Bring Some Routine to your Kitchen Cleanup

There’s a lot to learn about routine in a professional kitchen. From the order of tasks that need to be completed to open, to the timing observed when preparing ingredients and dishes, to the systematic way that the kitchen is cleaned and closed each night: every job has its place in the routine. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of chaos, and a lot of mess. But it’s controlled chaos, and the routine and rhythm makes for good service, great food and easier kitchen cleanup.

The same concept of routine can be easily translated to the home kitchen. In fact, it’s the best way to make your home cooking experience faster, more efficient, and more fun. If you’ve taken a cooking class or a Boot Camp with The Chopping Block, you’ll know how useful it can be to pre-measure ingredients beforehand, otherwise known as mise en place. You’ll also understand that it can be efficient to work on multiple recipes at a time. But for your cleanup, there’s always room for a little routine as well.

Here are 5 steps that you can take to make your cleanup more efficient: 

1. Clean as you go. The phrase “clean as you go” is something of a mantra in a restaurant kitchen, and it’s not too hard to see why. The more cleaning you can accomplish during your meal prep, the less you have to do afterward. Sometimes, it might seem that there’s not a lot of down time between tasks, and you might let dishes stack up by the stove. However, we all know that feeling of impatience when waiting for a steak to sear or a roast to finish up in the oven. As you cook, practice turning that impatience into something productive: wash some dishes, wipe down a few surfaces, put away ingredients or clear away clutter from your work area. The more you practice this, the more natural it will become. 
2. Wash big things first, then tackle smaller dishes. When you’ve finished in the kitchen, a huge pile of dishes can seem daunting. Whether you’ve got a dishwasher or just a sink, the same logic applies. Handwash the biggest things to get them out of your way first: braisers, pots or frying pans. Getting these things out of the sink will give you a better idea of how many dishes you actually have, and it will free up more space in your dishwasher, meaning less loads and less cleanup time. Then focus your attention on the smaller things: measuring cups, spoons and gadgets. They’re likely not to be as dirty as those bigger dishes, so you’ll be able to polish them off more quickly. 
3. Do a little deep-cleaning every day. A restaurant kitchen needs a lot of love and a lot of deep cleaning, and it’s usually set on a rotating schedule. While I do personally love routines, a monthly deep-cleaning calendar might be a little obsessive for the home kitchen. Instead, focus your attention on one deep cleaning task each time you cook. Whether it’s degreasing your range hood, cleaning your oven, or getting rid of a few things from the back of your fridge, you’ll find your kitchen cleaning duties a lot easier in the long run. More little tasks mean less effort when you go to give your kitchen a full deep-clean, and that simple maintenance cleaning will give you a better idea of exactly how fast your kitchen gets dirty! 
4. Ask for help! If you’re part of a big family, you’re probably no stranger to handing out cleaning tasks. But even if you’ve just got a few roommates, a significant other, or a big dinner party, make your cooking and cleaning routine a group activity. It might be hard to ask for help at first, but if you can incorporate teamwork into your routine, your cleanup will be much easier and a lot more fun. Try assigning tasks, or letting your friends pick out the tasks that they prefer to do. Either way, you’ll be left with a little less work and a much cleaner kitchen. 
5. Follow your routine every single time. A routine isn’t a routine until it becomes a habit. Whether it’s cleaning as you go, following the steps of a recipe to the letter, or completing your cleaning tasks in the same order each time, you should always try for efficiency and consistency when you cook and clean. Of course, I’m not advocating so much order that you stop having fun! You need just enough organization to make cleanup go a little quicker each time you’re done cooking. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, try making a small checklist for your cleaning or cooking tasks and see if helps keep you on track. A little planning can go a long way to making your time in the kitchen less stressful. 

While some of these tips may seem like common sense, they’re meant to be. There are so many simple ways to reduce your cleaning time, and many of them will come down to your own personal workflow and your own level of comfort in the kitchen.