The trash is overflowing, the garbage disposal smells like the inside of a dirty sock and the sponges lining your sink are so full of bacteria that any second they may stand up and start crawling away. Is it a big deal? Will that rivulet of grease developing on your range hood topple your careful plans to create a comfortable, safe home for your family? Well, yes.

Keeping your kitchen (and other parts of your home) clean is important for a number of reasons we’ll get to in a second. If you aren’t worried about the biology, think economy instead. Cleanliness can save you money. It’s also politically and socially correct. We have 10 reasons you should take an hour a week, or less than 10 minutes a day to keep your kitchen tidy. We aren’t advocating a frontal assault on all things disorganized, jumbled or in need of a friendly wipe-down. A few crumbs in front of the toaster are nothing to get obsessive about. We want to root out dirty or neglectful kitchen habits that can make you sick, cost you money and time, or send a negative message to your kids.

The kitchen is the most important room in the house

It’s just one of those things. Despite my predilections for spouting my opinion like fact (instead of just what I believe), I can’t tell you why this is true. If you have a party – everyone ends up in the kitchen. This is an area of the house where there is family activity,  it is a space that has specific purpose – sorta like the bathroom but if you’re having a party and everyone ends up in the bathroom, I’d say it was either a bad party or 1974.

The kitchen is also the most expensive room in the house. Once you add up all the expenses associated with cabinetry, counter tops, appliances, and lighting (task, accent, and under-counter) ,