Kitchen cleaning is not an easy job, which is why it pays to have some tricks up your sleeve.
To lend you a hand, we put together a list of hacks that’ll make your next cleaning session a breeze!
Kitchen Cleaning Hacks
We’ve compiled all the hacks you need below to clean your kitchen. Read on to find out more.
#1: Use Lemon & Salt for Wooden Surfaces
The acid in lemon juice has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. This is why it is used as a natural cleaning agent. Use it when you don’t want to use any of the chemical-heavy solutions available on the market.
In the kitchen, lemon can be used in combination with coarse salt to clean cutting boards and even a butcher block surface. For this, simply sprinkle the wooden surface with salt and use half a lemon to gently rub it in. As you scrub, squeeze the lemon so the juice will be released onto the surface.
Let everything sit for about 5 minutes and remove the salt with a clean wet mop or sponge. The result will be a fresh-looking surface with a nice lemony flavor.
#2: Mix Vinegar & Baking Soda for Quick Cleaning
Vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean a lot of things in the kitchen. They’re most effective on burnt pans, pots, trays, and other dirty kitchen tools.
To use it, follow these steps:
- Mix 1 cup of water with 1 cup of vinegar in the pot/pan you want to clean
- Heat the mixture up until it starts to boil
- Stop the heat and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda
- Wait for the fizz to stop and empty the pan
- Scrub with a rough sponge
- Continue adding baking soda until all stubborn spots are gone
#3: Clean Sponges in the Microwave
You may have seen this trick on TV, or you may have heard about it form a friend. Regardless of the source, microwaving a kitchen sponge for 2 minutes will help you get rid of the millions of germs that gather around on these cleaning tools.
#4: Quick Clean Smelly Kitchen Towels
Most kitchen towels don’t last long since we use them around food, drinks, grease, and all sort of other stuff. However, this doesn’t mean you should throw them away after the first few uses!
To remove stubborn stains and smells from the fabric, simply use baking soda and vinegar. We said this concoction will keep popping up! Simply add these two ingredients in the washing machine and let it do its job. Your towels will be rosy fresh in no time!
#5: Clean Granite with Alcohol and Water
Not all surfaces can be cleaned with vinegar or lemon. It’s important to know which cleaning substance works for each material in your kitchen.
For instance, a granite or marble countertop cannot be cleaned with vinegar or bleach. Most natural stones have a porous structure, meaning they will absorb pigment and fats creating unpleasant stains in time.
Instead, use a 50/50 mix of water and isopropyl alcohol. You can tackle tough stains with a baking soda and water paste.
Acids found in cleaning products react with the stone and create crevices that deteriorate their gorgeous initial aspect.
#6: Keep the Trash Bins Fresh with Essential Oils
Garbage is smelly and there’s little you can do about it (until you take it out, of course). However, if you put a cotton ball dipped in essential oils in between the bin and the trash bag, it will keep the bad smell in check (for a while at least). Making sure to vacuum the floors regularly also keeps the floor smelling fresh and clean.
#7: Clean Stainless Steel with Flour
Stainless steel is quite common in most kitchens from appliances to sinks and even countertops. Now, if you have it in your home, you know it loses some of that initial shine in time, becoming dull.
The cool thing is that you can bring that back with plain flour! Simply wash and dry the surface and then sprinkle it with flour (be generous). Get a kitchen cloth or a sponge and start polishing. The metal will be shiny, just like when you first bought it!
#8: Add Some Vinegar in the Dishwasher
If the dishes come out of the dishwasher looking like they’ve just been to the gym (due to water spots), add some vinegar to the mix. All you need to do is place a bowl right-side-up in the bottom rack of the dishwasher and fill it with vinegar. Then, let the machine do its job and enjoy sparkly-looking dishes!
#9: Use a Natural Sink Drain Cleaner
The sink drain has to deal with a lot of nasty stuff from burnt grease to tiny food pieces that fall off the plates/pots/cups when you’re washing them. This is why it clogs a lot faster than your bathroom drain and why it becomes smelly.
Now, there are plenty of expensive products on the market, but if you want a natural cleaner, it’s enough to use vinegar and baking soda or lemon juice and baking soda.
Here’s how to do it:
- Pour hot water down the drain
- Pour a cup of baking soda
- Add a cup of vinegar or lemon juice
The baking soda and acid will react with a fizz-like action, getting rid of grease, grime or clogs in the process.
If you’re spending a lot of time cleaning around the sink, consider picking up a cheap kitchen mat to place at your feet – they’ll hurt less at the end of the day!
#10: Refresh the Microwave with Lemon Water
Just like a regular oven, the microwave gets stained with grease, food, and other residues that harden up and become difficult to remove.
Use some lemon water to soften everything up and save yourself some elbow grease.
Here’s how:
- Place half a cup or bowl of water into the microwave
- Add the juice from a lemon and the lemon itself into the bowl
- Set the microwave to high power and nuke the bowl of lemon water until it comes to a boil
- Stop the heat but don’t open the door for another five minutes (the steam will loosen even the most stubborn of stains)
- Open the door and simply wipe everything down.
#11: Make the Wood Shiny Again
Wooden surfaces such as countertops, cabinets, and even tables attract grease and all sort of residues that, in time, change that shiny aspect. If you want to keep your wood looking fresh and elegant, make sure to rub it with coconut oil from time to time aside from the regular deep cleaning. The oil brings back the beauty of the wood and protects it from bacteria buildup.
#12: Use Vinegar to Clean the Coffee Machine
Believe it or not, the coffee machine can harbor a plethora of germs and bacteria! To make sure you don’t put your health in danger, run a cycle of water and vinegar (equal parts) at least once a month.
To get rid of the vinegar smell, run the machine with just coffee for two cycles. After this, you can go back to enjoying your favorite beverage in the morning!
#13: Freshen up the Fridge with Ground Coffee
If you don’t have the time to thoroughly clean the fridge from top to bottom, spread freshly ground coffee on a plate and place it inside. The beans will absorb the smells, keeping a fresh and clean environment.
#14: Use Vegetable Oil to Remove Oil
Do you know the saying “fight fire with fire”? The same goes for oily substances!
If your kitchen is spattered with oil, don’t go for the strongest chemical cleaner you can find! A strong substance can damage the skin of your hands and the surfaces you’re cleaning! Just use vegetable oil to remove any stains and then wipe and dry the surface.
Source by HomeViable.com
