My weekly kitchen cleaning routine and how to make the whole process a tiny bit more fun

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There are two major contributors to my REQUIREMENT for things to work effectively and be efficient in life. Those are 1. age and 2. children.

Ain’t nobody got time to waste these days, and I certainly don’t want to waste time cleaning.

It takes a concerted effort for me to keep a tidy and organized home. I’m not a naturally clean person, so if I don’t have a functional system for how to clean a part of my home, it will cause an admittedly unusually high amount of stress. Then, at some point, I’ll realize that it doesn’t have to be that way and figure out a system.

For me, the kitchen is my zone. I live in the kitchen. Not only do I really enjoy cooking and baking, but my kids require snacks every 20 minutes so the kitchen is where I live.

Grove Collaborative has a huge selection of natural and EFFECTIVE products, from personal care like deodorant to household cleaning like laundry detergent. I had way too much fun scrolling through their website in order to find cleaning supplies for my home and some personal care items for myself as well! Since the kitchen is where I live, I’m very particular about how messy I let it get, and Grove Collaborative products have helped me implement a simple cleaning system that is fast and easy.

Grove Collaborative is offering any new customer a free “Fall Seasonals Kit” with your first purchase of $20 or more–but you have to use this link! The kit includes a Mrs. Meyer’s Fall Seasonal Dish Soap, Hand Soap, Multi Surface Spray and a Grove Kitchen Towel, all having a total retail value of $30. Existing customers can use this link to receive aΒ free Grove walnut scrubber sponge!

My weekly kitchen cleaning routine is as follows:

  1. Do all the dishes in the sink FIRST. I don’t care how many crumbs are sitting on the counter top or how funky my dishwasher door is, I always take care of the dishes first. For me, that takes the longest and makes the biggest impact in the look of a clean kitchen, so I want to make sure that is done first. That way, if I’m interrupted I will still see that I made some progress since my dishes are cleared from the sink.
  2. After the sink is clear, I sprinkle a homemade mixture of baking soda mixed with 20 drops of lemon essential oil. If you don’t want to make your own, you can simply purchase this Mrs. Meyer’s product for your sink! I’ll let it sit for a bit in the wet sink, and move on to step 3.
  3. Next I put any food away that was sitting out, remove items that shouldn’t have been there in the first place, and generally tidy the place up.
  4. I scrub out my sink with a wet brush and then rinse the paste away. It’s fast and easy, and leaves my sink glowing.
  5. Next up is countertops, so I’ll spray them all with my homemade Sal Suds cleaner. I’ll even spray right onto my stove top with the grates taken off. I grab a cloth, dampen it a bit, and get to wiping.
  6. After the counters are done, I’ll wipe down my dishwasher and refrigerator with the cleaner that is left over on the cloth.
  7. And finally, sweep or vacuum the floors to get all the crumbs up!

I mean, look at the SHINE!

The whole process from start to finish, after the dishes are cleaned, takes about 10-15 minutes. And it feels SO good to have a clean kitchen.

If you are new to Grove Collaborative, and need somewhere to start, these are my top 5 items!

The cleaning products I’ve used not only look pretty on the countertop, but they work really well too. I feel good about using them with my cats and kids around!

 

This post was sponsored by Grove Collaborative, all opinions are my own.

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 09.14.17

I feel like I’m one of the few who actually enjoys cleaning my kitchen. It’s like therapy and gives me such a sense of satisfaction when I see it all organised in the end.

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Rebecca says · 09.14.17

I LOVE Grove Collaborative!!!

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Olga says · 09.14.17

I definitely agree with cleaning the dishes first! It feels like most of the hard work is done indeed and there is just so much more space to work with!

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Kate says · 09.14.17

Yes!

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Kathleen says · 09.14.17

Could you explain more about what Grove Collaborative is? Is it a subscription service? I’m confused.

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Kate says · 09.14.17

Upon signing up you get on an automatically delivery schedule, though you can opt out at any time. They send reminders before they ship the next round of products to you so you’ll never be surprised with a random delivery at your door!

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Michele says · 09.14.17

I love this post! I’ll definitely be using the link to get the collection! One question, where did you get the scrubbing brush, and other cleaning brushes/sponges? Do you wash and reuse them?

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Kate says · 09.14.17

I got the brushes you are seeing in the post at Grove Collaborative and yes I reuse them!

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Michele says · 09.14.17

Thanks for responding! ☺️ And please don’t forget to ignore negative/rude people in this world. I appreciate all of your posts! Even the cleaning ones! πŸ™ŒπŸ»

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Krystal // The Krystal Diaries says · 09.14.17

I have such a tiny kitchen so I’m obsessed with keeping it clean and neat. I wipe down my counters (not that there is much counter space) every night after dinner and put the dishes in the dishwasher. I really need to find a better cleaner for my stove top though! The wipes I’m using just aren’t good enough for wiping the grime away.

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Joy says · 09.14.17

Can you share the “recipe” for your baking soda and lemon essential oil cleaner? I have the same stove and so much stuck on mess. Thanks!

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Kate says · 09.14.17

I don’t use the baking soda + essential oils cleaner on my stove. I use that on my sink. And it’s not really a recipe–I simply pour a few drops of essential oil into a container filled with baking soda. Thats all.
On my stove I use the Sal Suds + water mixture in the spray bottle.

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Farrah V. says · 09.14.17

I just received my first box from Grove Collaborative yesterday, and I am already OBSESSED!! I hate cleaning, yet I can’t wait to use everything that was in the box:).

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Katie says · 09.14.17

What is the name of the Meyers cleaning solution that is similar to the baking soda and lemon you use? Is it the multi cleaner? Thanks love your blog.

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Kate says · 09.14.17

Just linked it, sorry about that!

