Kitchen Deep Cleaning Checklist: Oven to Range Hood

A kitchen deep cleaning checklist works top to bottom: the range hood and its filters first, then the oven, stove top, microwave, fridge, cabinets, dishwasher, sink, counters and backsplash, and the floors last, so grease and crumbs only fall on what you haven’t cleaned yet. The one exception to “start high” is a self-cleaning oven: start its cycle early, because it runs for hours.

The kitchen deep cleaning checklist, short version

Print it, tape it inside a cabinet door, tick it off. Details for each line are further down.

1. Range hood: filters soaking, hood wiped outside and underneath. Charcoal filters get replaced, not washed.
2. Oven: self-clean cycle, or an oven cleaner used exactly as its label says. Racks out, door glass wiped.
3. Stove top: grates or burner parts soaking, glass tops scraped and polished.
4. Microwave: steam, wipe, turntable, door seal.
5. Fridge: empty it, wash shelves and drawers, wipe walls and gaskets, check the coils.
6. Cabinets: degrease the fronts and tops, wipe the handles, shelves inside if they’re empty.
7. Dishwasher: filter, door edge, front.
8. Sink and disposal: sink, faucet base, the disposal’s rubber baffle.
9. Counters and backsplash: clear them, degrease behind the stove, wipe the outlet covers.
10. Floors, last: vacuum or sweep under the toe kicks, then mop.

How do you deep clean a kitchen?

You deep clean a kitchen from the ceiling down: get the slow jobs going first (filters soaking, oven cycle running), then work your way lower and leave the floor for the end. Four ground rules before you start:

• Read the label on every cleaner, and the manual for anything that plugs in. Most of the “don’ts” below come straight from those.
• Never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other acids. Washington State’s Department of Health warns that bleach and ammonia make toxic chloramine gas, and it counts vinegar and dishwasher detergents among the acids. One product at a time, and rinse in between.
• Clean first, disinfect second. A disinfectant only works on a surface that’s already clean.
• Open a window and wear gloves. And keep steel wool off anything with a finish.

1. Range hood and filters

The hood goes first because whatever you scrub off it lands lower down.

How do you clean range hood filters?

Metal range hood filters soak clean in warm water with mild detergent, or go through the dishwasher if your manual allows it. Charcoal filters can’t be washed at all.

1. Turn the hood off and pop the filters out. Most have a latch or a finger pull.
2. Fill the sink with warm water and mild dish detergent. Soak the filters 15 to 20 minutes per side, per Broan-NuTone’s guidance.
3. Brush them gently with a soft brush and rinse.
4. Dishwasher instead? Only if your owner’s manual allows it. For all-metal filters, Broan-NuTone says to use a non-phosphate detergent; phosphates or hard water can discolor them, though it doesn’t hurt how they work.
5. Let them dry completely before they go back in.
6. While they’re out, wipe the hood’s underside and outside with warm soapy water, then dry it.

A ductless hood (the kind that blows air back into the room) also has a charcoal filter behind the grease filter. Broan-NuTone says those can’t be washed and have to be replaced, normally every three to six months.

2. Oven

First, know which oven you have. Self-cleaning and regular ovens get cleaned differently, and the wrong product in the wrong one can damage it.

Self-cleaning oven

1. Take everything out: pans, probes, foil, silicone mats. GE warns that foil or mats left in during the cycle can damage the oven.
2. Pull the racks unless they’re labeled “Self-Clean” or “Never-Scrub.” Shiny racks can discolor and warp.
3. Wipe up loose spills and liquid grease with a wet cloth, and wipe the inside of the door glass. No cleaner spray while you prep: GE says no commercial oven cleaner or oven liner of any kind should be used in or around a self-clean oven.
4. Open a window or run the hood fan. A little smoke is normal.
5. Run the cycle. GE puts it at one and a half to three hours, plus 30 to 90 minutes to cool.
6. Once it’s cold, wipe out the white ash with water and vinegar.

Regular oven, or an oven cleaner

1. Read the can before you buy it, not after. Oven cleaner labels say which ovens and surfaces they can touch, and some list self-cleaning ovens under “do not use.” If the label doesn’t clearly allow it, keep it out of a self-cleaning oven.
2. Follow the label’s own steps for temperature, gloves, ventilation and dwell time, and keep the spray off anything the label rules out.
3. Wipe the residue off with plenty of clean water before you heat the oven again.
4. Soak the racks in hot soapy water in the tub or a big sink, and scrub them there.

3. Stove top

On a stove top, soak whatever comes off and degrease the surface underneath. On glass, you scrape.

Gas range: pull the grates and burner caps and let them soak in hot soapy water while you do the rest. Wipe the cooktop under them, get the crumbs out of the corners, and dry the grates before they go back. Check your manual before grates go in the dishwasher or through a self-clean cycle.

