Clean Your Kitchen – Naturally

Common household cleaners can contain chemicals that cause concern for humans and pets. For example,
Aging Parents Authority notes that ammonia is not only a potential trigger for asthma, it can be deadly if mixed with common bleach. The group also notes that many common dishwasher products include dry chlorine, and are the #1 cause of accidental child poisonings.

A good way to assure that the kitchen cleaners you use aren’t dangerous or unhealthy is to create them yourself from simple ingredients. You’ll be surprised at the things baking soda, vinegar, and maybe a little dish soap (a natural brand, of course) can do.

Baking soda, in fact, is a healthy kitchen’s best friend. According to
NaturalHomeCleaningTips.com, a box or small bowl of baking soda set aside in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard keeps unpleasant odors at bay. Sprinkle a little on the bottom of your garbage bin or pail and after you put in a new bag to tackle garbage odors. Baking soda can even be used to extinguish grease fires, or to clean almost any kitchen surface when sprinkled on a damp cloth.

If you have food containers that contain stale smells, rinse them with baking soda and hot water. For persistent smells, soak the container overnight. Baking soda is even useful when cleaning silver—use a paste of 3 parts baking soda and one part water. Rub onto each item, rinse with cold water, and dry.

As if that wasn’t enough, use baking soda to remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor. Simply sprinkle with baking soda and wipe with a warm, damp cloth (safe for no-wax floors).

Finally, for those stubborn burned food stains at the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, add hot water, and soak overnight to loosen up the stains.

365ThingsYouCanDo.com offers the following recipe for one 500ml spray bottle of an easy to make, non-toxic, effective all purpose cleaner that includes baking soda and a few other ingredients:

• 2 cups water.
• 2 tablespoons vinegar. The author of this recipe uses white vinegar, 5% acetic acid by volume, and points out that vinegar has a high enough concentration of acid to allow it to kill most molds, mildews, and bacteria’s. Vinegar is also a good degreaser and rust remover.
• 1/2 teaspoon dish soap. Soaps or detergents work equally well, although liquid detergent might work best on greasy messes.
• 1 teaspoon baking soda.

A few drops of essential oil for a little extra germ killing ability or simply to improve the scent of your kitchen (optional). The best germ killing essential oils include lavender, thyme, juniper, tea tree, rosemary, clove, and eucalyptus.

Pour the baking soda, soap and vinegar into the spray bottle and stir. It will fizz up, so give the mixture a few minutes to sit and calm down before moving on.

Next, fill the bottle to the top warm water and essential oil (if desired). The minerals will dissolve best in warm water, but cold water will also work. If you use cold water, be prepared to spend a few more seconds shaking the bottle.

Cap the bottle and shake. You’re ready to clean! Your do-it-yourself-cleaner will remove dirt, grime, and food residue from most surfaces. To address particularly stubborn messes, spray wet the area, and wait 5 minutes before wiping the grime away with a clean rag.

Below are some more ideas for natural kitchen cleaning from NaturalHealthyHomeCleaningTips.com.

Oven cleaning: Create a paste by combining one cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup powdered laundry detergent. Heat your oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Turn the oven off, and spread the paste around the oven, applying it more heavily to greasy spots. Leave paste on for an hour, and then use a plastic spatula to gently scrape dirt away. Wiping the sides of your oven with a sponge dipped in full-strength vinegar will prevent greasy buildup in the first place.

Attacking unpleasant kitchen odors: Boil a cup or two of vinegar in a pot in the stove. The vinegar will absorb the odors. When cooking cabbage, add a few drops of vinegar to prevent the unpleasant odors in the first place. Did you burn something? Soak a towel in vinegar, wring it out, and wave it around the room. The burned entrée will be your secret (unless you serve it, of course).

Cleaning the microwave: Boil 1/4 cup of vinegar in a bowl of water inside the microwave to keep it grease free and smelling fresh. Be careful not to over-heat liquids in the microwave. Err on the side of caution.

Freshen the coffeemaker: Run full-strength vinegar through a normal brew cycle. Rinse by running plain water through the machine two or three times.

Remove line from the teakettle: Fill it with water and add a half-cup of vinegar. Let it stand overnight, then rinse with clean water and dry.

Just a few simple ingredients go a long way to making your cleaning regimen natural, healthy, and family-friendly.