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Kitchen cleaners

Sustainable living  ›  Green cleaners  ›  Kitchen cleaners

These recipes for less-toxic dish cleaners, drain and disposal cleaners, deodorizers, oven cleaners and polishes can help you save money and protect your family and the environment.

All-purpose cleaner

• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 teaspoon borax or washing soda
• 2 cups hot water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap

Mix everything but soap in a spray bottle and shake. Add soap last. Mix gently. Apply and wipe clean. Good for counter-tops, woodwork, appliances, etc.

Dish soap

Use non-phosphate soap. Phosphates act as fertilizer – when they go down the drain, they are discharged into waterways and can cause a rapid growth of algae, which pollutes water. Tip: Use half the amount suggested for your automatic dishwasher.

Scouring powder

• Pour baking soda into a shaker and sprinkle in sink or on pans. Scrub with a rough pad and rinse.
• To make a heavy-duty scouring powder, combine 1/2 cup each baking soda and washing soda. This formula may scratch fiberglass. Use gloves; washing soda is caustic.

Scouring paste

Mix 2/3 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup liquid soap and enough water to make a paste. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir. Keep paste in a tub at the kitchen sink for scouring pots and pans or the kitchen sink itself.

Stain remover

Sprinkle surface with salt and squeeze lemon or lime juice over the area. Let sit and rub out. This can even remove rust if allowed to sit a few hours.

Tip: Use a wet pumice stone to remove tough stains from porcelain or enamel without scratching.

Drain cleaner

• Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. To create pressure, immediately cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. Follow with a kettle of boiling water (about 2 quarts). Use this treatment regularly to prevent clogged drains and keep them smelling fresh.
• For stubborn clogs, use a mechanical snake.

Kitchen sink disposal freshener

To freshen the disposal in your kitchen sink, drop in a few wedges of lemon and flip the switch. Instant good smell.

Cutting board deodorizer

Rub cut lemon onto the washed cutting board to eliminate lingering odors.

Garbage pail deodorizer

Mix 1 cup baking soda with 1 teaspoon tea tree oil. Work out all lumps with a fork. Sprinkle in bottom of pail after liner is removed. Periodically rinse pail with vinegar and dry in the sun.

Oven cleaners

• Make a paste by mixing equal parts salt, baking soda and water. Apply to walls of oven. Let stand five minutes, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. Use a brush on heavy spills. Do not allow baking soda to touch heating elements or wiring.
• For heavier cleaning, sprinkle the bottom of the oven with baking soda to cover. Spray with water until very damp and keep moist by spraying every few hours. Let it set overnight. In the morning, scoop out the baking soda – all the grime will be loosened; rinse the oven well. Washing soda can be substituted for 1/2 the baking soda for really tough jobs, but requires more rinsing and is more caustic (wear gloves).
• Or use a non-chlorinated scouring powder such as Bon Ami, a pumice stick or a copper or steel wool scrubbing pad. A blunt knife is useful for prying up large crusty materials.

Tip: Prevention is the key to a clean oven. Line your oven with foil or an aluminum oven liner found in the baking section of grocery stores.

Metal polishes and cleaners

Use natural acids such as vinegar and lemon juice to clean aluminum, bronze, brass and copper.

Remove the lacquer cover on new brass, bronze and copper by submerging in boiling water with a few teaspoons each baking soda and washing soda (wear gloves). Never use baking soda on aluminum, as it will pit the surface.

Silver polish

Mix 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1/2 cup lemon juice; apply with a soft cloth, rubbing into the grain. Buff with a clean corner of the rag.

Silver cleaner

Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt and 1 table-spoon vinegar in 1 cup warm water. Submerge a 3-inch square section of aluminum foil in the solution along with the silver in the solution. The salt and vinegar react with the aluminum to eliminate tarnish. Wait 1 hour. Rinse silver and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

• Rub tarnished spots with a non-gel toothpaste and a soft cloth and rinse.

Brass and copper cleaner

• Mix 2/3 cup vinegar and 2/3 cup flour in a glass bowl. Add 1/2 cup salt and stir. Spread on tarnished metal. Wait 1 to 2 hours. Rinse, dry and polish with a soft cloth and a dab of olive oil.
• Combine 3 teaspoons of salt, 1 table-spoon of flour and enough white distilled vinegar to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a clean sponge and polish bronze, brass or copper clean. Rinse with hot water and buff dry with a soft cloth.
• Soak bronze, brass or copper overnight in a solution of half white distilled vinegar, and half water. Rinse in hot water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Chrome cleaner

• Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to make a paste. Rinse well with warm water and polish with a soft cloth.
• Apple cider vinegar also can be used to clean chrome. Polish chrome using club soda.