Your Family Never Has to "Outgrow" A Home You Love

Tired Of Cleaning Your Kitchen? Here's How To Cut Down On Chores

by Zack Gilbert

If you're like most busy homeowners, you enjoy spending time in the kitchen preparing meals for the family table. However, that time is likely to be limited due to employment and/or family obligations, so naturally, you want to keep cleaning and maintenance tasks to a minimum.  

You probably already know that amenities such as backsplashes and self-cleaning ovens help busy homeowners cut down on kitchen chores, but they aren't the only strategies. The following are just three more of the many steps you can take to ensure that you're not spending any more time in the kitchen than absolutely necessary. 

Seamless Flooring

Many homeowners love the look of ceramic tiles as kitchen flooring options, but these are very hard to clean because of grout lines collect dirt, dust, and grime — and the tiles themselves tend to show every stray speck of these. Keep in mind that when it comes to cleanability in flooring, the fewer gaps and seems, the better. Vinyl or linoleum roll-out flooring provides an almost seamless surface. If you've got your heart set on wood flooring, choosing wide planks instead of their narrower counterparts will cut down substantially on cleaning time. Never put carpeting in a kitchen. Some people do this because they want a softer surface on which to stand, but you can get the same effect with rubber mats.

Select Stainless Steel Cabinetry  

Many homeowners are tempted by attractive cabinetry that features decorative ridges and grooves, but these are magnets for cooking residue buildup. Instead, choose flat-front cabinetry in nonporous materials such as stainless steel to keep cleaning to a minimum. Stainless steel is an extremely easy material to clean as long as you do it right. Harsh abrasives may damage the material, so avoid using those. All you really need is hot water, a clean cloth, and a few items you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard to keep them gleaming. Mild dishwashing detergent is a good choice for cleaning stainless steel, and you can also use a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda. 

Avoid Decorative Shelving

Avoiding wall shelving with fussy details is also recommended — you'll spend way too much time cleaning them than you like, so choose simple shelves with optimal functionality and save those with decorative elements for other parts of the home. 

Ask local home remodeling contractor about more ways to reduce household chores by choosing the right materials for fixtures such as stainless steel cabinets and flooring. 

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