How to Help Your Elderly Parents Clean Up Their Kitchen

If you’ve been called into service to assist your elderly parents with their home care, you might feel— accurately — like you’ve taken on a lot. Surveying the clutter of their kitchen, unearthing long-covered surfaces, figuring out how to help your elderly parents restore a cozy sense of safety and utility in their spaces: All of these disparate activities can add up to a large time investment. This is understandable. We’re here to make this necessary process easier for you. If “help my parents with spring cleaning” is on your to-do list this year, you’re in luck: Continue reading to learn exactly what you need to know to keep this project streamlined and simple.

Kitchen Clean-Up Tips to Help Your Elderly Parents Thrive

Maybe you’re the primary caregiver for your parents; perhaps they live independently or in an assisted care facility. Regardless, they’re going to require support to keep their kitchen safe and easy to use. Here’s a strategic approach that will yield results without frustration: Start by making a checklist to note and prioritize all required tasks. Look around your parents’ kitchen and start by taking stock. There might be a laundry list of activities that need your attention, from scrubbing the oven to re-organizing kitchen tools, decluttering the countertops and establishing a low-impact maintenance routine that your parents can tackle. Putting together an itemized list will help you make the most of the time you’re able to invest in your family’s home. It can also help you and your parents avoid getting overwhelmed by all of the activities that you’ll need to make time for. Edit your parents’ kitchen clutter as much as possible. If your parents have lived in their home for a long time, there’s a good chance that a lot is going on in their kitchen. As extraneous objects can cause confusion, tripping hazards, mental strain and more, decluttering can be an essential safety strategy for seniors. Consider the day-to-day use that your parents will require of their kitchen and leave out only those objects that your parents use frequently. Make sure that everything needed is easy to access and in good condition. Keep your parents involved with low-impact cleaning tasks. With realistic consideration for your parents’ levels of mobility, ask them to help out—it’ll help them be aware of their ongoing maintenance needs and keep them apprised of where their go-to tools are. For example, you can likely ask your parents to help care for natural-stone countertops and floors. On the list should be: products that make the kitchen safe for elderly, such as an easy-use formula that does most of the heavy work by itself, and equip your parents with microfiber cloths and mops with long handles, so they have everything they need for success. Brainstorm a manageable cleaning routine to boost kitchen safety for your elderly parents. Kitchen cleanliness isn’t just about aesthetics. Your parents’ countertops need to be spotless and sanitary to help your parents stay healthy. Before you leave, stock your parents’ cleaning cubbies with one or two simple-to-use stone-care products, such as a good cleaner and a safe polish, and make sure they know not to attempt any DIY projects (even if your mom swears by lemon or vinegar for granite countertops; stay away! These highly acidic products can cause severe damage to natural stone). (Pro tip: Seal your parents’ stone counters for them while you’re able to help out — it’ll make their ongoing cleaning routines that much easier and effective!) Nearly 20 years ago, our Stone Care Experts created a premium brand of stone care and maintenance products. Today, you can use our safe, easy-to-use formulas to make large projects manageable (and keep your stone surfaces in great condition.) We like natural stone for its versatility and durability, and it’s an excellent option for kitchens that need to be sanitary and secure for the long haul. Helping your parents figure out how best to care for their natural-stone surfaces will go a long way towards cementing their health and happiness. For help taking care of your parents’ natural-stone kitchen countertops, backsplashes and stone floors, reach out to our team of Stone Care Experts with three-generations of expertise. Give us a call at 1-800-475-7866 to learn more!