How to Design a Kitchen That’s Easy to Clean
Eager to reduce scrubbing time? Get expert advice on making easy maintenance part of your kitchen plan
Victoria Harrison
June 10, 2019
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
The kitchen tends to be the room in our home that needs the most cleaning. The good news is that, with a little planning, you can have a design that makes cleaning a breeze and allows you to spend less time mopping and more time enjoying your space. Check out these expert tips from Eva Byrne of Houseology; Nicolle Whyte, designer at Harvey Jones; and Louise Delaney, design manager at Cameron Interiors.
Buy Easy-Clean Appliances
It’s understandable to be dazzled by the performance or look of a smart new kitchen appliance, but Byrne suggests that you also consider potential purchases with a view to keeping them clean. “Choose a [range] that’s fuss-free and easy to wipe down without needing any exotic lotions or solutions,” she says. “Have a good look at details, such as the knobs on your oven, to make sure there are no hard-to-get-at nooks. Knobs that are too close together mean you can’t get a cloth between them, for example.”
Whyte agrees and suggests choosing an induction cooktop, “as it’s flat, easy and safe to clean.” Furthermore, Delaney says, induction cooktops save you from having to clean the grates and other parts found on gas cooktops.
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It’s understandable to be dazzled by the performance or look of a smart new kitchen appliance, but Byrne suggests that you also consider potential purchases with a view to keeping them clean. “Choose a [range] that’s fuss-free and easy to wipe down without needing any exotic lotions or solutions,” she says. “Have a good look at details, such as the knobs on your oven, to make sure there are no hard-to-get-at nooks. Knobs that are too close together mean you can’t get a cloth between them, for example.”
Whyte agrees and suggests choosing an induction cooktop, “as it’s flat, easy and safe to clean.” Furthermore, Delaney says, induction cooktops save you from having to clean the grates and other parts found on gas cooktops.
Find a kitchen designer near you on Houzz
“We recommend choosing appliances with cleaning programs included,” Delaney says. “Let your appliance do the cleaning for you!” She suggests choosing ovens with pyrolytic cleaning functions (which heat the oven to high temperatures to burn off residue), steam ovens with automatic steam cleaning and drying programs, and coffee machines with automatic cleaning.
Pick a Simple Backsplash
Tile is a popular choice for a kitchen backsplash, but if you don’t want to spend time scrubbing grout to keep it sparkling clean, there are other options.
If you’re set on tile, pick a large-format style to minimize the amount of grout you have to clean. If you choose a glass backsplash, you won’t have to deal with grout at all, Whyte points out.
Tile is a popular choice for a kitchen backsplash, but if you don’t want to spend time scrubbing grout to keep it sparkling clean, there are other options.
If you’re set on tile, pick a large-format style to minimize the amount of grout you have to clean. If you choose a glass backsplash, you won’t have to deal with grout at all, Whyte points out.
Favor Flat-Front Cabinets
“Selecting smooth furniture fronts prevents cooking residue forming on decorative grooves and ridges,” Delaney says. Watch out for cutout pulls, though, since they can harbor crumbs.
“Selecting smooth furniture fronts prevents cooking residue forming on decorative grooves and ridges,” Delaney says. Watch out for cutout pulls, though, since they can harbor crumbs.
Choose Your Countertop Material Wisely
“Select materials such as Corian, quartz, steel or sintered stone [mineral and stone particles bound together with heat and pressure], which are nonporous, prevent stains and are easy to wipe clean,” Delaney says.
“Solid-surface [countertops], such as Corian, are probably the most hygienic,” Whyte says. “They have a seamless finish and therefore don’t have grooves to trap dirt. This is why you see them used in hospitals and fast-food chains.”
Your Guide to 15 Popular Kitchen Countertop Materials
“Select materials such as Corian, quartz, steel or sintered stone [mineral and stone particles bound together with heat and pressure], which are nonporous, prevent stains and are easy to wipe clean,” Delaney says.