Glass or ceramic top, following GE’s instructions for burned-on residue:

1. Let the cooktop cool completely.
2. Put a few drops of a glass cooktop cleaning cream over the whole burned-on area.
3. Hold a razor scraper at about a 45° angle to the glass and scrape, keeping a little cream on the spot. Use a sharp blade, never a nicked one.
4. Wipe off what’s left, polish with the cream, then wipe all of it off before you turn a burner on. GE warns that sponges or cleaners other than the recommended ones can damage the cooktop.

4. Microwave

Let steam do the work. Heat a microwave-safe bowl of water (a lemon slice is optional) until the inside fogs up, wait a few minutes, then open the door slowly. The bowl will be hot.

1. Take out the turntable and the roller ring and wash them in the sink.
2. Wipe the ceiling first, then the walls, the floor and the inside of the door.
3. Clean the door seal and the edge where crumbs get stuck.
4. Leave the door open a few minutes to dry.
5. Over-the-range model? Wash its small grease filter the same way as a hood filter.

No steel wool or scouring pads in there. They scratch the coating.

5. How to deep clean a fridge (and the coils)

Deep cleaning a fridge means emptying it completely, washing every part that comes out, and wiping the walls and door seals before the food goes back. The FDA recommends cleaning the fridge regularly, wiping spills right away, and keeping it at 40 °F or below.

1. Take everything out. Toss anything expired, and put perishables in a cooler while you work.
2. Pull out the shelves and drawers. Let cold glass warm up a bit before it meets hot water.
3. Wash them in warm soapy water, rinse and dry.
4. Wipe the walls, the ceiling and the door bins, top to bottom. Run a cloth through the folds of the door gaskets, where crumbs and sticky drips hide.
5. Wipe the outside, the top and the handles. Stainless steel gets a cleaner made for it, wiped with the grain.
6. Put everything back dry. An open box of baking soda helps with lingering smells.

Do you need to clean fridge coils?

Maybe not. GE says the condenser on its current auto-defrost refrigerators sits inside the compressor housing, and those coils don’t need cleaning under normal conditions. Whirlpool says routine coil cleaning usually isn’t needed in a normal home, but households with pets, heavy kitchen traffic or construction dust should inspect and clean them every three to six months.

If your coils are reachable:

1. Unplug the fridge or switch off its breaker.
2. Take off the base grille at the bottom front.
3. Vacuum the grille and the coils with a soft brush attachment, or use a coil brush. Don’t bend the fins or tubing, and leave the ice maker’s water line alone.
4. Snap the grille back on and turn the power back on.

Whirlpool notes that on some models only a certified service person can clean the coils. Your manual says which kind you have.

6. Cabinets and grease

The sticky film on kitchen cabinets is cooking oil that rose as vapor and settled, which is why it’s worst next to the stove and on the cabinet tops. Start with warm water and dish soap.

1. Do the cabinet tops first (a step stool, a damp cloth, and patience).
2. Wipe the doors with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. On sticky spots, let it sit a minute.
3. Use a soft cloth or a non-scratch sponge, never a scouring pad.
4. Rinse with a clean damp cloth and dry right away, so water doesn’t sit on wood or paint.
5. Wipe the handles, the knobs and the edges where hands grab.
6. For heavier buildup, use a degreaser only if its label lists your cabinet finish, and test it inside a door first.

If your cabinets came with care instructions, those beat anything here.

7. Dishwasher

Most dishwashers have a filter at the bottom. Whirlpool’s rule of thumb is to clean it once a month, or every two weeks if you run the dishwasher daily.

1. Pull out the bottom rack.
2. Twist the filter out (on many models, a quarter turn counterclockwise, then lift).
3. Rinse it under running water, using a soft brush on hard-water deposits. Whirlpool warns that wire brushes and scouring pads can damage it.
4. Put it back and lock it in place.
5. Wipe the door edges, the gasket, the control panel and the front.

8. Sink and disposal

1. Scrub the basin, the faucet, and the base of the faucet where gunk collects.
2. If the disposal’s rubber baffle comes out, pull it and scrub its underside. InSinkErator suggests a scouring pad for that part.
3. Run cold water and drop in ice cubes with a few lemon or lime wedges to freshen it.
4. Keep fats, oils and harsh cleaning products out of the disposal, as InSinkErator advises. And never put your hand inside it.
5. Empty the cabinet under the sink, wipe it out, and look for drips while it’s empty.

9. Counters and backsplash

Clear the counters completely and wipe behind the coffee maker and toaster. The backsplash behind the stove gets the cabinet treatment: warm water, dish soap, rinse, dry. On natural stone, skip the vinegar and use a cleaner labeled safe for stone.

10. Floors, last

Vacuum or sweep, toe kicks included, plus the gaps beside the fridge and the stove. Then mop, and keep everyone off it until it’s dry.

How often to clean each part

There’s no single schedule for a whole kitchen, but manufacturers do give intervals for these parts.

