Cleaning expert shares tips to achieve a SPOTLESS kitchen with five common household items
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Nothing is certain in this world except death, taxes, and that every home, no matter how big or small, gets dirty. While there’s no shortage of ideas, not all cleaning tips are created equal - some are definitely smarter (and cheaper!) than others.
A cleaning expert has revealed her ultimate tips on how to achieve a sparkling clean kitchen using common household items.
Image Credit: Good Housekeeping
Hayley Simmons, the director for a UK-based kitchen company called Magnet, shared how pantry staples can be an economical and effective way to kick-off your kitchen spring (or rather, autumn) cleaning. She also added that it’s essential to block off precious time when it comes to deep cleaning your kitchen in order to do the job well.
“Deep cleaning your kitchen can be a chore for many, but there is nothing more satisfying than a spotless kitchen. Those sparkling appliances, perfectly organised cupboards and immaculate worktops just make you feel good.” she said.
Not only are these five kitchen staples cheap and efficient, but they are environmentally friendly alternatives to cleaning products too! Farewell, harsh chemicals.
1. Bi-carbonate soda and vinegar for cleaning the oven
If you’re one to use the oven on a regular basis, then chances are you’ve faced the horror of having to clean one. Grime build-up in ovens is one of the messiest and hardest things to deal with.
This home-made solution offers you a way to save a couple of hours from scrubbing away at tough grime!
“Simply mix up a paste using baking soda and vinegar then apply to the walls and wire racks of your oven, where the fizzing reaction between these acidic and alkaline ingredients will help lift burnt-on food. Leave the mixture to work its magic for half an hour, then wipe down with a soapy sponge.” Hayley suggested.
2. Water and distilled vinegar for cutting through built-up grime
When we see tough gunk, we naturally think of the necessity of using equally tough chemicals to clean it. Well, that doesn’t always have to be the case!
“You don’t need to resort to harsh, harmful chemicals to tackle the greasy residue that builds up in the cooker hood after months of cooking up tasty dinners.” the cleaning expert said.
“Instead, fill a spray bottle with a mixture of water and distilled vinegar, spritz liberally onto the cooker hood and leave for 5-10 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth.”
“Distilled vinegar can also be used to descale your kettle. Add your vinegar and bring it to a boil. Next, let it sit for an hour, then empty and rinse and your kettle should look brand new.” she added.
3. Lemon to banish grease
When life gives you lemons, use them to fight grease. Lemon juice is an amazing, natural ingredient that effectively gets rid of grease – it leaves your kitchen smelling heavenly too as an added bonus!
Simply heat a cup of lemon juice in the microwave for about three minutes (or until the liquid has evaporated), to cut through stubborn burnt-on stains. Wipe the residue away with a sponge and you’ve got yourself a fresh and clean microwave.
Image Credit: SNAP-Ed, USDA
4. Lemon and salt to transform old chopping boards
If you’ve been thinking about replacing that old and stained wooden chopping board you’ve got lying around, you may want to try doing this before throwing it out!
Since wood is a porous material, it’s harder to remove stains and discolouration from them which wooden chopping boards also tend to have.
“Thankfully, there is a simple answer to this age-old problem – salt. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over your chopping board then use half a lemon to scrub the rough granules over the surface, loosening trapped-in dirt.” Hayley recommended.
Using a plastic chopping board? Don’t fret! We’ve got you covered too.
Hayley added that for plastic chopping boards, mix baking soda, vinegar, and lemon together instead.
5. Non-stick cooking spray to protect kitchen tools
As the expression goes, prevention is better than cure.
“This one isn’t directly used to help you clean, but it will make the end job easier. Next time you grate your cheese using a grater, spray it with non-stick cooking oil first.” said the cleaning expert.
“This will stop the cheese from sticking to the metal - making it much easier to clean. Cooking spray can also be used when measuring out sticky substances, such as honey or syrup, spray the dish or bowl first so you can then pour it out easily.” she continued.
We’ve never heard of that last hack before! Now, we know what to do the next time we get our hands on that cheese grater.
Hayley also mentioned that being prepared before tackling big cleaning jobs is the real secret to
success. This includes giving yourself plenty of time and moving things out of the way before starting.
She also said that it’s important to list down areas you’re planning to clean to make sure every job gets done.
Got any cleaning tips you want to share with us? Comment below!
