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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Simple, successful, non-toxic and natural.The following are a few tried and true green kitchen cleaning tips. Both old and new, to keep everything in your kitchen sparkling clean.

Store in reusable airtight containers and spray bottles. Using a pretty spray bottle or container makes cleaning days more fun and pleasant. Add your favorite essential oils or herbs.
Label all of your ingredients and keep them out of reach of children and pets. While most natural do-it-yourself cleaners are not poisonous, some can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by children or pets.

Oven Cleaners
When you do have to clean the oven, try one of these alternatives to harsh proprietary cleaners.

1) The first step is prevention. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the floor of the oven, underneath but not touching the heating element.
2) Clean up the spill as soon as it occurs.
3) While the oven is still warm, sprinkle salt or baking soda on the spill. If the spill is completely dry, wet the spill lightly before sprinkling on salt. When the oven cools, scrape away the spill and wash the area clean.
4) Baking soda, water; salt; vegetable oil-based liquid soap. Sprinkle water on oven bottom. Cover with baking soda. Let sit overnight. Wipe off and apply liquid soap with scouring pad. Rinse.
5) Retard grease buildup in your oven by dampening your cleaning rag in vinegar and water before wiping out your oven.
6) Sprinkle/spray water followed by a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with a very fine steel wool pad for tough spots. Wipe off scum with dry paper towels or sponge. Rinse well and wipe dry.
7) Wet the surface and sprinkle with baking soda. Rub with fine steel wool. Wipe off the residue with a damp cloth. Repeat if necessary. Rinse well and dry.
8) To clean very dirty shelves; soak in a mixture of 1 part washing soda to 4 parts hot water. If the shelves are too large submerge fully in the sink, turn every 20 minutes, or use the bath or laundry sink.

Appliances
Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) mixed with water is one mild, non-toxic and environmentally friendly option for cleaning kitchen appliances, but here are some more specific tips.

Refrigerator
Use a solution of 1 part baking soda to 7 parts water to wipe down the inside of the fridge.
For stubborn spots, rub with baking soda paste. Be sure to rinse with a clean, wet cloth. (This works well on other enamel-finished appliances as well).
To clean interior fixtures, such as vegetable bins and shelves, wash in hot soapy water, rinse well and dry.
To leave the fridge smelling fresh, wipe over the inside with a damp cloth and a few drops of vanilla essence. Leave a small uncovered container of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors.Leave it on one of the shelves and change regularly.
To prevent mold forming on the fridge door seals, wipe over with white vinegar. To prevent mold forming when the fridge and freezer are empty and switched off for more than a few days, wipe the inside with white vinegar and leave the doors propped open.
If you can reach them, vacuum the coils behind the fridge using your vacuum cleaner's brush attachment.

Microwave
For stubborn stains, place a bowl of hot water in the microwave and swithch on to high for about 5 minutes. Leave the bowl to stand for a few minutes and then remove. Wipe inside the microwave with a soft cloth.

Dishwasher
Clean the filters and seals on your dishwasher regularly.
To restore a dull interior, run the empty machine on a short cycle with 2 cups white vinegar in the detergent receptacle.

A Natural Way to De-Scale the kettle
Remove the lime coating on your kettle by filling it with water and adding a half-cup of vinegar.Let it stand overnight, then rinse with clean water and dry.

All-Purpose Cleaners

1) 2 heaped tablespoons baking soda + 1 tablespoon white vinegar
Mix the baking soda and white vinegar together and store the cleaner in a airtight container.To use.. wipe surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in the solution. Rinse with clean water.

2) 1/2 cup baking soda.Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree oil, or rosemary (optional)
Pour the baking soda in a bowl, slowly pour in the liquid soap or detergent, stirring all the while, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.

3) Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for hardwood furniture, wood bowls, wood mortar and pestle, knife blocks or any wood kitchen utensils.

Counter Tops/Kitchen Surfaces

Counter Tops - clean with undiluted vinegar. Makes counters smell clean and sweet.
 
Fragrant Kitchen Rinse
Use any of the following essential oils, alone or in a combination. Add 4 drops of oil to each pint of water. Pour into a spray bottle, store away cool dark place. Use as a final rinse after cleaning kitchen surfaces.

Eucalyptus
Pine
Lavender
Cypress
Lemon
Lemongrass
Lime
Thyme
Grapefruit
Orange
Wintergreen
Rosemary
Sage
Peppermint

Pots and Pans

Burnt Pans
1) To clean a badly burnt saucepan, pour in a little olive oil, heat gently and leave to satnd for 1 to 2 hours. Pour off the oil into a container, ready to use for the next burnt pan, and wash the pan as usual.
2) For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, and then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
3) Dampen spot slightly and sprinkle well with baking soda. Leave overnight and scrub clean with a scrubber.

To clean burnt food from a pie dish, dip in very hot water, then quickly turn upside down onto a flat surface. This traps steam which loosens the residue.

Copper Pans
Sprinkle surface of pans with coarse salt. Rub salt into stains with the cut half of a fresh lemon.
 
