The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also one of the most challenging rooms to keep clean because of its many moving parts. That being said, if you plan ahead, you may create a space that is easy to clean and allows you to spend less time scrubbing and more time enjoying your space.
To keep the mess to a minimum, consider the following features to incorporate during the design stage:
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Keep Lighting Fixtures Away From the Stove
Cooking produces grease and filth, and anything hanging near the stove will accumulate that grease and grime on its surface. Stick to recessed can lights or lights built into your exhaust hood for lighting near the stove.
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Install Grime-Fighting Cabinets
When your fingers become greasy, pulls and handles keep the filth away from the cabinetry surfaces. Look for hardware that enables one or two fingers to unlock doors. Additionally, cabinet and drawer inserts might aid in cleanup. With adequate lower cabinet and pantry storage, you can even eliminate high cabinets.
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Opt for an Undermount Sink
With an undermount sink, you can simply wipe crumbs and spills into the sink rather than getting them stuck on the edge trim like you would with a drop-in sink.
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Consider Easy-Clean Appliances
Choose smudge-proof stainless steel appliances or non-stainless steel appliances with smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces. Examine the knobs on stoves and ovens for difficult-to-clean cracks. Allow sufficient space between knobs.
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Opt for the Induction Option
Induction cooktops are flat and smooth unlike gas cooktops, which have grates and recessed surfaces. Cleaning an induction cooktop is as simple as cleaning a flat surface. But if you like gas, the convenience of cleaning an induction surface may not outweigh the loss of your beloved gas stove.
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Add Cabinet Spaces
Kitchen cabinets are essential. Put away your cutlery and clean dishes. An organized kitchen starts with a clean kitchen. If your cabinets are hard to reach, you won’t be excited to lay the clean cups and plates.
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Opt for Low-Maintenance Countertops
There are more nonporous, stain-resistant table top options than ever. They can be wiped clean and never sealed. Consider placing that easy-to-clean countertop in a new kitchen because that material isn’t as valuable as it once was. Quartz or stainless steel are likely choices.
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Flowing Floors
Fewer seams and gaps mean less dirt gathers. It is the seam between the floor and the vertical toe-kick that is filthiest. The right-angle joint can be removed by “rolling” the floor up to the toe-kick. Use large squares with narrow grout lines to clean up tiling.
Krier’s Construction, a family-owned company, offers a wide range of professional landscaping and remodeling services. To get a free estimate, call us at (920) 949-8517, or fill out this contact form. We serve homeowners in Oshkosh, Green Bay and Appleton as well as the surrounding communities.
