How Often You Should Deep-Clean Your Pantry, According To An Expert

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Most adults are just guessing how often things need to be cleaned, right? It's not just us? Staying on top of things can be an uphill battle when it comes to kitchen and pantry maintenance, mainly because the space is being used every single day and deep-cleans certainly can't happen at that frequency. Days, weeks, months pass. Sometimes years. When we finally do show up with a cleaning spray in hand and face the pantry shelves, the entire project can take several hours due to the backlog of tasks. So, how often should you actually be cleaning your pantry?

We asked that question to Alexis Rochester, an investigative chemist and owner of Chemistry Cachet, who says, "Deep cleaning your pantry seasonally (at least twice per year) is a great habit to keep." So, ideally, you'd be cleaning the pantry every three months, with the turn of each season. "As the seasons change, it's easy for items to get pushed to the back and forgotten," Rochester explained. The meals we cook in certain seasons tend to vary, and while some pantry staples might last a year, a lot of them won't. "Taking time to go through your pantry helps reduce food waste, rotate ingredients, check expiration dates, and make sure seasonal items get used while they're still fresh," the chemist told us.

Despite now knowing that quarterly pantry cleaning is the goal we should be striving for, the idea can still feel overwhelming. That might be because we're not approaching the project in a systematic, dare we say strategic, way. "My number one tip for cleaning a pantry is to remove everything from each shelf before you start," Rochester shared with us. "Taking everything out allows you to properly wipe down the surface and remove any dirt or debris. It also helps ensure you don't miss anything hiding in the back," she said. Having this type of cleaning strategy makes the project more doable and less overwhelming, plus you're getting a sense of accomplishment at multiple stages during the cleaning.

It's also wise to evaluate how the current organization system is serving you and fix any issues you might be having with it. If you're constantly running out of space, there are at least 33 pantry storage hacks that will save you a ton of space. Those who like organization bins but have very high shelves can consider putting their pantry staples in clear bins, making them instantly visible from where you're standing. Finally, if dusting and cleaning up old spills is a particularly annoying task for you, follow Martha Stewart's easy trick for keeping pantry shelves nice and neat by lining the pantry shelves with freezer paper. And if you need a few extra storage containers to keep everything separate and in place, you can get a good selection for not too much money online, like these 7 assorted Pantrystar airtight food containers for around $16.