A big dinner leaves a busy kitchen behind: large pots, grease spatter on the tiles and cooker hood, and sticky surfaces. The secret isn’t a stronger product but the order: start with what needs soaking, and work from top to bottom and from dry to wet.
The order we work in
- Soak first: put the cooker-hood filter and burnt pots in hot water with washing-up liquid and a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda, and let them work while you clean the rest.
- Start high: wipe the tops of the cupboards and the outside of the hood, then the tiles behind the hob.
- The hob while warm, not hot: grease softens with a little warmth, but wait until an induction or ceramic hob is cool enough to touch.
- Worktops and sink: then the cupboard and appliance handles that every hand touches.
- The floor last: sweep, then mop, since everything that falls while you clean ends up there.
The right product for every surface
| Surface | Use | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Marble and granite | Warm water and a mild, neutral soap | Vinegar, lemon and limescale removers, which dull marble |
| Stainless steel | A microfibre cloth along the grain of the metal | Rough sponges and steel wool |
| Induction and ceramic hobs | A dedicated cleaner and a glass scraper for burnt marks | Abrasive powders |
| Glossy cupboard fronts | Water with a little washing-up liquid, then dry | Strong alcohol-based cleaners |
Small habits after every gathering
- Wipe grease spatter the same day: fresh grease comes off with warm soapy water, old grease needs a degreaser.
- Empty the bin before bed, as the heat speeds up smells.
- Dry the sink and taps after washing up to reduce limescale.
- Run the cooker hood while cooking and for ten minutes after, to keep grease off the cupboards.
And if grease has been building up on the hood and tiles for months, a deep clean reaches inside the hood and oven and behind the appliances.
