How to Keep a Kitchen Clean

Among the many lessons I have learned from my experience studying abroad, it is that many families and schools have failed to equip the youth of America to keep cooking facilities reasonably clean. Some kind of reform in early education is obviously necessary, but in order to break the cycle of ignorance, I have decided, from the generosity that wells up within me every time I clean up after my peers, to draw up this brief guide to cleaning the kitchen.

Pre-washing preparation of dishes. The importance of scraping and washing dishes as soon as possible after use cannot be underestimated. Removing solid chunks of food from the dishes by scraping them into a garbage can or disposal is absolutely essential to maintaining the usability of the sink. In addition, the rinsing of any sort of semi-liquid waste, together with perhaps some very small solid waste, not only makes eventual washing easier by preventing said waste from drying into an impenetrable film, but it also allows the dishwater to be kept as clean as possible during the actual washing processes, leading to cleaner dishes overall.
Pre-washing storage of dishes. Ideally, one would always wash dishes relatively soon after use in order to keep the kitchen in a tidy condition. Sometimes, however, scheduling conflicts or the small volume of dishes used can make such a process inconvenient or superfluous. In any case, after going through the pre-washing procedure outlined above, one should make every effort to find a suitable storage location for the dirty dish outside the sink. This serves the same purpose as scraping the dishes, that is, to allow the sink to fulfill its normal function as much as possible. Washing dishes is easiest when one begins with an empty sink, and any attempts to store dishes in the sink on a long-term basis add an unnecessary step when the time to wash comes. If counter space is limited, the stacking of similar types of dishes can be very helpful.
Actual washing of dishes. This is the most straightforward of all the steps, but some guidance is still necessary. The key element is that a dish should not be considered washed before it is actually clean. This means that there is no foodstuff of any kind remaining on any surface of the dish. Those who are blind may wish to run their fingers across a dish to ensure that this is the case, since dishes are often designed to be more or less smooth in their clean state.
Pre-drying storage. Especially if one person is doing all the dishes by himself, it is impractical to dry a dish immediately after it has been washed. As such, a rack of some sort is desireable, and for the sake of convenience, they should be placed on that rack in an organized fashion. This makes hand-drying more efficient, because it allows for the dishes that go in the same place to be dried all at once. Beyond that, though, it makes air-drying more efficient, because it allows those dishes that are ready for use to be found much more easily. Especially in the case of air-drying, all dishes should be placed so that there are no places where standing water can gather, in order to avoid the water spots that can make food and drink unappetizing. Spoons and cups in particular should be stored upside down.
Drying. Any idiot can dry dishes.
Miscellaneous cleaning. When one is done cooking, one will often find that the dishes are not the only part of the kitchen that calls for cleaning: something may have spilled on the counter or the table, or crumbs may cover the floor. In the case of spills, the same general practice should be followed as for dishes. Any outstanding solid or semi-liquid waste should be removed as soon as possible to prevent the drying process from making clean-up needlessly difficult. In addition, though complaining about the untidy state of the floor is a valuable step in coming to grips with the problem, it is no substitute for some quick work with the broom. Even a mediocre sweeping job can often result in notable improvements that can reduce the risk of anyone needing a tetanus shot after walking across the floor.
Garbage. The garbage can is an essential tool in cleaning, as illustrated above, but it, too, needs to be cleaned on occasion. This is known as "emptying" the garbage. Many people appear to be well-acquainted with the process of tying up the garbage bag, but few seem adequately equipped to go on from there. Most think that the most appropriate course of action is to leave the garbage bag beside the can, which is admittedly an improvement over the occasional tendency to leave the tied garbage bag in the actual can, but it still does not go far enough. If garbage cannot immediately be taken out, it can still be placed in the hallway or some other area where people heading toward the long-term garbage storage area will see it. The next step in this process is for someone, perhaps not even the person who filled up the garbage can, to take responsibility for the garbage to which he or she has contributed in some degree and to carry that bag to the long-term storage area. Most such areas are situated relatively near the building, and those confused about the location are welcome to ask their better-informed peers.
Community issues. As stated before, it is not always necessary or practical to wash every dish as it is used: one would rightly think it is ridiculous to go to the trouble of washing a single cup or butter knife at a time. This process cannot carry on forever, though, and after a short time of non-washing, small items often pile up to a formidable degree. The solution is similar to that stated above for the garbage. If one is washing dishes and notices a few extra items, even if they are not his, it would be helpful if he would wash them regardless. If everyone did this every few days, most pile-up situations could be easily avoided.

Thank you for your time.