Most Brilliant Kitchen Cleaning Hacks of All Time

Your kitchen is one of the best rooms of your home – small, large, islands and gallery kitchens, they’re all amazing. What isn’t amazing, however, is having to clean your kitchen. With so many appliances, gadgets and gizmos, not to mention all the crockery, cutlery and sheer number of shelves with which to store everything, there’s plenty of square footage to master and manipulate when it comes to deep-cleaning your kitchen.

On top of that, all of these different surfaces have been made with different materials, so there’s no “one size fits all” cleaning method that will cover you for your microwave, drinking glasses, hob and oven. Instead, we end up with an entire cupboard dedicated to cleaning supplies, which, of course, need a clear out in itself, every now and then.

The good news is that there are some amazing kitchen cleaning hacks that help you with cleaning faster and getting your kitchen deep clean over and done with, so you can go back to enjoying the heart of your home. Not only that, but a lot of these amazing tips for cleaning your kitchen are actually 100% natural cleaning hacks. Still not convinced? Read on and allow us to blow your mind with these cleaning hacks, kitchen cleaning advice and tips for deep cleaning your appliances.

Give Yourself the Gift of a Sparkling Oven

Your oven is probably going to be the Goliath of the kitchen clean. It’s big, it’s annoying and it’s really, really tough. Well, David, get your metaphorical sling ready and be ready to go all out, here’s our deep-cleaning hacks for your kitchen oven.

Make the Filter in Your Vent Hood Sparkle Again

Did you know that using a little Borax and hot water is enough to get your filters looking like they’re brand new? All you’ll need to do is get yourselves some gloves (Borax is natural, but can still be damaging to your skin), 1//4 cup of Borax and hot water (enough to fill your sink) and let the filters soak in there, preferably for about an hour, but 15 mins minimum should be enough to see a startling difference.

If there’s still some tough grease stains that you can’t easily remove, once you’ve brought the filters back out, then just place them back in (all while wearing your gloves, remember!) and repeat the above steps. Then just rinse and replace the filters back in your vents!

Destroy Grease on Your Burners With Ammonia

First things first, don’t use ammonia with any other cleaners. It’s super-important to remember this since mixing ammonia can cause damage to yourself and to your kitchen. Also, be sure to wear gloves (and maybe a mask if you aren’t a fan of stronger smells). You’ll need a secure, resealable bag and a little bit of ammonia to get that grease off your stove burners.

Simply place the burner itself into the bag and pop in enough ammonia to be able to coat the whole item(s) with. Leave this to soak overnight and then, carefully, remove them the next morning. Give them a rinse and then wipe down the burners with a sponge. Just like that, your stove top will look as good as new.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff With Cleaning Hacks Everyone Should Know

As we all know, it’s the little, niggly bits that can drive any good person up the wall, when it comes to cleaning a kitchen. However, we’ve found some of the best cleaning hacks for the little bits and pieces in your kitchen to keep your feet on the ground, as well as helping you get the most out of these household items.

Shift the Dust From Your Blinds

Dust! Gah, it’s everywhere and, despite being really obvious to see, it can be such a pain to get rid of. It doesn’t have to be, though, simply with the use of your trusty tongs, because it turns out these aren’t just for barbecues. All you will need to do is wrap a slightly damp cloth around each grip of the tong and then run this along your blind. Before you know it, you’ll have your blinds looking brand new and dust-free.

Use a Toothbrush to Get to Those Hard-to-Reach Places

Under your sink, around the taps, at the bottom of your oven and inside your garbage disposal – these are all examples of some really awkward places that can actually be easily cleaned with a little maneuvering and an old toothbrush.

For an extra boost add some baking soda to your bristles before you give each area a good scrub, as this will double your cleaning power. Once you’ve rinsed the area, you’ll see a huge difference, particularly in the metallic finishes, such as on your blender blades and disposal.

