How to care, clean and look after your kitchen to make it last

Spillages, stains and food splatters - be gone

A lot happens in the kitchen, so it can be a hard room to keep clean. The evening rush to feed hungry mouths while juggling homework. Making time for late-night emails post-dinner instead of tidying up the lasagne explosion. That’s why when designing our kitchens, we wanted to make sure that they would stand strong over the years and look stylish even when a bit of a mess.

From easy-to-clean surfaces to high-quality cabinets and drawers, we’ve dished up the ingredients for a great kitchen. With a bit of TLC (that part is down to you) the heart of your home will last a generation.

Cabinets and drawers

Muddy pets, clumsy kids, cooking disasters. Our cabinets and drawers are built to withstand whatever life (or children) throw at them. Designed with a sturdy 16mm base, our drawers are built to carry your heaviest crockery and gadgets - including that cast-iron pot that only comes out at Christmas. From toddlers to teenagers, our drawers and hinges will take to family life smoothly - all while closing softly. That's an end to door slamming then.

Being the focal points of almost every kitchen, we wanted to make sure that they were easy to clean. Keep them free from food splatters and grease stains with a general-purpose household cleaner like a sugar soap.

Worktops

Kitchens were made for sharpening cooking skills and enjoying culinary creations. That’s why our laminate worktops are quick to forgive spillages and smears. Whether your tipple is red wine or blackcurrant juice, you’ll be glad to know they’ve undergone rigorous real-life stain testing.

They’re also hygienic, heat and scratch resistant and easy to clean, so they can handle every kind of chef. To avoid any lasting damage from piping-hot saucepans and fresh-out-the-oven banana loaves, we recommend using hot rods as another level of protection.

For wooden worktops, oiling them regularly will keep them looking good as new for longer. Applying an oil enhances the wood’s natural glow and grain and provides a dirt and water-resistant surface. And, with a 25-year guarantee, these worktops will be dusted with enough flour to bake a generation of cookies.

Sinks and taps

They’re sometimes forgotten about but sinks and taps are the mechanics of a working kitchen. They’re used to wash hands and wash up, put water in the kettle and in the dog bowl. Ours are tested for 120,000 cycles (that’s a lot of cuppas) and come with a 10-year guarantee. They’re also cleverly designed to help prevent limescale build-up.

To ensure yours are up to endless brews, remove everyday grime like soap residue, hard water stains and food particles with a powerful kitchen cleaner. Otherwise, lemon juice can do the work of chemicals.

Appliances

Spills and splatters can go unnoticed when trying to get a meal on the table. But once the spaghetti bolognese or spaghetti hoops are served, it's best to give induction or ceramic hobs a quick onceover with an everyday spray cleaner. This wipe-and-go method will avoid the build-up of grease and water marks left by rogue food particles.

The metal filters underneath an extractor can also be a hotspot for grease. Over time, these can affect the ventilation so it's good to give them a good soak every now and then. If washing-up liquid and hot water doesn't cut it, you can always place them in the dishwasher.

A spotless kitchen with a dirty oven? We're all guilty of it. The build-up of burnt food can make an oven less efficient, while a gloomy glass door makes it difficult to keep an eye on your bakes. Start by removing the shelves, and then using your desired kit , spray the oven and leave it to work its magic - an old toothbrush is great for hard-to-reach areas. Just be sure to rinse everything and repeat if necessary until completely clean.

With one of the biggest meals of the year coming up, this also means one of the biggest washing-up jobs is looming. You'll want to know your dishwasher is up to the mammoth task, right? Believe it or not, dishwashers can get quite dirty. Pour some white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe cup or bowl on the top rack of your machine. Run the otherwise-empty dishwasher on its hottest setting. The vinegar will absorb any nasty smells and break down scum. Keep a bottle handle and spritz frequently between washes.

So, that's your kitchen set for Christmas - are you?