How To Clean That Incredibly Annoying Gap Between Your Counter And Stove

A clean kitchen is a happy, healthy kitchen, but some areas are harder to reach than others. This is certainly true of the space between the stove and your countertop, which seems tailor-made to catch crumbs, dust, and other forms of debris. According to an interview with a professional cleaning company's director of franchise operations (per Martha Stewart), the best way to clean this area is the most straightforward. If possible, Kathy Cohoon recommends moving the oven to access the gap between it and the counter easily.

Once the area is accessible, clear away any dirt clinging to the side of the stove and the counter. Next, use a broom or vacuum cleaner to remove the debris that has fallen to the floor. Finish up using a cleanser to clean the oven, counter, floor, and any other areas normally blocked off. Of course, not everyone can move their stove around, particularly if it's wedged in its nook or you're concerned about damaging the utility connections in the back. In this case, you can employ some other helpful cleaning techniques.

In the event moving your stove is not an option, but there's a relatively sizable gap between it and the counter, there's another method you can employ. You'll need a yardstick or some other long implement and a microfiber cloth or paper towels. Wrap the cloth around the yardstick, then use elastic bands or tape to keep it in place. Now, slide the yardstick between the stove and counter and move it around to dislodge the debris. Move it up and down and side to side to get as much grime as possible.

Next, take your vacuum cleaner and use the thinnest hose attachment available. Slide the attachment between the oven and counter to suck up any debris collected on the ground. If you really want to sterilize the area, take the yardstick and wrap it in a few disinfecting wipes, then slide it into the gap after vacuuming. In the event the space you're cleaning is hopelessly compact and can't accommodate a yardstick, you'll have to get even more inventive.

Normally associated with the care and cleaning of keyboards and other gadgets, compressed air is also a great addition to your kitchen cleaning arsenal. These products come in a spray can with a long, thin hose sticking out of the nozzle, which delivers a pressurized stream of air into hard-to-reach places.

To use compressed air, position the hose into the crevice between the stove and counter and start spraying. You will probably need to move the hose to different areas to send the debris flying between the cracks. Once a fair amount of dirt and grime comes out, you can use a broom and dustpan to sweep it up and deposit it into the trash. When it comes to cleaning frequency, it's generally recommended that you address this area one to two times every year. However, using these effective cleaning methods more frequently ensures that your kitchen remains neat and sanitary.