With spring fast approaching, many of us are starting to think about the dreaded spring clean. All that accumulated dirt and dust which gathers in the dreary winter months suddenly starts to show, once a little sunlight is cast on it.

In the kitchen the problem can be even worse. Not only is the kitchen the room where we spend much of our time, it has the added complication of being a food preparation area and where we clean up all our dirty plates and cups. Add to that the laundry many of us do in the kitchen and the family eating area and you have recipe for plenty of dirt. Both the visible kind and the hidden sort.

So, when the time comes to invest in some new kitchen cupboard doors, handles or a new worktop, you should consider choosing something which is low maintenance and which will not show the dirt. You also want to avoid cluttered areas where dirt can live quite happily without being noticed.

The following tips will point you in the right direction when choosing your next replacement doors or worktops:

Go for plain

Plain might seem a little boring, but it is definitely easier to clean. Fancy doors with grooves and patterns can be a devil to keep clean. They trap the dust and require more than just the general wipe over which a plain door will need.

Plain needn't be boring either. You can opt for some interesting colours and accessorise with some great door handles. You will have the best of both worlds. Low maintenance and great looking.

Choose satin finishes

As great as gloss doors look, they can be impossible to keep smear free. A satin finish can be cleaned with a general all purpose cleaner and any residual smears will not be noticed. This could cut your cleaning time down by half. If you do choose gloss doors a good window cleaner is often useful – but resign your self to a high maintenance (but thoroughly modern) kitchen.

Woodgrain for kids

A woodgrain finish is the best option for hiding those sticky child finger marks. In fact even us adults have a habit of leaving finger marks on kitchen cupboard doors. The natural patterns on a woodgrain kitchen door will hide many sins and marks could even be mistaken for being part of the original pattern.

Satin worktops

Once again satin comes into its own when considering worktops. While a high gloss worktop might look fantastic it will be hard to keep looking that way. You will need special cleaners and techniques and they will need to be done several times a day. A satin worktop will be just fine with little more than a wipe.

If you choose a granite, natural stone or solid wood worktop you will also need to give yourself plenty of extra time to keep them in good shape. All that polishing and oiling takes dedication.

Keep it simple

Avoid having too may open ended shelving units, wine racks or shelves in your new kitchen. The reason for this is that if dust is going to land anywhere it will be in these nooks and crannies. Also it can lead to a generally cluttered look.

Hiding your kitchen equipment away inside cupboards will keep it cleaner and prevent build ups of dust and grease all over everything you own. It is worthwhile keeping shelving and racks behind closed doors to help keep it all free of dirt and dust. Plus your kitchen will look sleeker and cleaner.