Baking Dishes - Enamel, Ceramic or Glass
Soak in hot soapy water, then scour with salt or baking soda and rinse thoroughly.To restore an enamel baking dish that seems burnt beyond repair, soak in a mixture of water and strong soap powder. After a couple of hours, pour off the water and rub the dish with a soft cloth. To whiten enamel-lined pans, finely crush eggshells and rub with a cloth dipped in salt to remove stains.

Dishes
1) Use liquid or powdered soap instead of detergents - which are petroleum-based. In dishwashers, use equal parts borax and washing soda.
2) Use Baking soda and liquid soap (castile)
3) Very Effective Do-it-Yourself Dishwashing Liquid
1 3/4 oz (50g) castile soap + 10 1/2 pt (5 litres) cold water + 1/2 cup washing soda crystals + 1 1/2 teaspoons eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil + 1/2 cup white vinegar + a few drops lemon or lavender pure essential oil for fragrance + 9 1/2 pt (4.5 litres) hot water or herb tea, like lemon grass.
Grate the soap into a large suacepan and cover with 4 cups of the cold water. Bring to the boil, add the washing soda and stir until it is dissolved. Stir in the eucalypts oil, vinegar and essential oil. Pour into a bucket, add the hot water or tea, then stir in the remaining cold water. When cool, transfer to smaller containers and label.
To use: add 1 teaspoon to 10 1/2 pt (5 litres) water when washing up. Or use 1 cup per load in dishwasher. Note : It does not remove coffee and tea stains.

Automatic Dishwashing Detergent
Combine 250 ml borax with 125 ml baking soda. Works reasonably well and is phosphate free.

Delicate China
When hand washing the heirloom china, place a towel at the bottom of the washing up bowl to help prevent chips and breakage.

Drinking Glasses
1) Occasionally soak drinking glasses in a solution of vinegar and water to really get them clean. Makes them sparkle!
2) When a quick dip for crystal glassware is needed, prepare a solution of baking soda in tepid-cool water (l level teaspoon to a quart) and brush with a soft toothbrush. Very good for glass coffee makers and thermos jugs too.
 
Washing Glass
Wash glass water bottles and stained flower vases with 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1 tablespoon salt in warm water. Allow to soak for several hours and shake occasionally.

Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse
Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse compartment of your automatic dishwasher. Wash dishes as usual.
 
Coffee/Tea Stains
To remove coffee stains from cups or counters, rub with baking soda paste.

Tarnished Silver Cutlery
A quick fix is to place a piece of aluminium foil in a plastic bucket and sprinkle over 3 tablespoons baking soda. Lay the silver on top. Cover with hot water. Leave until the bubble stops, rinse and polish with a dry soft cloth.

To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

Brass + Copper Polish
Make a paste with lemon juice and baking soda. Rub on with a soft cloth, then rinse well and dry.

Natural Drain Cleaners
When the water won't drain and you are faced with a sink full of water, try one of these natural drain cleaners, then use a plunger. Place the plunger tightly over the drain hole, push down and then pull up rapidly, keeping the plunger over the hole. If the seal is tight, the air and water inside the pipe is forced back and forth, with any luck sloshing and sucking the blockage away. If you are unsuccessful, try a different drain cleaner and leave overnight.

1) 1 cup baking soda + 1 cup white vinegar. Pour the baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour in the white vinegar. The sizzling sound is the reaction between the two. Follow this with a flushing of water and repeat the whole process if necessary.
2) 2 cups washing soda crystals + a kettle of boiling water. Pile the washing soda(sodium carbonate)at the mouth of the drain, then slowly pour on the boiling water.

Drain Opener + Garbage Disposal Cleaner
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once a week to keep drains fresh and clog-free. 1/2 to 1 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
1/2 a used lemon
Pour baking soda down drain/disposal, followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.
 
Deodorize Sink Drains
Pour 1 cup of vinegar down your drain, let stand about thirty minutes, then run cold water.

Lemon Fresh
To wash and deodorize the refrigerator, garbage bin or kitchen compost container, use a solution of 1 teaspoon lemon juice to 4 cups water.

Garbage Disposal
To eliminate garbage disposal odors and clean and sharpen blades, grind ice and used lemon and/or orange rinds until pulverized.
 
Chopping Boards
1)Disinfect and clean wood cutting boards: Rub with vinegar to disinfect and clean. If your cutting board has deep grooves, you can also soak the board in vinegar for 5-10 minutes.

2) A cut lemon with baking soda rubbed on a bamboo or wood cutting board does wonders.

Ant Repellant
Spray undiluted vinegar outside door frames and window sills, around appliances, and anywhere else you have ant problems.

Kitchen Safety
Fire
1) Emergency fire extinguisher: if a greasy pan catches on fire, turn the heat off and try to cover the pan. Sprinkle powdered baking soda over the fire. (Fill a large coffee can with baking soda and keep it near the stove.
2) An oven fire is easily extinguished by closing the door after shutting off the heat.
 
For more eco friendly cleaning + reusing natural cleaning accessories http://ecobites.com/ja-slideshow/spring-cleaning.html