What	How often	Source
Aluminum mesh hood filter	About monthly; more often if you fry or wok-cook	Broan-NuTone
Charcoal hood filter (ductless hoods)	Replace every 3 to 6 months; can’t be washed	Broan-NuTone
Dishwasher filter	Monthly; every 2 weeks with daily use	Whirlpool
Fridge coils	Usually not routine; every 3 to 6 months with pets, heavy traffic or dust; none on encased models	Whirlpool, GE
Fridge spills and temperature	Wipe spills right away; keep at 40 °F or below	FDA

Doing it before Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26. If you’re hosting, deep clean a week or two ahead, not the night before. A self-clean cycle smokes a little and ties up the oven for hours, and you’ll want the fridge empty and the shelves clean before the turkey and the sides need the room.

When to stop and call a pro

Some kitchens are more than a Saturday afternoon’s work. Call someone if:

• The oven has years of baked-on grease and you’d rather not spend a day in gloves with a caustic cleaner.
• You can’t tell what kind of oven, cooktop or coils you have and the manual is long gone. Guessing is how glass tops get scratched.
• Grease is up inside the hood fan or the ductwork. That’s a job for a hood or duct specialist, not a filter soak (and it isn’t on our list either).
• Your back says no to the cabinet tops, the toe kicks and pulling the fridge out.

What our kitchen visits include

What we clean in your kitchen depends on which visit you book. This comes straight from our checklists:

Kitchen item	Deep cleaning	Move-in/move-out cleaning
Microwave	Inside and out	Inside and out
Stove, backsplash, cabinet fronts	Removable stains cleaned with a wet cloth or steamer	Stove top cleaned and polished
Cabinets and drawers, inside	Add-on, chosen when you book	Included, inside and outside
Refrigerator	Outside, top, front and sides; inside is an add-on	Inside and outside, top and sides
Oven, inside	Add-on (also for a double oven)	Included, inside and out
Dishwasher	Outside, top, front and sides	Outside, top, front and sides
Floors	Vacuumed, then wet and dry mop	Vacuumed, then wet and dry mop

Range hood filters, fridge coils and the dishwasher filter aren’t on either list. Those stay with you.

Living there with full cabinets? Book deep cleaning and add the oven, fridge or cabinet interiors when you book; anything you don’t add stays off the visit. Moving? The move-in/move-out list already covers the insides, and our move-in cleaning checklist explains why the empty-house day is the time. Kitchen already kept up? Standard house cleaning covers the stove top, the microwave and the outsides. The other rooms are in our whole-house deep cleaning checklist. You see the total before you confirm, and no payment is taken when you book.

Frequently asked questions

What should be on a kitchen deep cleaning checklist?

A kitchen deep cleaning checklist should cover the range hood and filters, the oven, the stove top, the microwave, the fridge inside and out, the cabinet fronts and tops, the dishwasher filter, the sink and disposal, the counters and backsplash, and the floors. Work in that order, top to bottom, with the floors last.

How do you clean range hood filters?

Soak metal mesh filters in warm water with mild dish detergent for 15 to 20 minutes per side, brush gently, rinse and dry. If your owner’s manual says they’re dishwasher-safe, run them through with a non-phosphate detergent. Charcoal filters in ductless hoods can’t be washed; replace them every three to six months.

Can you use oven cleaner in a self-cleaning oven?

Usually not. GE says no commercial oven cleaner of any kind should be used in or around its self-clean ovens, and some oven cleaner labels rule out self-cleaning ovens. Check your oven’s manual and the cleaner’s label, and if either says no, don’t.

How do you deep clean a fridge?

Empty the fridge, toss expired food, and keep perishables in a cooler. Remove the shelves and drawers, wash them in warm soapy water, rinse and dry. Wipe the walls, door bins and door gaskets, then the outside and handles. Put everything back dry and keep the fridge at 40 °F or below, as the FDA recommends.

Do you need to clean refrigerator coils?

It depends on the model. GE says its current auto-defrost fridges have encased coils that don’t need cleaning. Whirlpool says routine coil cleaning usually isn’t needed, but homes with pets, heavy kitchen traffic or dust should check them every three to six months. Unplug the fridge first and vacuum the coils gently.

How we made this guide

• The “What our kitchen visits include” table comes from the checklists our team works from on deep cleaning and move-in and move-out visits.
• Range hood filter cleaning and replacement: Broan-NuTone help center, how to clean grease filters, how often to clean filters and charcoal filter replacement.
• Oven and cooktop: GE, cleaning options for your gas or electric oven, plus the GE support articles “Range & Wall Oven: Tips for Self Clean” and “Electric Range & Cooktop: Glass Cooktop Cleaning Instructions” on GE’s support site.
• Fridge: FDA, Are You Storing Food Safely?; Whirlpool, how and when to clean the condenser coils; GE’s support article “Refrigerator: NeverClean Condenser.”
• Dishwasher filter: Whirlpool, how to clean the dishwasher filters. Disposal: InSinkErator FAQ.
• Chemical safety: Washington State Department of Health, dangers of mixing bleach with cleaners.