber cloth, then wipe it on the stainless steel for an incredible shine.

Oven Cleaning Hack

Now for what is usually the tough part: cleaning the oven. Now, most ovens come with a self-cleaning mode. But personally I don’t like how it heats and stinks up the whole house. So, I choose to use a baking soda + water paste. First, clean the oven of any food and crumbs that are easily picked up.

Then, mix soda + water together until it’s the consistency of toothpaste, and spread it all over the oven. Let it sit for about 30 minutes until it’s totally dry. Then, use a damp cloth and wipe it up. You’ll be shocked at just how much grime this mixture gets out of your oven, and it takes about 15 minutes cleaning time total. Not bad!

For the oven racks, here’s another trick. Put an old towel down in the bathtub and fill it up about halfway with hot water. Then put in half a cup of laundry detergent. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Use a dollar tree scrubber to scrub away all the grime. Again it’s going to come off immediately with virtually 0 effort. And you’ll be left with cleaner oven racks than you’ve ever had before!

Lastly, don’t forget to remove the oven filters from the top of your stove (where the fan is). Over time these get incredibly grimy. Don’t worry – you can put them in your dishwasher and they’ll be good as new.

Don’t Forget The Faucet

Last but not least, don’t forget your faucet! Take a zip-lock bag and fill it up with white wine vinegar. Then tie it around your faucet so the faucet is resting in the vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, then scrub with an old toothbrush. Again, it will look good as new with almost no effort!

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, deep cleaning your kitchen doesn’t have to be a nightmare. When you use all these tricks, it can actually be fun – and your kitchen will look better than ever. Best of all, by using these methods, you save a bunch of money, giving you a luxury clean feeling while hardly costing a dime!