Cleaning your kitchen usually involves gathering up a bunch of store-bought cleaners and using them on every surface of the room. This is fine, but it also means that you're covering your kitchen with harsh chemicals, some of which might not actually be that safe. But what other options do you have?
Make your own cleaners! With just a few ingredients (make sure you have plenty of baking soda and vinegar) you can whip up a few homemade cleaners that will have your kitchen sparkling in no time.
1. Drain cleaner If you're dealing with a gross smell coming from your kitchen drain, start by pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain and follow it with a cup of vinegar. When it stops bubbling, add a little more vinegar. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before rinsing with water.
2. Granite cleaner If you have granite countertops, then you've probably seen all of the brand-name cleaners available. Instead of wiping all of those chemicals all over your counters, make your own cleaner. Combine 1/4 teaspoon of dish soap, 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol and 2 1/2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well, spray it on your counters, and use a soft cloth to buff it until it shines.
3. Furniture dusting spray To make your own dusting spray for your wooden furniture, mix 1 3/4 cups of water, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon lemon essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray this combination onto your wooden kitchen table or cabinets and wipe over it with a soft cloth.
4. Stainless steel cleaner Of all the ways to clean stainless steel, one of the most effective cleaners might simply be vinegar. Just pour a little vinegar onto a microfiber cloth and wipe against the grain of the stainless steel. With a dry section of the cloth, wipe with the grain to remove excess vinegar.
5. Disinfectant spray When you're dealing with various foods, you're going to end up with a lot of germs on your counters. The best way to get rid of these germs is with a strong disinfectant spray. If you want to make your own, add 50 to 100 drops of Thieves essential oil to 10 ounces of water in a spray bottle. Spray this on surfaces you've used for cooking and then wipe them down with a dry cloth.
6. Oven cleaner Cleaning your oven is one of the worst parts of cleaning your kitchen. Fortunately, there's an easier way to do it. Start by removing the oven racks and spray water inside of your oven. Sprinkle a thick layer of baking soda over the surfaces in the oven and let it sit overnight. Wipe it up with a sponge and use a scouring pad to scrub over everything. When everything is clean, wipe it down with a wet sponge.
