Five Minutes to a Green, Clean Kitchen

Very few people do the “drop in” these days, so we usually have some warning before visitors come. However, there are those times when you get that text: “In your hood. Should we swing by?” in which case you have about five minutes to clean up. You’ll obviously need to divide and conquer.  So deploy the significant other to the bathroom and the kids to the bedroom and living room. That leaves just you and your kitchen.

Remember, the faster you clean, the more time you’ll have to chill the wine.

Play music. There’s just no reason this has to be boring so throw on some high energy tunes. Added benefit: it will drown out requests that you come help clean the bathroom, bedroom or living room.

Clean the clutter. Don’t underestimate the visual impact of a clutter-free kitchen. Stow away bulky appliances and pots and pans, recycle old newspapers and take out that smelly trash. If you have to temporarily stuff things in cabinets and under counters, so be it. But do the dishes first because nothing says “I don’t clean much” like yesterday’s dinner plates. Trust me, I know.

Hit the hot spots. Greasy fridge door, grimy counters, and dirty sinks = no one wants to eat the cute cheese and crackers you put out. So hit all the high-profile areas, such as the counter, sink, stove top, and appliances with an all-purpose type cleaner. Green tip: instead of using paper towels, reduce waste by using old T-shirts, sponges or rags that you can wash and reuse.

Make a clean sweep. Let’s say your company is stuck in traffic and you have a few extra minutes, then pull out the mop so the floor doesn’t stick to their shoes like a human fly strip. But if not, just grab a broom and do a quick sweep on the tile, linoleum, or word floors so the cracker pieces, old band aids and dust can go bye-bye before your guests start thinking of excuses to leave.

That’s it, you’re done! If you do it quickly enough you’ll even have time to pour yourself a glass of wine and update your Facebook status.

Do you like “drop ins” or do you prefer to schedule visitors?

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