How to Clean Your Pantry in 5 Simple Steps—and Keep It That Way

If you have a kitchen pantry, chances are it's brimming with spices, canned goods, baking supplies, grains, and more. Over time, this menagerie of essentials can cause your pantry to build up with crumbs, spills, dust, and even expired food items. Keeping your pantry clean is important for many reasons—it ensures you use items before they go bad, makes it easier to access the ingredients you're looking for, and allows you to clean up spills and crumbs before they attract pests. To make this process easier for you, we're walking you through how to clean out your pantry—which you can do in just five steps.

How Often to Clean Your Pantry

How often you clean your pantry depends on various factors, including how often you use it, the type of food stored there, and the climate of your kitchen. "As a general rule of thumb, aim to clean your pantry thoroughly every three to six months," says Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly Company. "However, you should also do quick maintenance cleanings on a weekly basis to prevent any buildup of spills or crumbs in hard-to-reach places."

Materials Needed

Make sure you have these materials on hand when cleaning your pantry.

• Vacuum with the brush attachment
• Microfiber cloths
• Mild dish soap
• Water

How to Clean Your Pantry

Follow these steps to give your pantry a thorough deep clean.

1. Empty the Pantry

Start by removing all of the contents of your pantry. "This allows you to assess each item individually and clean the shelves more effectively," says Kathy Cohoon, the director of franchise operations of Two Maids. "As you remove items, check their expiration dates and inspect them for any signs of spoilage or damage. Get rid of any expired or unusable items."

2. Vacuum the Shelves

Once the area is completely empty, use a dry cloth or vacuum with a brush attachment to remove any dust or crumbs from the shelves and corners of the pantry, says Mock.

3. Wipe Down the Shelves

Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing warm water and mild dish soap. Dip a microfiber cloth into the cleaning solution and wipe down the shelves and interior walls of the pantry. "Pay close attention to any spills or sticky spots," says Cohoon. Rinse the shelves with clean water to remove any soap residue, and wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth.

4. Wipe Down Pantry Items

Wipe down the items that will be going back into the pantry, such as jars and containers, to ensure they are clean before returning them to the shelves, says Mock. This will remove any built up dust and debris.

5. Organize the Pantry

Finally, organize your pantry items back onto the shelves, grouping similar items together for easy access. For example, store canned goods in one area, baking supplies in another, and snacks in a separate section, says Mock. Use storage bins to keep smaller items together. If any items are expiring soon, place them in your direct line of sight so you remember to use them, says Cohoon.

Tips for Keeping Your Pantry Clean

Keep your pantry clean for longer by following these maintenance tips.

• Regularly check expiration dates and rotate older items to the front to ensure they are used before they expire, says Mock.
• Use airtight containers to store dry goods such as flour, sugar, and grains to prevent pests.
• Wipe down pantry shelves and surfaces regularly to avoid a buildup of dust and spills.
• Consider installing shelf liners to make cleaning up spills easier and protect the shelves from damage, says Mock.