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

[lougle]

Deepio is fabulous stuff. It is cheap as chips and literally dissolves the grease and grime from cooker components on contact.

[margaritasbythesea]

An old toothbrush is my friend when cleaning most hard to reach crevices around the house.

[Jen9988]

De clutter all your drawers and cupboards. Get rid of everything that you don't use regularly. Life is much easier to manage with half empty cupboards. It will save you loads of time.

The dishwasher tab trick is an absolute life saver when your faced with heavy grease. It did Made my oven look like new.

[stillnotsorted]

To remove leftover smells in a microwave, squirt of lemon juice in a cup, heat for 30 secs. Magic!

Oven racks go in the dishwasher, along with the removable glass oven door. Whilst they're washing, attack the oven withLakeland cleaner

[SeattleGraceMercyDeath]

Steam cleaner and a wee metal scrubber, put the two together and my oven door sparkles with minimum elbow greases and no fancy chemicals. I rave about it now to everyone!

[Babycarmen]

Half a lemon in a bowl of water in the micro for 5 minutes.. then wipe down with a paper towel. Should clean it up nicely :D

[Choccywoccydodah]

Use watered down bleach for everything! I HATE the smell of bleach, but it is fantastic for cleaning. Use 1 part thick bleach to 5 parts water in a spray bottle. Fabulous for stained sinks, loos, tiles, baths, doors and surfaces etc.
I used to have a cleaning business and tried all sorts but still came back to the bleach in the end.
Spray it on for 5 mins and wipe, let it work for you :)

[caker]

Sprinkle some oxy powder into tannin-stained mugs and fill with hot water. They come up so bright and clean!

[jessycake]

I save the net bags from oranges and lemons and use them with Asonish paste to clean the glass door on my oven, then I just throw it away they are surprisingly effective.

[Blondieminx]

One of the best tips is to "clean while" so while the kettle is boiling, wipe down the sides or put any drying up away.

I run the washing up bowl full of hot water, add Zoflora, wipe down the sides and then leave the bowl sitting there whilst I clean the rest of the house. The steam & Zoflora make the ground floor of my home smell lovely and clean!

[MrsIgglePiggle]

I clean everything with Pampers baby wipes, and then to get rid of the slightly oily residue, I go over everything with a hand towel saturated in cyder vinegar.

Everyone comments on my sparklingly clean kitchen!!

[UnfortunateUsername]

White vinegar is a great all round cleaner. It's also a fab rinse agent for the dishwasher. Glasses come out squeaky clean. We also have a little handheld vacuum specifically for the task of clearing up the trails of crumbs left behind by the dc. It's worth its weight in gold.

[sebashocked]

Exaggerate the amount of time taken up breastfeeding/looking after DC1 so that husband does all cleaning jobs (if DC still in utero, then exaggerate severity of morning sickness/ tiredness/back ache etc)

[milliemoon]

I don't have any secrets but keeping on top of cleaning by doing a bit each day really helps. Before my son was born we would often leave washing up until the next morning but we don't do tis anymore no matter how tired we are as it just piles up in the morning and makes it a mammoth task

[Hopezibah]

I swear by bicarb and lemons! I never ever throw away lemons after squeezing them as they clean up the sink beautifully especially with a sprinkling of bicarb too!

using e-cloths on stainless steel is brilliant for chemical free cleaning.

To clean the kitchen floor, i get the kids to put their slippers on and stand on a cleaning wipe (one under each foot) and 'skate' around the kitchen to get shiny clean floors!

[SaltySeaBird]

I casually mention to DH that the oven is looking like a health hazard and I'm concerned about food poisoning.

Within a few weeks he cleans it so it's sparking - after he had food poisoning once (not via me or anything prepared at home) he has an unnatural fear of getting again. I use this tactic sparingly but it works a treat,

The rest of the time I just do a thorough clean once a week to stop things getting too bad.

[tmartin30]

in limescale hard water areas once every 3 or 4 weeks I strap half a lemon onto each of the kitchen taps for 15-20 mins then clean off with a stainless steel spray, it keeps the limescale at bay and stops your taps getting whitened ends x

[IneedAwittierNickname]

I hoover the worktops and then clean them with anti bac.
Wipe up spills before they dry.

[Eve]

wait til Groupon has an over clean offer on and buy it.

[Sarahseabury]

I love the disposable antibacterial wipes. I know they're not environmental friendly but as a Mam to be able to clean quickly in and emergency is a godsend.

For a regular clean I like to be systematic about the clean start in one corner and work my way round the kitchen.

[mamato3luvleys]

Clean as you go throughout the whole house, a quick spray with antibacterial and use kitchen roll as I can't stand dirty cloths and vim powder for my sink and draining board ( ooh my nana would be so proud haha).

[MaryWestmacott]

Baby wipes are excellent for cleaning most things - particularly the hob. (seem to work better than most of the branded cleaning wipes for cooked on muck on the hob, no idea why!)

[EskSmith]

Loads of microfibre cloths. I use them for everything,, brilliant and fast and wash well.

Agree with those who say a bit last at time, I do most of my cleaning in 30 second bursts!h

[gluenotsoup]

Invest in good quality microfiber cloths in several colours, then allocate them for different purposes, eg, blue one for worktops, yellow one for the fridge etc, then it stays hygienic. Also, just clean as you go using just one or two products. I only use a multi surface cleaner, disinfectant and hob spray and it's plenty. Lemon, I agree is fab, as is a tiny amount of baby oil gel on stainless steel. Line the top of kitchen units with newspaper, so it's easy to remove to clean underneath then re line. I think the best thing though is obvious and that's try not to go to bed leaving it messy as it's soul destroying in the morning- much calmer and more satisfying to get up to a nice clean kitchen to start the day !

[NettleTea]

my cleaning tip is easy - ask my mum to feed the cat while I am away and come back to a kitchen that has been deep cleaned! (really lazy I know, but I dont ASK her to do it!!)