Yes, You Can Clean Your Kitchen In Under 15 Minutes. Here's How

Yes, You Can Clean Your Kitchen In Under 15 Minutes. Here's How

Yes, You Can Clean Your Kitchen In Under 15 Minutes. Here's How

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

It's a misconception that housework has to take huge chunks of time to complete. And especially around the summer, when you may be balancing work, child care and time with family and friends, you won't be able to spend hours cleaning every crevice.

With a little planning, your kitchen can go from slimy to shiny in just a few minutes. Here's how to get daily cleanings done in a flash.

Read more: 14 Cleaning Tools That'll Make You Excited to Clean

Gather the right cleaning equipment

I'm a big proponent of having cleaning equipment stashed away in each room. If you have what you need to do the job on-hand, the process goes much faster. This is what you need in your quick kitchen cleaning kit:

Disinfectant wipes
Sponge
Broom
Mop with disposable cleaning pads

Ready, set, clean that kitchen!

Got all of your supplies? Great. Now you can dash through the cleaning.

Load the dishwasher. Remember, you don't need to rinse your dishes, just scrape them.
Throw a wet sponge into your microwave for 1 minute on high. The steam from the sponge will loosen any gunk.
Wipe down the sink and counters with the disinfectant wipes.
Run a disinfectant wipe over the stovetop surface to remove any crumbs.
Go back to your microwave and wipe down the inside with the sponge. Be careful. The sponge may still be hot.
Sweep the floor.
Mop and put away your cleaning supplies.

Read more: Clean Your Oven With Ingredients You Already Have at Home

These steps only work quickly if you don't let your kitchen get overwhelmingly gross in the first place. Be sure to wipe up spills as they happen throughout the day to avoid major dried-on messes that will take longer to clean.

For more, check out how to kill mold in your washer and keep it away, and how to degunk your showerhead.