If your Christmas prep is in full swing and you’re gearing up to cook up a storm this festive season, knowing which kitchen appliances to deep-clean before Christmas will make your life easier in the weeks to come. And if you do it now, you can ensure hosting is fuss-free and – most importantly – fun!
While most of us know how to clean a kitchen, and regularly give visible areas (such as our worktops and floors) the TLC they need, we often don’t give our kitchen appliances the same attention. But the importance of cleaning them shouldn’t be underestimated – especially when they’re going to be working overtime over the festive season.
1. Oven
Cleaning the oven is at the top of the list of kitchen appliances to deep-clean before Christmas, for obvious reasons. It will be seeing a lot of use over the festive period, and if you want your Christmas dinner to be a success, a clean oven is a must. And there are so many natural ways to clean an oven, so you don’t need to add any potentially harmful chemicals into your kitchen.
‘The oven is the heart of Christmas cooking, so it definitely deserves some attention. Instead of shop-bought oven sprays, make a thick paste using bicarbonate of soda and a little water. Spread it over the inside of the oven and leave it for a few hours or overnight,’ advises Kelly Moore, Founder of Cleaning With Meaning.
She adds, ‘Wipe away with warm water and a cloth. For stubborn spots, white vinegar will react with the bicarbonate of soda and lift the grime. It is a safe and inexpensive way to cut through the buildup without the fumes.’ In fact, you can buy this Case of 2 x Dri Pak Clean & Natural Bicarbonate of Soda from Amazon for just £5.46.
If your oven is particularly dirty and you want to clean an oven quickly, you could also follow in the footsteps of our Senior Digital Editor, Jenny, and deep clean an oven with a steam cleaner. She used the BISSELL SteamShot Handheld Steam Cleaner (£49.99 at Amazon) and found it to banish grime in seconds.
2. Dishwasher
Let’s be honest; nobody wants to spend Christmas day with their hands in the sink. But you can’t expect your dishwasher to clean all your dirty dishes over the festive period if it isn’t clean itself. And as it’ll be on more than usual over Christmas, you should take the time now to clean your dishwasher if you want it to make your plates and cutlery sparkle.
Adam Norris, Senior Product Manager for Cleaning Categories at Hotpoint, says that you should start with cleaning your dishwasher filter. He explains, ‘Remove your filter and rinse it under warm running water. You can use a soft brush to remove any stuck-on bits of food. If the filter is blocked, water can’t drain properly, which means dirty dishes and unpleasant smells.’
‘You can then take out the spray arms and give them a rinse under the tap. If any blockages remain, use a cocktail stick or toothpick to dislodge any stubborn bits.’ Then, you should run a cleaning cycle and wipe the exterior of the dishwasher for the best results.
And while you can clean a dishwasher with vinegar, Adam advises using a speciality dishwasher cleaner to make maintenance even easier and more effective. We recommend using the 2-Pack Finish Dishwasher Cleaner (£10.50 at Amazon) as it has thousands of 5-star reviews.
3. Fridge
You often buy more food than usual when you’re hosting over Christmas, but a grubby fridge is not an ideal place to house food. Fortunately, cleaning a fridge is pretty straightforward, and it’s quick and easy to deep-clean a fridge before Christmas.
Kelly suggests, ‘Take everything out, switch off the appliance and wash shelves and drawers with warm water and a splash of white vinegar. Vinegar naturally deodorises and disinfects, and it is kinder to the environment than antibacterial sprays. Before putting things back, check dates and wipe jars to prevent sticky patches forming again.’
If you have some spare time after that, it could be worth organising your fridge in the run-up to Christmas too. I swear by these KICHLY Stackable Fridge Organisers, £13.99 at Amazon, as they help you keep track of the food you do (and don’t) have, while keeping everything neat and tidy – so you don’t have to waste any of the festive period rummaging around for what you need.
To ensure you don’t suffer any unwelcome damage or sky-high energy bills over Christmas, I’d also suggest cleaning underneath and behind your fridge to remove any dust and grime, too.
4. Freezer
If you haven’t bought your turkey yet, now is the perfect time to give your freezer a deep clean before Christmas. The first step is to defrost your freezer, which involves removing all the food and letting the ice and frost melt. This will make your freezer more efficient and extend the life of your appliance.
Jamie Cooper, Senior Product Manager for Refrigeration at Hotpoint, says, ‘If your freezer has built-up frost, switch it off, unplug safely, and allow the ice to melt, using old towels to soak up any excess water. Warm water can help speed things up, but never use boiling water, as this could damage your appliance.’
He adds, ‘It’s also the perfect time to check food expiry dates, especially on those items tucked away at the back of the freezer, helping you stay organised and cut down on food waste.’ During this stage, you can also check for any damage to your freezer that you may not have noticed otherwise.
