Tag: natural cleaning

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Spring Cleaning in The Kitchen

How to spring clean your kitchen: 

Remove clutter:

Studies have shown that clutter can distract people from everyday tasks and create feelings of chaos in household environments. To effectively clear clutter you need to do it regularly. Set yourself a time limit and give yourself a reward once the task is complete.

Add some fresh flowers:

Re-use glass storage jars and fill them with lustrous bouquets of flowers from your garden or florist. Fresh flowers have been found to lift the mood and create a warm ambience in kitchen environments. They also provide a beautiful springtime scent.

Create a fresh feel with old or new kitchen linen:

Kitchen linen can be so much more than chicken-prints on tea towels. Invest in some good quality linen tablecloths, napkins and tea towels that add a rich source of colour and flair to your kitchen.  Look for good quality fabrics that will wear well over time. A soft cotton, or thickly-woven linen should last for several years. If you don’t wish to buy them new, look for handmade or vintage sales at op-shops or visit etsy.com. Kitchen linen can also be made from old pieces of vintage fabrics. Simply cut to size and hem using iron-on hemming tape.

Kitchen cleaning tip: How to clean a wooden benchtop

Start with Oakwood orange oil wood polish (this product is perfect for creating a non-toxic cleaning environment in the kitchen) and spray directly onto wooden surfaces. Leave for 1 minute. With a soft, clean cloth, rub over surface to remove any wax build-up, dirt or grime. Then buff off excess and polish with a soft cloth to leave a lasting shine.

Next, condition with an Oakwood Wood Preserver and Polisher to nourish and protect for future spills. Apply a reasonable amount onto a soft cloth or pad and wipe onto surface of wood. Allow product to penetrate for 20 minutes. Polish excess off with clean, soft cloth. Repeat application as required.

Keep your benchtop clean with Oakwood everyday wood wipes. This works to preserve your wood over time and is great for last-minute spills. 

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Creating All Purpose Homemade Green Cleaner Guide

Here’s how to use them safely and effectively in your home:

Vinegar:

Vinegar is a rich source of acetic acid – this is a mild, natural acid that can kill bacteria and mould as well as breaking through soap scum and dirt. Most types of vinegar are excellent cleaning agents – look for white, distilled or apple cider vinegar, but avoid balsamic (unless you want black, streaky stains on your benchtop!).

Vinegar can be used for a variety of purposes – air-freshener, multi-purpose spray or bathroom disinfectant. Some people choose to use it on its own, but you can also add essential oils and natural perfumes to take away the mild vinegar smell.

Vinegar surface cleaner: Mix 500ml distilled vinegar with 10 drops of essential oil (lavender or rosemary). Shake well. Pour into spray bottle.

Bicarbonate of soda:

Bicarb soda, or sodium bicarbonate is made from soda ash – a compound that can be mined or processed from sodium chloride. It’s an excellent cleaning agent because it has alkaline properties, which cause dirt and grease to dissolve easily. It also works well to neutralize odours, and doesn’t have the strong, distinctive smell that vinegar carries.

Bicarb soda can be used almost anywhere throughout the house. It can be scattered on carpet prior to vacuuming to neutralize carpet odours, or interspersed through the bathroom, and then wipe clean with a hot wet cloth. It’s also an excellent replacement for a cleaning cream cleanser on your stove top or oven.

Oven cleaner cream cleanser: Simply mix bicarb soda with hot water to make a thick paste. This can be spread over the stovetop, oven or benchtop to remove grease and grime. Leave to rest (for tough stains, let it rest overnight), then wipe clean with a fresh cloth.

Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice is one of the most refreshing scents to enjoy in the home, it also works as an excellent cleaning agent and is environmentally friendly as well (especially if you grow your own lemons!).

Lemons are naturally high in citric acid, which gives them a low (acidic) pH. They also contain natural antibacterial properties, which work to kill germs on most surfaces.

You can use lemon juice as an air-freshener, surface cleaner, dish detergent, rinsing aid (in your washing mashine or dishwasher), or even to clean and shine metals such as brass or copper. Mixed with baking soda and vinegar it makes a superb all-purpose cleaner.

All-purpose cleaner with vinegar, lemon and bicarb soda: Mix together ¼ cup vinegar with 2 ½ tablespoons baking soda and 4 cups of hot water. Squeeze in the juice of 1 small lemon and allow to cool. Pour into spray bottles and label clearly.