Share your kitchen cleaning tips, tricks and secrets with Currys for a chance to win an oven, hob AND dishwasher (worth c.£1300)! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

The good people at Currys have asked us to find out your top tips and tricks for making the oh-so-glamorous task of cleaning the kitchen a little bit quicker, easier and more straightforward.

Here's what Currys say: "We have a great range of new pyrolytic ovens in stock which are by far the easiest and most effective way to clean your oven, as pyrolytic cleaning heats the cavity to very high temperatures at the touch of a button, sealing the door and reducing all food residue to ash that can be easily wiped away. We'd love to know your own cheeky shortcuts to a clean and sparkling kitchen - do share them here!"

So what are your kitchen cleaning hacks? Do you have a secret method for getting rid of limescale? Are you a whiz with a tub of bicarbonate of soda? Have you worked out how to get the grime off your own oven without losing the will to live?

Everyone who adds their comment to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win ALL OF THE BELOW!

a) a - Currys exclusive - Znussi Built in pyro oven - worth £400! and
b) a Znussi induction hob - worth £400!
c) AND an AEG 13 place integrated dishwasher - worth £488!

Please note comments may be used by MN and Currys on social media, on the Currys pages on MN or possibly elsewhere - please only add your comment if you're happy for it to be used like this! Closing date: 17 November.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

A little bit of baby oil will buff up the stainless steel to a shine and make it easier to clean next time.

Invest in a small cordless vacuum with a docking station to charge it. Easy then to grab it and vacuum up any crumbs on the work surface or floor instead of trying to neatly sweep them up!

To really get the grease off cookers, tiles, sinks and even floors a bucket filled with piping hot water and soda crystals works wonders! Then wipe down with a good cloth from top to bottom changing the solution regularly.
Finish with fresh solution for the floor and mop. Wipe over with hot cloth to shine everything up!

My tip- clean your oven and hob regularly. Don't put it off until they are really dirty or they are really hard work. Especially the oven.

My second tip, convince someone else (DH) to do it. :)

Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda will clean anything and fizz at the same time.

Clean the I side of the microwave by putting half a lemon in a bowl of water and cooking on full power for a good few minutes - you want the inside to be all steamy and lemony, and then the grot wipes easily away.

And the above will be easier if you put a cover on everything else so there are fewer splatters to deal with.

Do not clean. Ignore the issue and when it gets really bad buy a new oven :D

Well that's what I'd like to do, I actually buy expensive cleaning products and wait for them to magically jump from the bottle and do the job for me

Hm...this is a hard one! My DP sprays the floor with cleaning spray and then goes over it with his foot-slipper-kitchen paper patented combo. He's hankering after some duster socks.

As for me, my best tip is too use boiling hot water for cleaning the floor. Dries more quickly.

Clean as you go so it never becomes overwhelming.

Shine stainless steel with a tiny drop of baby oil

Clear and clean your sink and all work surfaces every night before you go to bed, that way you start with a clean slate in the morning.

Get one of those self cleaning ovens and hope it works.
Never cook.
Vinegar.....does everything apparently.
And soaking is also a great thing.

My top tip is bicarb and vinegar down the drains - it foams and fizzes and shifts the greasy buildup. Not only that, it costs pennies versus expensive drain and sink unblockers!

Foil on the grill stops meat and fish sticking to the grill pan - just throw away after use.

I also agree with everyone who has said lemon - brilliant for cleaning the microwave if you put lemon juice and water in a bowl and microwave for a minute or so - then any residue is easy to get off.

Lemons halved and kept in the fridge also absorb any nasty smells.

We have put decorative shatterproof pyrex chopping boards vertically against the wall behind our hob - they catch all the grease and oil splatters, and cleaning them is easy - just pop them in a dishwasher (or wash as you normally would for movable stuff). The tiles then just need a quick wipe for any splashes that reached above and beyond the chopping boards.

I've read about pyrolytic ovens before but remain sceptical about how they work!?
My oven isn't too bad, my top tip for cleaning is to get a small wire brush to scrub the oven racks. Much easier than using a sponge or scourer as the burnt on food is easily lifted off.
Never put pizza directly on the rack like they recommend, use a pizza stone.
Astonish cleaner is quite good I use it for the main oven mixed with a little water.
Steam cleaner for tiled kitchen floor. Method cleaning products for surfaces.

i steam my hobs daily, extractor monthly and oven 2 to 3 times a week. best purchase of my life!

I have the whole method range for spills and when i don't have the steam cleaner switched on. It smells lovely and the floor cleaner is brill!

Definitely clean as you go and don't let food dry on! Mr Muscle oven cleaner is amazing, even for lazy people like me. I am also a fan of the steam cleaner for cleaning the hob and getting the tiles sparkling.

Over the years we have developed a number of strategies to keep the kitchen looking presentable most of the time.

Biggest tip is to clean as you go, wipe down surfaces at the end if each meal
Dirt, grease and grime is always easier to remove while it's 'fresh' , dried on stuff requires much more elbow grease!
A squirt of lemon juice in the sink when you've cleaned it leaves a lovely lingering smell
Half a lemon rubbed around taps will help to remove limescale
Clean the fridge before you do the weekly food shopping as it will be easy as it's usually empty by that stage
Clean the fridge using water and baking soda as this removes spillages and smells
After cleaning the fridge dry it thoroughly with kitchen roll or a tea towel, don't leave the shelves/panels damp
Enrol the family to help clear up after meals, it won't make it fun but it may make it routine....everyone will know what is expected of them
Magic Erasures ( blocks of white foamy stuff) will remove grime and streaks from oven doors without the use of chemicals
A piece of foil cut out to fit the bottom of the oven will make cleaning it easier, when a spillage occurs just remove the foil and replace with a new piece
Microfibre cloths will bring a streak free shiny finish to worktops, windows, appliances and crockery
An old toothbrush with a squirt of bleach will make the kitchen tiles look brand new
Cooks candles will ensure that smells are contained in the kitchen while you are cooking which helps to give the illusion that everything is clean, tidy and under control
If all else fails keep the kitchen door shut and restrict visitors to the living room

sometimes supermarket cleaners are just as good as well known makes.try and minimise junk on work tops helps to clean them quicker,lemon juice in microwave helps clean it.do washing up as itbuilds up, leaving it over night stacked in sink is not a good idea.food on plates washs off so much easier then waiting till next day

foil in the grill pan under the wire tray and hand held vacuum cleaner for the crumbs on the gas stove.

hire a really good cleaner

bleach all the way..lol.

newspaper is very good to clean windows, especially since they get mucky with steam and grease,

WD40 for your stainless steel - absolutely amazing, all funny marks, grease etc. just gone
Bar keepers friend for anything on your induction hob or glass or pans or actually most things!
Decent microfibre cloths are great and get 95% of stuff off without using any chemicals.

Soda crystals are great for shifting tea stains in cups and on teaspoons. I also use them for bringing my stainless steel sink up to sparkling.

Clean as you go, don't let washing up pile up. Bleach, Stardrops and Soda Crystals are your friends.