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Melinda says · 09.14.17

Cannot get any of the links to work, cannot access the Grove Collaborative website directly either, any help??? Thanks!

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Leiah says · 09.14.17

Can I just tell you how happy I am that Mum is coming back this fall?!? I didn’t stock up last year because I didn’t realize it was a seasonal scent. When I got the email from Grove about the Fall Scents, you can bet I ordered one. I love using Grove! In fact, when my husband used the last of the Mrs. Meyers laundry detergent Sunday he said he was going to run to Walmart to get more. I told him no need – my Grove order would be there the next day. So handy to have exactly what you need, when you need it delivered right to your doorstep. Become a VIP member for the low yearly fee ($39, I think) and you pay no shipping. I’ve saved at least 3X that yearly fee I’m sure.

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Meagan Buchholz says · 09.14.17

Love these products! I use Meyer’s for my hand soap and am now on the hunt for the Apple Cider scent. Thanks for the post! And if you think your routine is simple, prepare to be even more amazed. you need some Norwex in your life!! Two (magic) cloths, no chemicals, even less time cleaning and more time for fun! No buying more products every month. Win win! (Yes, I do sell Norwex but I would comment on it regardless of if I sold it or not. Such great products!) Thanks for another great post, Kate!

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Rachel says · 09.14.17

I just discovered Norwex. I’m a tad obsessed having placed two huge orders back to back and looking at placing another oneπŸ˜† It truly is awesome and makes cleaning so much easier.

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Meagan Buchholz says · 09.15.17

Isn’t it awesome, Rachel!? Ask your consultant about the September specials…there are some beautiful purple/eggplant kitchen clothes with a great weave on sale!

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Meagan Buchholz says · 09.15.17

*cloths
got too excited to spell correctly, LOL.

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Carli says · 09.14.17

Thanks for the link! They added a glass spray bottle to my order for free in addition to the soaps and towel. I can’t wait to clean my kitchen. (I’ve never said that before.)

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Olivia says · 09.14.17

Thank you for this post, I needed a quick and easy cleaning routine as I’m not naturally a cleaning person myself. I will use these methods from now on. Keep up the great work!

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Shelly says · 09.14.17

I can’t wait to try but I’m confused on all the multipurpose concentrate options, Grove has one, Meyers, Dr. Bombers, Caldrea. Have you tried multiple and have a fav?

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Erin says · 09.14.17

Hi Kate! I can’t get the link to work for existing customers.

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Sellingmyselfout says · 09.14.17

For the love of all things holy, enough with the sponsored posts! Gah. And yes I know you need to make a living, but cleaning products, really???

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Farrah V. says · 09.15.17

Aren’t all blog posts selling something whether the post is sponsored by the actual company or not though? Truthfully, I appreciate posts about all kinds of items that have to do with lifestyle. I came to this blog because I was interested in the cool hair style and product advice, but I stay for the tips that help with my whole life: my life as a teacher, a mother, a wife, and a woman who likes to look good. Posts about places to buy nice cleaning products that are not full of chemicals and environmentally conscious fit into that mold too. Also, there is nothing wrong with taking a little money and passing on a nice coupon code to your readers. Keep the diverse lifestyle posts coming, Kate!

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Kate says · 09.17.17

Thanks for the commment-we are on the same wave length!

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esther says · 09.19.17

agreed! Keep it up Kate πŸ™‚

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Christina says · 09.14.17

I love the little holder you have for your scrub brush on the counter. Is that from Grove too?

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Carrie says · 09.15.17

I just LOVE Grove Collaborative and highly recommend their brand of candles – specifically the new Orange Cardamom and the Eucalyptus! They are wonderful!!!

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Susan says · 09.17.17

What do you use on your faucet

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Marisa says · 09.18.17

I follow some of these tips already but some tips are new to me. These tips are going to be very helpful for me. Thanks

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Arijana C. says · 09.18.17

I was not aware of Grove Collaborative until your post! How interesting. Needless to say, I signed up as i use most of the products they are offering already. Thanks much! I cannot wait to get my shipment.

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Melissa says · 09.18.17

Just so you know…Grove Collaborative is more expensive than Target. She would not post my post telling everyone that… and giving linked examples. Please check it out before you spend unneeded extra money. Kate is skiing an absolute diservice to get viewers by not telling them that! But Target isn’t paying her…Grove is. That’s dishonest!

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Melissa says · 09.18.17

**doing not skiing
**her not get

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Kate says · 09.18.17

It’s not dishonest. I didn’t claim that Grove is the cheapest place to get certain items. Grove Collaborative is a different type of store than Target in that you shop online and can have items auto ship. Also, I did not delete your post. It was picked up in spam due to the high volume of links.

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esther says · 09.19.17

Do you have a favorite scent? I see that your pictures show apple cider and mum… have you tried any of the others? I generally love fruit scents and tend to steer clear of florals… but just wondering about your opinion of the options

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Joy says · 09.20.17

Be careful just trusting marketing schemes and labels. Most Mrs. Meyers products rank a 9 out of 10 on the Think Dirty app (10 being the worst/most harmful). Everyone do your own research and be informed about what you’re exposing yourself and your family too πŸ™‚

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Lisa Brown says · 10.03.17

I so glad you posted as I’ve never heard of these products. I also enjoyed your cleaning tips. It’s up to the reader to choose what they purchase and if they want to try and find the products you post at a cheaper price. Sorry for the bashing. Thank you for the post! Heading over to purchase these items.

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Emily says · 11.01.17

Thank you for this post! How do you clean the grates on your stove?

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kitchen says · 11.05.17

Marvelous, what a webpage it is! This webpage provides helpful information to us, keep it up.

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airbnb clean says · 02.18.19

A very informative and helpful article, thanks for sharing.

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