Get the Dirtiest Parts of Your Kitchen Clean in No Time with Our Expert-Approved Tips

Your kitchen may be the heart of your home, but it's also the place that sees the most messes. No matter how diligent you are with your cleaning routine, there are certain spots where dirt, grime, and bacteria will linger. Ahead, we spoke with a professional to find out which areas of your kitchen are the dirtiest, and how you can get them gleaming again, stat.

Cabinets

One of the two dirtiest places in your kitchen? Your kitchen cabinets, says Liz Trotter of American Maid Cleaning, LLC in Olympia, Washington. This shouldn't come as a surprise, since they are high-touch areas that are also frequently exposed to food-related spills and splashes. "You need to stay on top of keeping these clean," she says; they are incredibly difficult to wash after grim has built up and most cabinetry types are easily damaged by excess oil. Whether these oils come from your skin or stovetop, they can wreak havoc on your cabinets. "Any product that you normally use to cut through oil will work on an ongoing basis—I prefer Dawn dish soap ($2.99, target.com) for maintenance," she says. As a general rule of thumb, give these fixtures a quick wipe-down each day when you're through with dishes. "If you don't, you may find yourself with grease that has permeated the finish—and when you attempt to remove the grease, the finish will also come off!" she warns.

Flooring

Your kitchen floor is another highly-trafficked surface that sees plenty of cooking-related spills (not to mention dropped crumbs, dust, and residual food stains). Cleaning yours regularly is key, notes Trotter, who stands by good, old dish soap for this task, too. "Any neutral cleaner will work on your flooring, but Dawn is another favorite," she says. "Make sure that you are diluting sufficiently (no suds!) and then give your floors a quick rinse. This will keep them looking amazing all the time." It has another welcome bonus: Clean floors means no crumbs, and no bugs and pests looking for a snack.

Ongoing Care

While Trotter suggests frequent cleanings (daily, in the case of your cabinets; wash floors weekly) to keep the aforementioned areas clean, the occasional deep cleanse is just as important. But before you break out any harsh products for this job, read their labels; certain formulas can be too harsh or abrasive for some materials, wood included.