When you’ve done that, wash down the racks and shelves with warm soapy water. Jamie says you can also use a mix of bicarbonate soda and water for any stubborn grime, as this is also completely natural and safe to use in an environment where food is stored.
5. Air fryer and microwave
The best air fryers and microwaves can be extremely handy when hosting over Christmas, offering more space to cook and reheat food you’ve prepped ahead of time. However, it’s extremely important to clean your air fryer and microwave before the big day.
Alex from Marigold says, ‘Harsh chemicals may get the job done, but they can leave behind odours and raise concerns about food safety. For a natural and effective cleaning solution, look no further than your kitchen cupboard.’ In fact, what you might not realise is that you can clean an air fryer using a tea bag and clean a microwave with lemons!
For microwaves, ‘Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add about a tablespoon of white vinegar and half a cup of water,’ advises Alex. ‘Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 3-5 minutes. The steam from the lemon and white vinegar mixture will permeate the interior, softening and loosening stuck-on food.’
‘After letting the microwave cool slightly, remove the bowl (careful; it will be hot!) and wipe the interior with your sponge or cloth,’ he adds. But if you want a quick and simpler way to clean your air fryer, you could use a dedicated cleaner like this Dew Air Fryer Cleaner Bundle, £18.96 at QVC.
6. Washing machine
If you’re hosting guests this Christmas, there’s a high chance that your washing machine will be working overtime to wash guest towels, bedding, and even the festive tablecloths that inevitably get covered in gravy. To ensure everything comes out clean and odour-free, it’s well worth deep-cleaning a washing machine in the run-up to the big day.
This process is quick and easy, and Alex Rorrison-Leech, Cleaning Expert at Marigold, says it can be completed in five simple steps. ‘Pour 2 full cups of white vinegar and half a cup of bicarbonate of soda into the washing machine drum. Put it on a standard wash cycle that has a hot water setting. Mid-cycle, press the pause button and allow it to soak for 30 minutes.’
He adds, ‘Once the 30 minutes are up, press play and let the machine finish its cycle. Use a damp microfibre cloth, such as the Marigold Let It Shine Cloths (£5.69 at Amazon), to wipe down inside the machine; don’t forget to wipe down the rubber rim! Finish with a quick wipe down with a dry cloth to buff the surfaces.’
This should be enough to leave your washing machine sparkling, but I’ve also tried three other methods to clean a washing machine, and soda crystals also work wonders. You can buy a pack of two Dri Pak Soda Crystals from Amazon for £7.99, and pop around 500g of soda crystals into the drum and wash on a hot cycle.
7. Coffee machine and kettle
Whether you rely on one of the best coffee machines to keep you going throughout the hectic festive period or you plan on making countless cups of tea in the kettle, it’s also a good idea to deep-clean these kitchen appliances before Christmas.
It’s especially important to clean kettles, as Kelly says, ‘A kettle full of limescale uses more energy to boil, so descaling it before Christmas is a small win for your bills. Fill it halfway with equal parts water and vinegar, boil once, leave it to sit, then rinse thoroughly. It is simple, effective and avoids buying single-use plastic descaling sachets.’
You can also clean a coffee machine with vinegar. However, there are also purpose-made descalers for coffee machines, and you can even purchase the coffee machine version by brand.
It’s always a good idea to check the manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to your coffee machine, as sometimes using the wrong descaler in your coffee machine can affect the warranty. But if you do this, you can ensure that your hot drinks will be scum and limescale-free while hosting.
Nespresso Descaling 100g Pack of 2
De’longhi Ecodecalk Mini Descaler
Sage Descaler Domestic Appliances Powder
FAQs
How do you clean under heavy appliances?
Cleaning under heavy appliances is tricky, but it’s a must if we don’t want years worth of debris to collect. For large appliances that sit on the floor, it’s advised to keep a piece of cardboard underneath them, so that you can slide the appliance out without damaging the floor.
‘Use a vacuum with a long,thin attachment to reach dust and debris that’s settled underneath,’ says Galia, Owner and Professional Cleaner, Cleaning Estimate. ‘After vacuuming, I like to use a damp microfiber mop or cloth on an extended handle to pick up any lingering dirt. If there’s stubborn grime, a mild, all-purpose cleaner sprayed onto the cloth (not directly onto the floor, to avoid puddles) will do the trick.’
How often should you deep clean your appliances?
For a really deep clean, the experts say that 2-3 times a year should be enough for most kitchen appliances – although it does vary depending on how often they’re being used.
‘If you have a large household constantly cooking, the oven and refrigerator might need more frequent attention–say, every three to four months,’ Galia says. ‘Smaller appliances like toasters and microwaves can often go six months before a deep clean, as long as you’re wiping up spills right away.’
Regular cleaning, like a quick wipe down every week, will keep your appliances running smoothly, and make the deep cleans much easier.
The sooner you deep-clean these kitchen appliances before Christmas, the sooner you can enjoy the festivities!
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