There’s never a bad time to rethink and revamp your cleaning routines. I’m the sort of crazy that cannot start work or begin a new project if the house isn’t clean. I just can’t do it. And while I certainly have my flaws, the cleanliness of my kitchen, the beating heart of my home, isn’t one of them, due to my daily, weekly, and monthly routines. So let’s talk about how often we should actually be cleaning our stovetops.

There are two primary questions to consider: What kind of stove do you have and how often do you use it? That being said, no matter what type of stove you use—be it induction, electric, or gas—it should be wiped down after each use. This will prevent crumbs, splatters, grease, and gunk from building up and baking onto the surface. If you can just make yourself do this one thing, I promise you will thank yourself later on when it’s time to deep clean.