Natural ways to clean your kitchen

The kitchen is the one place in the house that most of us find it difficult in keeping clean. You regularly wash the counter top and wipe it down with your kitchen cloth even then it stinks badly. In a study scientists found that the kitchen cloth was the most bacteria-infested article in one’s home. In some cases, it’s even dirtier than the toilet bowl.  The study found that 100% of kitchen cloth in India are heavily contaminated and were found to be the dirtiest item in Indian households and could also harbor dangerous, multi-drug resistant bacteria.

So, ditch those chemical cleaning agents, here are some organic and safe ways to rid your kitchen cloth of bacteria and chemical free.

Lemon: 

Lemon juice is natural substance that can be used to clean your home.  Lemon is very effective organic cleaning agents. Lemon has astringent, bleaching and anti-bacterial properties. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper.

 

Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section of the lemon. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Be aware that lemon juice can act as a natural bleach. It's a good idea to test it out on a hidden area first. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.

Vinegar:

Vinegar has deodorizing and anti-fungal properties that make them both excellent organic cleaning agents. All you need is to mix a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. It's always best to test any cleaner on a hidden area first to make sure no color change or damage occurs. Be aware that improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Vinegar isn't a good idea to use on marble surfaces, either. And, don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Some common uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house are

• Clean the top of the stove with equal parts vinegar and water. Most appliances can be cleaned with this same all-purpose mix of vinegar and water.
• Counter-top surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected with the same spray.
• Use vinegar to clean floors and be amazed at the fresh shiny results.

Baking Soda:

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial non-abrasive cleansers. It is as great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. I've used it in trash cans, laundry, and even my sons super smelly sneakers. Baking soda makes a great addition in the laundry room as well. Baking soda is actually one of the most versatile cleaners on the planet.

  

To Clean Kitchen Cloth:

 

All you need to do is take a tablespoon of salt and add it to an equal mixture of vinegar and lemon. Soak your kitchen cloth in this solution for a few hours. While the cloth is soaking, scrub it a bit at regular intervals to get rid of any stains and to allow the mixture to seep into the pores of the cloth. After a few hours remove the cloth from the solution and rinse it well under fresh water. You could use warm water to get rid of any residual matter. Now dry the cloth well and your kitchen cloth is ready to be used again. You can choose to do this once in two days or as often as you choose.

           Boil away the dirt:

           Boiling water is the best way to kill bacteria and get out the dirt too. Baking soda is another agent that works as well as vinegar and lemon while being safe for use in your home. Take about two to three spoonful’s of baking soda and add it to a pot of water. Now place your kitchen cloth in the vessel and allow it to boil. Leave the cloth in till the water comes to a rolling boil and allow the cloth to stay in the boiling solution for a few minutes. Now allow the water to cool and take out the cloth. Rinse out the cloth and dry.

            Microwave to the rescue:

            Microwave is a very handy instrument. Not only does it help heat and cook food, but it is a very effective bactericidal agent as well. The heat and microwaves that are used to heat your food are also very effective in sterilizing a dirty kitchen cloth. All you need to do is, soak the cloth in a solution of vinegar and water for a few minutes. Scrub the cloth and put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds on high heat. This method can be done every day. If you feel you don’t have time to soak the cloth in     vinegar before you pop the cloth in the microwave, you could also wash it with your regular dish washing liquid and then place it in the microwave.

Sanitizing Your Kitchen:

To sanitize after raw meat or the like in the kitchen, you’ll need two bottles: one with vinegar and one with hydrogen peroxide. Spray separately, one after the other. (More details in my triple threat natural cleaners post.) You don’t need bleach! 

 Easy Refrigerator Cleaner:

The fridge is one among the neglected areas that doesn't get a good clean too often. Before you give your fridge a good scrub down, turn it off. Or, turn the temperature all the way up to save energy while you clean.

Step by Step Instructions

• First, remove all of your food items. 
• Chuck any smelly or expired foods. 
• Don't forget to check your condiments' expiration dates!
• Take out any pieces of the interior of the fridge like shelves. 
• Scrub them down separately in the sink with a natural soap. 
• To clean the rest of your fridge, use the following recipes
•   2 cups hot water
•  1 cup white vinegar
•  10 drops of your favorite essential oil
•  Combine the ingredients in a bucket or spray bottle. Use the mixture and a cloth to scrub the inside of your fridge. 

Sink Cleaner: 

We are surrounded by germs everywhere we go. It is impossible to escape from millions of bacteria lurking behind every corner. While it's not realistic to scrub yourself down and live out the rest of your days as John Travolta in The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, you should scrub your sink, which is one of the dirtiest places in any home.

Combine lemon juice and salt until the mixture reaches the consistency of toothpaste. Apply this to brass, copper, or stainless-steel sinks and fixtures. Scrub gently, then rinse with water. This also removes rust stains.

Oven/Stovetop:

Cleaning the oven is a daunting task and can often sit on the to-do list for weeks.  Yes, ovens can clean themselves, but not when we spill cake batter or the French fries go flying. Many conventional oven cleaners contain carcinogens and chemicals that lead to respiratory illnesses. Plus, they make your food taste like Easy-Off for weeks. All you need to get your oven sparkling clean is baking soda, a scrub brush, a spray bottle full of water and our all-natural method.

1. Make a paste of lemon juice, water, and baking soda. Apply to spills on Oven and Stove-top, let sit 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse with water and a sponge. You’ll be amazed at all it gets out.

If you have a spill inside the oven, the best line of defense is to sprinkle salt on while it’s still hot, then tackle it as soon as you can touch it while it’s still warm.

Hope this helps all housewife's a bit. Even i find it difficult to clean my kitchen.