Tired of cleaning products cluttering up and wasting storage space? Sick of using so many chemicals around the house? Then this post is for you. Today we bring you the best kitchen cleaning hacks using homemade products.
Spoiler: to get a sparkling clean (and disinfected!) kitchen, all you need is vinegar, neutral soap, baking soda and not much else. Don’t believe it? Then keep reading!
Multi-purpose degreaser
Let’s kick things off with a “recipe” that is as simple as it is effective and that you can use on many kitchen surfaces and appliances. Mix 1 litre of hot water, 100 ml of cleaning vinegar and a teaspoon of liquid neutral soap in a spray bottle.
You can use this solution to clean virtually anything, except for highly porous surfaces like marble and granite. To use, simply spray the area, let it sit for a moment and then wipe with a damp cloth to remove. For stubborn stains, rub with a sponge before rinsing.
Pro tip: if you want to do a little extra good for the environment, we recommend reusing a bottle of store-bought cleaner that’s run out (rinse it out well beforehand!).
Spotless worktops with homemade products
The products you should use to clean a worktop depend on what it’s made of.
Let's start with laminate worktops. Although you can use a multi-purpose degreaser daily, if you want to deep clean and disinfect, remember this tip. Simply dissolve bicarbonate of soda in water and spread the mixture on the worktop with a sponge. Let it set for a minute and then clean it off with a cloth and water.
For quartz worktops, mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray it on and scrub for a surface that’s good as new and germ-free. Keep this formula in mind because it can do much more than that.
Want to bring back the shine to your granite or marble worktop? Dilute a tablespoon of white vinegar mixed with a tablespoon of neutral petroleum jelly in a glass of water. Using paper towels, rub the mixture onto the worktop and dry it off. You’ll be amazed by the result.
Stainless steel: clean and shiny in seconds
If you have stainless steel appliances like fridges, dishwashers or even your gas hob, keep your multi-purpose degreaser spray handy.
Spray the product onto the surface and using a cloth (we recommend a microfibre one), rub in the direction of the streaks. Once the dirt is gone, rinse it off with a cloth and water. The key to leaving no marks is to dry the surface immediately afterwards with a dry cloth.
And if you want it to shine like the first day you got it, put a few drops of oil on some paper towels and rub it in. Sparkling clean!
Homemade hacks to make your kitchen furniture sparkle
If you want to restore the shine to your lacquered furniture, try this. All you have to do is dampen a microfibre cloth with a little milk and wipe down the surface of the furniture, then dry with a cloth. Say goodbye to stains and fingerprints!
If your kitchen furniture is melamine, the mixture you need is one cup of vinegar (for cleaning), two cups of hot water and a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda.
Wooden furniture? Add 10 drops of jojoba oil to one cup of vinegar. Use a microfibre cloth to rub this mixture onto your furniture. The result? Disinfected and oiled furniture. Remember this hack for all the wooden furniture in your home.
Germ-proof handles
Handles are one of the things in the kitchen that get the dirtiest, because they are constantly being touched when you cook, after throwing away the rubbish, etc.
To disinfect them thoroughly, take the mixture you made of equal parts vinegar and water, spray it on a cloth and rub the handles well. Like new!
Do you know more homemade hacks for cleaning and disinfecting kitchens?