And if you’ve still got that cleaning itch, see how effective natural cleaning products vs regular chemical products are with the video below!
A cleaning expert has revealed her ultimate tips on how to achieve a sparkling clean kitchen using common household items.
Image Credit: Good Housekeeping
Hayley Simmons, the director for a UK-based kitchen company called Magnet, shared how pantry staples can be an economical and effective way to kick-off your kitchen spring (or rather, autumn) cleaning. She also added that it’s essential to block off precious time when it comes to deep cleaning your kitchen in order to do the job well.
“Deep cleaning your kitchen can be a chore for many, but there is nothing more satisfying than a spotless kitchen. Those sparkling appliances, perfectly organised cupboards and immaculate worktops just make you feel good.” she said.
Not only are these five kitchen staples cheap and efficient, but they are environmentally friendly alternatives to cleaning products too! Farewell, harsh chemicals.
1. Bi-carbonate soda and vinegar for cleaning the oven
If you’re one to use the oven on a regular basis, then chances are you’ve faced the horror of having to clean one. Grime build-up in ovens is one of the messiest and hardest things to deal with.
This home-made solution offers you a way to save a couple of hours from scrubbing away at tough grime!
“Simply mix up a paste using baking soda and vinegar then apply to the walls and wire racks of your oven, where the fizzing reaction between these acidic and alkaline ingredients will help lift burnt-on food. Leave the mixture to work its magic for half an hour, then wipe down with a soapy sponge.” Hayley suggested.
2. Water and distilled vinegar for cutting through built-up grime
When we see tough gunk, we naturally think of the necessity of using equally tough chemicals to clean it. Well, that doesn’t always have to be the case!
“You don’t need to resort to harsh, harmful chemicals to tackle the greasy residue that builds up in the cooker hood after months of cooking up tasty dinners.” the cleaning expert said.
“Instead, fill a spray bottle with a mixture of water and distilled vinegar, spritz liberally onto the cooker hood and leave for 5-10 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth.”
“Distilled vinegar can also be used to descale your kettle. Add your vinegar and bring it to a boil. Next, let it sit for an hour, then empty and rinse and your kettle should look brand new.” she added.
3. Lemon to banish grease
When life gives you lemons, use them to fight grease. Lemon juice is an amazing, natural ingredient that effectively gets rid of grease – it leaves your kitchen smelling heavenly too as an added bonus!
Simply heat a cup of lemon juice in the microwave for about three minutes (or until the liquid has evaporated), to cut through stubborn burnt-on stains. Wipe the residue away with a sponge and you’ve got yourself a fresh and clean microwave.
Image Credit: SNAP-Ed, USDA
4. Lemon and salt to transform old chopping boards
If you’ve been thinking about replacing that old and stained wooden chopping board you’ve got lying around, you may want to try doing this before throwing it out!
Since wood is a porous material, it’s harder to remove stains and discolouration from them which wooden chopping boards also tend to have.
“Thankfully, there is a simple answer to this age-old problem – salt. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over your chopping board then use half a lemon to scrub the rough granules over the surface, loosening trapped-in dirt.” Hayley recommended.
Using a plastic chopping board? Don’t fret! We’ve got you covered too.
Hayley added that for plastic chopping boards, mix baking soda, vinegar, and lemon together instead.
5. Non-stick cooking spray to protect kitchen tools
As the expression goes, prevention is better than cure.
“This one isn’t directly used to help you clean, but it will make the end job easier. Next time you grate your cheese using a grater, spray it with non-stick cooking oil first.” said the cleaning expert.
“This will stop the cheese from sticking to the metal - making it much easier to clean. Cooking spray can also be used when measuring out sticky substances, such as honey or syrup, spray the dish or bowl first so you can then pour it out easily.” she continued.
We’ve never heard of that last hack before! Now, we know what to do the next time we get our hands on that cheese grater.
Hayley also mentioned that being prepared before tackling big cleaning jobs is the real secret to
success. This includes giving yourself plenty of time and moving things out of the way before starting.
She also said that it’s important to list down areas you’re planning to clean to make sure every job gets done.
Got any cleaning tips you want to share with us? Comment below!
And if you’ve still got that cleaning itch, see how effective natural cleaning products vs regular chemical products are with the video below!
Video Credit: Emily Norris
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