How to Clean and Degrease Your Kitchen: A Practical Checklist
A kitchen clean needs an order of work and different methods for different finishes. Grease on a washable splashback, a veneered door and a stone worktop should not receive the same aggressive treatment. Clear the area, identify the surfaces and finish by checking for cleaner residue.
- Clear food and loose items, let appliances cool and read the relevant care instructions.
- Remove crumbs first, then treat grease using the correct product amount and dwell time.
- Keep moisture out of cabinet edges, sockets and electrical components; dry compatible surfaces after cleaning.
In this guide
- Prepare the kitchen and work from higher areas down
- How to tackle grease without grinding it into the finish
- Choose by surface, not by a universal recipe
- Handle appliances as separate jobs
- Finish, check and keep grease from building up
Prepare the kitchen and work from higher areas down
- Remove or protect food, dishes and small appliances. Empty only the storage you can clean and dry in the available time.
- Collect separate clean cloths for food areas and dirtier zones, a soft non-abrasive tool and products compatible with the finishes.
- Remove loose dust and debris from safely accessible high areas, shelves and cupboard interiors. Do not spray light fittings or sockets.
- Work through cabinets, worktops, splashback, sink and appliance exteriors; finish the floor after the higher surfaces.
Follow appliance isolation instructions before cleaning around electrical parts. Do not pull out a built-in or heavy appliance simply to reach behind it.
How to tackle grease without grinding it into the finish
Start with the mildest compatible cleaning method specified for the surface. Apply a labelled degreaser only where permitted, give it the stated contact time and lift the loosened grease with a clean cloth. Remove residue and rinse or dry as directed.
Repeat a controlled application if the label permits, rather than increasing the concentration or switching to a scouring pad. Stop if a painted finish softens, gloss changes or colour transfers. Persistent sticky material may need an assessment of whether it is grease, old polish or a damaged coating.
Howdens: kitchen care and maintenance recommends gentle cabinet care, avoiding abrasives and leaving the cabinet dry. These principles do not authorise the same chemical on every kitchen door.
Choose by surface, not by a universal recipe
| Surface | Care decision |
|---|---|
| Cabinet fronts, edges and interiors | Use the supplier’s specified cleaner and a well-controlled damp cloth. Avoid soaking seams or leaving water at joints. |
| Natural-stone worktops | Choose a stone-compatible cleaner. Avoid acid-based household recipes unless the stone specialist explicitly permits them. |
| Glass or ceramic hob | Let it cool and follow the exact hob’s instructions for product and tools. Do not treat it like a tiled splashback. |
| Stainless or coated appliance exteriors | Check the finish and manual before using a degreaser, acid or abrasive tool. Keep liquids out of controls. |
| Tiles, grout and sealant | Check the tile and grout compatibility. Do not assume a product for grease also removes limescale safely. |
The Natural Stone Institute: care and cleaning explains the risk of acids such as vinegar on sensitive stone. NEFF: induction and ceramic hob care provides a separate method for its induction and ceramic surfaces. Use the relevant instructions for your actual installation.
Handle appliances as separate jobs
- Oven: cool it, identify any self-cleaning or catalytic surfaces and follow the manual. See the oven racks, glass and trays guide.
- Extractor: check which filter type is installed and what is washable. Use the extractor cleaning guide alongside the manual.
- Fridge/freezer: empty it and plan any permitted defrosting with time to collect meltwater and dry the interior.
- Small appliances: follow their own instructions. Do not immerse an electrical base or use cupboard cleaner inside a food-contact appliance.
Avoid dismantling doors, gas components, wiring or inaccessible equipment as part of an ordinary clean. Report defects separately.
Finish, check and keep grease from building up
Check handles, edges, splashback corners and the area around the hob in good light after drying. Change a dirty cloth rather than moving grease from one door to another. Clean spills once surfaces are cool and maintain the extractor according to its instructions.
Cleaning and disinfection have different purposes. Where a food-contact surface needs disinfection, use an appropriate product after cleaning and follow its dilution, contact time and rinsing requirements; the GOV.UK: cleaning food areas and equipment explains the sequence. A vinegar wipe should not be presented as universal disinfection.
For moving out, use the move-out checklist to put this kitchen work in the wider order of the clean.
Request a kitchen deep-cleaning quote
Describe the surfaces, grease build-up and appliances so the scope and any separate oven work can be confirmed.
View the cleaning service and request an assessment or request a quote.
Sources and care guidance
These sources inform the care principles above. Instructions for a named manufacturer’s products do not automatically apply to another item. Sources checked on 16 October 2026.