The Kitchen is one of the most utilized rooms in a home. It is where many families gather over meals, where kids do homework, and where friends sit to chat over coffee. It is also one of the rooms that have the most messes. Those messes range from dirt and grime due to foot traffic to airborne oils and odors from cooking. After a year of heavy use, the kitchen needs a little help. This blog goes over ten tips that help revive a tired kitchen. 

1. Professionally clean the flooring. For those homes with tile floors in the kitchen, pay attention to the grout. A professional deep clean can bring tile floors back from the brink. If you have hardwood, deep cleaning can have amazing results. Use a pro to strip wax and reseal the floor. Hardwood floors that are refinished will look amazing, and the process generally takes just a day. 

2. Treat the Drains – We clean the sink, but many of us ignore the drain. Baking soda and vinegar is a great way to scrub the pipes and kill anything that might be living in the plumbing. Just use 1/2 to 1-cup of baking soda and dump the powder down the drain. Wear a mask because you don’t need to breathe in baking soda particles. When the powder is in the pipe, add 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of vinegar to the drain. When the two meet, they will react and start to foam. When the foaming stops, you can add more vinegar to see if the baking soda is finished and then flush the drain with running cold water. 

3. Clean the Fridge and Pan – Under the fridge is a pan that collects all the condensation and spilled liquids from the refrigerator. Read the manual on how to remove the pan from your refrigerator and use the same recipe to clean with baking soda and vinegar. This is also an excellent time to roll the fridge out and clean under and behind it. 

4. TSP the Walls – TSP is a great cleaner that is friendly to paint and tough on grease and grime. A soft sponge, warm bucket of water, and a box of TSP and the walls are clean. If the paint is damaged by sun faded, consider a new coat or amping up the color with something new. 

5. Herbology – If you have a sunny window consider a small mixed pot of herbs such as mint, basil, and oregano. Not only can use these in cooking but all are aromatics and will give the kitchen a pleasant and pleasing smell. Think of this as an organic air freshener. 

6. Cabinet Care – If your cabinets are painted then a good washing with TSP is usually all you need.  However, if you have a varnish finish, consider an oil soap to help clean the surface. If your kitchen is over 5 years old, you may consider having the cabinets refinished. 

Any or all of these tips help revive a kitchen. A final tip is to change the lightbulbs from yellow to a white spectrum. Keep the mood lighting, but for main lighting fixtures go with white light.