“Solid-surface [countertops], such as Corian, are probably the most hygienic,” Whyte says. “They have a seamless finish and therefore don’t have grooves to trap dirt. This is why you see them used in hospitals and fast-food chains.”
Your Guide to 15 Popular Kitchen Countertop Materials
Position Bins Strategically
Where’s the best place in your kitchen for the trash and recycling bins? To ensure that cleaning up is as efficient as possible, they should be beneath the sink, Byrne says. The goal, she says, is to create “minimum distance between sink and bins, which means minimum opportunities for spills and mess.”
Where’s the best place in your kitchen for the trash and recycling bins? To ensure that cleaning up is as efficient as possible, they should be beneath the sink, Byrne says. The goal, she says, is to create “minimum distance between sink and bins, which means minimum opportunities for spills and mess.”
Use Durable Paint
If you have painted walls in your kitchen, you’ll need to wipe them down more often than the walls in other rooms. Choosing a hardwearing paint finish will make this job easier.
“Use an oil-based eggshell [finish], as you can easily wipe this clean without damaging the paint,” Whyte says.
Pick the Right Paint Finish to Fit Your Style
If you have painted walls in your kitchen, you’ll need to wipe them down more often than the walls in other rooms. Choosing a hardwearing paint finish will make this job easier.
“Use an oil-based eggshell [finish], as you can easily wipe this clean without damaging the paint,” Whyte says.
Pick the Right Paint Finish to Fit Your Style
Avoid Open Shelves
Open shelves may look attractive when beautifully styled, but they can be a high-maintenance cleaning option if you have to move dishes, books and decorative objects just to run a duster over the surface.
For a fuss-free kitchen design, Byrne recommends avoiding open shelves “that gather dust and grime” and springing for wall cabinets instead. For this kitchen, she chose a run of sleek uppers, with just one small shelving unit at the right for displaying a few easy-to-dust items.
Open shelves may look attractive when beautifully styled, but they can be a high-maintenance cleaning option if you have to move dishes, books and decorative objects just to run a duster over the surface.
For a fuss-free kitchen design, Byrne recommends avoiding open shelves “that gather dust and grime” and springing for wall cabinets instead. For this kitchen, she chose a run of sleek uppers, with just one small shelving unit at the right for displaying a few easy-to-dust items.
Use Drawer and Shelf Liners
Drawers can be a bit of a minefield to keep tidy, with crumbs and dust sifting down to settle at the bottom. To keep on top of this, Byrne suggests lining drawers and shelves “with wipeable liner material, cut to size, to prolong the life of your units.”
Whyte agrees and suggests choosing “a melamine finish on the inside of cabinets, as it doesn’t absorb spillages like oak or walnut would.”
Tell us: Which of these ideas would you use? Do you have other suggestions for an easy-clean kitchen? Let us know in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read other stories about kitchen design
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Drawers can be a bit of a minefield to keep tidy, with crumbs and dust sifting down to settle at the bottom. To keep on top of this, Byrne suggests lining drawers and shelves “with wipeable liner material, cut to size, to prolong the life of your units.”
Whyte agrees and suggests choosing “a melamine finish on the inside of cabinets, as it doesn’t absorb spillages like oak or walnut would.”
Tell us: Which of these ideas would you use? Do you have other suggestions for an easy-clean kitchen? Let us know in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read other stories about kitchen design
Find a local kitchen remodeler
Shop for kitchen and dining products
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I'm a fan of open shelving instead of wall cabinets but after reading this article, I think I would rather have no upper cabinets at all. Clean and minimal design is what I have planned for my next home.
I would have thought open shelving would be easier since you can just take the stuff off the shelf and clean the shelf. A lot easier and more fully clean than cabinets. ???
I've had open shelves for 10-12 years with no problem. For me, a short person, I had them hung lower that what a cabinet would be, so can actually reach and use the second shelf! I have the everyday things on the first 2 shelves and usually dust the shelving when most of the dishes are in the dishwasher. To each their own, but I enjoy mine every day.