Sinks and countertops: The sink, countertops and kitchen-tables should be thoroughly cleaned before Pesah from any possible Hamets residue. Since in our days we usually don’t place hot food on these surfaces, and these surfaces are not porous, cleaning them thoroughly would be sufficient. Still, following Rabbi Obadia Yosef z”l opinion, it is recommended to pour boiling water on them as an extra precaution.
Tables: A regular dining table, wood or glass, should be just thoroughly cleaned. It is customary to cover it with a new tablecloth for Pesah.
Dishwasher: Before Pesah, the dishwasher should be thoroughly clean of any visible food’s residue. Then it has to run on an empty cycle with detergent and without dishes. Thus, the dishwasher becomes ready for Pesah use. Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Hayim recommends to replace the dishwasher’s racks or to use some added base to cover the racks.
Oven: The oven should not be used for 24 hours. Then we must thoroughly clean it before Pesah to remove any possible Hamets residue. Then, 1. if it is a self-cleaning oven, one self-clean cycle will be enough to have it ready for Pesah. 2. if it is not a self-cleaning oven, after we thoroughly clean it, we should run the oven on the highest temperature-setting for about an hour, including the racks. Then the oven is Kosher for Pesah.
Microwave: We should thoroughly clean the microwave before Pesah to remove any possible Hamets residue. Then, we take a bowl of water with some detergent or soap in it and we let it boil inside the microwave for a few minutes, until the microwave walls are filled with its steam. If the microwave walls are porous this vapor would expel all absorbed Hamets residues, rendering the microwave Kosher for Pesah (If they are not, then the walls will not reabsorb any Hamets anyways). If you can’t do this and you need to use a year-round microwave during Pesah, you should cover the food in a container, Ziploc or any other airtight microwavable cover.
We presented the mainstream Sephardic tradition. Many other rabbis, Ashkenazi and some Sephardic, hold different views. Consult your community rabbi.
As an illustration of the different Minhagim, and to better visualize the process of cleaning for Pesah, watch the following videos.
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SEPHARDIC TRADITION (2 min.), follows Rab Obadya Yosef’s rulings
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ASHKENAZI TRADITION (12 min) Follows cRc Rabbinate (Chicago)
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