Use Ice to Clean Your Garbage Disposal

This is also a super-handy cleaning hack that helps shift the grime from the inside of your garbage disposal. All you will need to do is fill your sink with ice and let the blade do the work. They dislodge any build-up of grease, freeze any forgotten bits of food that have gotten lodged in there (making them easier to shift) and melt, once completed. Meaning there’s no mess to clean up and no worrying about what to do with the leftover gunk.

Get Your Toaster Crumb-Free

Toasters are usually left forgotten by the wayside, despite their many years of loyal bread-deliverance. We can make this up to them by given our toasters a thorough clean via the following (with the toaster unplugged!):

• Take out your toasters crumb-catcher. This is usually just in a tray at the bottom of the toaster and should be easy to remove, using the handle.
• Tip the crumbs away from the catcher, then pop this aside and hold your toaster upside-down over your sink or garbage can, so the remaining crumbs that have fallen to the side, fall out
• Then simply use a basting brush or pastry brush to get into the nooks and crannies of the toaster itself, while being careful, to dislodge any stubborn pieces of bread or general debris left in your appliance.

Not only will you be able to have your toast, knowing there’s less likely to be any rotting bits of bread in there you’ll also feel safe in the knowledge that your toaster will be much less likely to cause a fire. Which is always a bonus!

Use Dryer Sheets for Sparkling Pans

It sounds a little odd but trust us with this one. Dryer sheets, like baking soda, are one of the most versatile pieces of cleaning equipment available in any household. Take this hack, for instance. All you’ll need to do to get those annoying burnt-on bits of food away from your lovely pans is to use a dryer sheet.

Simply place the sheet in a pan and fill the pan with boiling hot water. The silicon from the sheet will help to soften the burnt-on and stuck food, meaning you can easily remove this from your pan the next day- without having to use any bleach. Even better, if you use the same dryer sheet to shift away the grease and debris, the soft fabric will be extremely unlikely to damage any of the non-stick surfaces that are used on most pans.

Use Pledge to Clean Stainless-Steel Fridges

This sounds like a bit of an unrealistic expectation, right here. Don’t worry though, it’s been confirmed that using a little pledge on your stainless steel is completely safe and even has an amazing effect on your surfaces. Stick some towels down on the floor before you start to avoid any slipping if your Pledge ends up on the floor!

All you’ll need to do is stick a heavy layer of Pledge onto the surface of the fridge. Then work the spray into the stainless steel by moving in small circles as you wipe down the liquid. Really give it a good swirl and then leave it for five minutes to really let it soak in. Once that’s done, use an old piece of cloth (such as an old t-shirt) to wipe away all the mess that’s left. Your fridge will look amazing and feel great to touch, too.

Grab Yourself Some Baking Soda and Use on:

• Your sink

Using baking soda with vinegar will help you to unclog your sink. The chemical reaction between the two ingredients wipes out grease and debris, easily. While we can’t say that this will get rid of massive blockages, it’s a huge help toward getting rid of rubbish that causes your kitchen sink to drain slowly.

You can also use baking soda with lemon juice to shine up any chrome, or metallic finishes around your sink, such as your taps and mixer, as well as the base of your sink itself.

• Your dishwasher

Using baking soda before running your dishwasher can help not only with cleaning your dishes but with deodorizing and cleaning your pipework within the washer itself. Just add a scoop with your usual detergents, if looking to clean your dishes. Or, if you’re giving your dishwasher a once-over before cleaning all your pots and pans, just stick a scoop in and run the washer on empty.

• The floor

Your kitchen floor plays host to every spill, slip and accident that happens in your kitchen, so it’s a good idea to give yours a good scrub from time-to-time. Using a cup of baking soda with some hot water can help you get rid of any built-up grease that has appeared over time, on your floor. It’s also a great way of buffing out any marks in your floor. If you’ve got scuff marks from the kids, or any fur babies, then you’ll know what a lifesaver this can be!

