How to Clean Appliances

The kitchen of your dreams isn't far away. While some prefer to experiment with paint color and decor, the real key to a beautiful kitchen is a clean oven, microwave, and dishwasher. Cleaning appliances may seem like a long afternoon task, but with our step-by-step instructions and tips on how to clean appliances, your kitchen can be spotless in minutes. 

A clean refrigerator can change your kitchen in more ways than one. Aside from looking nice, a clean fridge can rid your home of odors, expired foods, and unsightly clutter. On top of scrubbing away spills and leaks, consider a refrigerator organization makeover. 

1. Mix together equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. This food-safe cleaner should be kept in the refrigerator. 
2. Spray and wipe up spills as they occur. 

More Tips for Cleaning Refrigerators

Just because a dishwasher's job is to clean, doesn't mean it doesn't get dirty. You should be cleaning your dishwasher just as often as your shower or sink. To keep foul odors from lingering and to protect against grime buildup, check out our easy steps on how to clean the dishwasher. You'll be happy you did!

1. Fill a dishwasher-safe cup with vinegar.
2. Place the cup on the top rack of empty dishwasher.
3. Run the dishwasher on the hottest, longest cycle. This will sanitize and loosen food and soap scum. 

Soup, sauce, and grease splatters coat the inside of your microwave on a weekly basis. All that buildup isn't pleasant to look at or cook with. The good news is that cleaning microwaves is easier than you may think. With just a bowl of water, you have a chemical-free way to get your appliance looking like new. 

1. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and place it in the microwave. 
2. Heat, uncovered, until the water starts to boil. 
3. The caked-on food should now be loosened, so you can easily wipe the surface clean. 

Oil splatters, seasoning spills, and just about anything else you cook with will inevitably end up on your stove top. Before the food bits cook onto the surface, be sure to scrub it away. The key to cleaning your stovetop is to be quick. But even if splatters sit for a day or two, there's still hope. Here's how to get your glass cooktop back to sparkling.

1. Soak the stain in the strongest cleaner your cooktop can handle and let sit. 
2. Using a single-edged scraper, scrape the debris while holding the blade at a 30- to 40-degree angle. 
3. Wipe the cooktop clean.

You can't clean the stove top and ignore the oven! If you can see built-up grime or worrisome smoke, it's time to get the cleaning gloves out before it becomes a major problem. The good news is that oven cleaning is easier than you think. Check out our foolproof tips.

1. Heat oven to 225 degrees. 
2. Place a pan of water in oven. Let sit at least 15 minutes. Turn off oven.
3. Let water cool and mix with dishwashing soap. Use mixture and sponge to scrub inside of oven. 
4. To target tough spots, read these tips for oven cleaning. 

Cleaning a stainless-steel surface might sound like an oxymoron, but any homeowner knows it's eventually a must. Water spots, fingerprints, and more are so distracting in the kitchen, and they build up fast. Before they drive you absolutely crazy, here's how to wipe away those marks—including dark water stains!

1. For water spots: Bring distilled white vinegar to a boil. Lay a vinegar-soaked towel on the water spot for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with baking soda and scrub with the grain. Wipe clean and dry. 
2. For fingerprints: Wipe with a soft cloth and rubbing alcohol. 
3. For extra shine: Rub surface with a soft cloth and a few drops of lemon oil. 
4. For more stainless-teel cleaning tips, read this.