Kitchen is the place where creativity comes along with taste. We all love cooking and treating our family with delicious food. However, cooking between dirty dishes and messy counter spoils all the mood. It is important to clean and sanitize the kitchen regularly as cooking in unhygienic surroundings spreads bacteria and can cause several foodborne diseases. The stains and dirt also ruin the beauty of your kitchen.
But are you worried about the money that you have to spend on expensive cleaners? Don’t worry, the solution to this problem is available within your kitchen. There are many basic cooking ingredients which can easily replace the fancy and harmful chemical cleaners. You just have to know how to use them properly.
From vinegar to cornstarch, here are six common ingredients that can be used for cleaning kitchen:
Vinegar
Because of its acidic nature, vinegar is both a deodoriser as well as a disinfectant. It can be used for all sorts of surfaces including glass and coffee makers. Those tough stains on your stovetop, cutting boards, microwave, countertop as well as floor, all of them can be removed with vinegar. Just mix equal amounts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it on the surface. Leave it for a few minutes and wipe it off with a clean cloth.
Salt
Salt is another common ingredient which can make your kitchen spotless clean. It is mildly abrasive which can be used for scrubbing off the stains. Salt is effective for removing stubborn stains of burnt food in pans and cast-iron utensils. You can also use it for rust and mildew which happens due to moisture. Make a mixture of salt and lemon juice and apply on the stain. Let it sit for some time then rinse it with water. It can be used to polish silver and copper utensils as well.
Lemon
This citrus fruit acts as a natural bleach and degreaser. Lemon juice can easily remove tough stains and odours from utensils, specially from copper bottom pots. You can use it for cleaning the kitchen surface as well. It wards off bacteria and gives the surface a citrusy and fresh smell. When combined with vinegar, lemon juice can also clean countertops, tile as well as cutting boards.
Olive Oil
This might shock you a little, but it's true. This delicious and healthy ingredient known for enhancing the flavour of any dish is also an effective cleaner. Olive oil is perfect to clean, and season cast iron pots and pans. If you have any wooden utensils in your cupboards, then it can also prevent them from drying out and cracking. Its moisturising property can remove the stubborn grease as well. To make olive oil solution, mix three parts of the oil with one-part white vinegar and apply on the surface using a microfibre cloth and then rinse as usual.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch or corn flour is another common kitchen ingredient that can be used for cleaning. Mainly used for thickening soups and sauces, it can be used to remove different types of stains, grease and odours. Make a solution of water (one part) and cornstarch (two part) and apply on the stained surface. It can be an effective cleaner for cooktops, pots and pans. It is also non-abrasive which makes it safe for your items.
Baking Soda
This versatile cooking ingredient can make your kitchen spotlessly clean. It is easily available and also inexpensive. Also known as sodium bicarbonate, this multipurpose cleaner can be used for your pots, pans, surfaces, stainless utensils, stained surfaces and lot more. It can even clean the grease, clogged drains and burnt grill grates. Make a paste of three parts baking soda and one part water and spread it over the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes, scrub and rinse well.