• Your fridge

You can use one of the mixtures mentioned in this article to clean out your fridge (for example, lemon juice and baking soda is fantastic for getting rid of grease in your fridge while giving you a lemony-fresh scent), or you can simply place an open box of baking soda at the back of your fridge to help deodorize your appliance.

• Any rugs and mats

Sprinkle some baking soda over any mats or rugs you might keep in your kitchen, then simply vacuum up the excess after a short period (ideally overnight but we all know how busy the kitchen can get). You’ll be left with fresh smelling carpets, again!

You can also use a little baking soda with water to get rid of any stains in your carpet. Be sure to test on an inconspicuous area first, to ensure that the baking soda won’t react to any dyes in your soft furnishings. But this has been tried and tested over the years and this simple concoction should only need to be wiped with a damp cloth, once dry leaving you with clean and great looking soft furnishings and carpets.

• Your garbage can

Garbage cans can really stink up the place when left untreated and unwashed for an extended period of time. Help yourself by using a scoop of baking soda with lemon juice to clean out the inside of your can. Once dry, use a sprinkling of baking soda again to keep your trash can smelling great.

• Any surprise wall art

If you’re a parent to any young children, this may not come as a surprise to you, but accidents can and will happen! One of the most common accident by kids is giving your lovely painted walls a new lease of life via the medium of the crayon. If you happen to find yourself in this situation, don’t stress. Just take a little baking soda and apply it to a damp cloth. Scrub away and the crayon should come away fairly easily (a little elbow grease may be required, depending on how liberally your little ones felt the need to create), leaving your emulsion as it was before the festival of art began. Phew!

Make All-natural Cleaners for Your Kitchen and Bathroom

• Easily clean your microwave with this cleaning solution

This is a simple solution that can be used in your microwave to clean away any grime and rubbish that won’t shift. Using half a cup of water and a full lemon, be sure to squeeze out the lemon juice (into the water, of course), before placing the liquid in a microwave-proof jug. Add the lemon halves that you squeezed earlier and then microwave the jug for three minutes (until the water is boiling).

Next, open the door to your microwave and allow the steam to billow out, being sure not to get caught in the heat. Leave the door open for five minutes, then remove your jug and wipe away any stains and mess from your microwave.

• Mix water and white vinegar for your coffeepot

This is a simple solution that is so effective. It’s definitely up there as one of my favorites, as anyone who loves coffee will know what a pain it can be to clean up your coffee maker. To do this, you’ll need to fill up your water chamber to its full capacity with a mixture of water and vinegar, in equal parts. Then run your coffee maker as normal, letting the solution make its way through your appliance.

Once this has been done, let your coffee pot sit for a while, before discarding the liquid and starting a new cycle, with just water this time. Run plain water through your coffee maker two more times before using it again, allowing some time between each cycle for your appliance to cool.

• Clean granite with this DIY concoction

If you have granite worktops, you’ll already know that you shouldn’t ever use bleach on your countertops. This can damage them, ruining the lovely look that granite gives and leaving remnants of bleach on your tops, which is later picked up during the cooking process and prove poisonous.

Simply mix three parts dish detergent with one standard rubbing alcohol instead. These are Ph balanced and therefore perfect for cleaning your granite work surfaces part. Then add this to some warm water, try not to let the mixture be too concentrated since the rubbing alcohol can break down any sealers in your kitchen. Allow the water to cool slightly until it is only slightly warm. Then simply wash down your countertops and finish by buffing over your granite worktops for a great finish.

• Keep your cutting boards germ-free with lemon and salt

This is one of the best all-natural cleaning hacks out there but bear in mind that you’ll need to give your wood a quick wipe down afterward, to avoid any funny-tasting food! All you’ll need to do is give your wooden chopping board a sprinkling of salt, then slice a lemon in half and use the open side of the lemon, rubbing liberally across the cutting board and being sure to get all the corners. Don’t forget to squeeze slightly so you can really use all the lemon juice available! After 5 minutes, scrape all the gunk off your board and give the surface a quick wipe down.