Are your kitchen cupboards full of a multitude of different cleaning products? Do you wish you could simplify your kitchen cleaning routine and avoid expensive, chemical-laden products that never quite deliver what they promise? Well, you may be pleased to hear that there are just two things that you need to take care of almost any kitchen cleaning job. And the good news is they are cheap, natural and you probably have them in your cupboards already! So what are these two super ingredients? They are baking soda and white vinegar.
Between them, baking soda and white vinegar can be used to clean everything from worktops and hobs to fridges and floors. They will leave your kitchen sparkling and you won’t have to worry about the artificial ingredients often found in commercial cleaners that can cause skin irritation, headaches or even respiratory problems for some people.
Brilliant Baking Soda
Baking soda is mildly alkaline and as you would expect from an edible product it is completely non-toxic. It is a great all-round cleaner which can be used as a deodorizer, scourer, polisher and stain remover. It also helps dissolve dirt and grease in water which makes it an effective cleanser for worktops, tiles and hobs. It can even be used to bring a shine back to burnt saucepans or grimy kitchen sinks.
By sprinkling a little baking soda onto a damp cloth you can create an effective abrasive cleanser that will shift stubborn dirt and grease. To use as a deodorizer place a small bowl in your fridge or sprinkle a fine layer at the bottom of your bin to keep nasty smells at bay. Baking soda can also be turned into a paste which is great for tackling bigger jobs like cleaning your oven. Simply sprinkle baking soda onto the base of your oven (when it is cold and switched off), concentrating on any areas that are particularly grimy. Then spray water onto the baking soda to make a damp paste. Leave for several hours (preferably overnight) and then wipe away the baking soda with a damp cloth and see the dirt shift effortlessly away.
Versatile Vinegar
Thanks to its anti-bacterial properties white vinegar has been used as a cleaning product for centuries. Like baking-soda, it is an edible product that’s free from harmful chemicals and toxins so is ideal for using in all areas of the kitchen. It is mildly acidic and is ideal for cleaning glass and windows but can also be used on tiles and counter tops.
The easiest way to use white vinegar as a kitchen cleaner is to mix it 50/50 with cold water in a spray bottle. This creates a great all-round cleaner that dissolves grease and leaves surfaces sparkling. It is also great for de-scaling and can be used to remove limescale from taps and kettles.
Mixing white vinegar with baking soda creates a really powerful cleanser with a fizzing action which can be used to tackle difficult jobs such as cleaning blocked drains.
If you are put off using white vinegar because of the smell don’t worry – the vinegar smell quickly disappears – just remember to always use white vinegar and not malt vinegar which can stain surfaces and has a smell that will linger.
For more information about green cleaning, visit: www.thedailygreen.com
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