05/1/15

Green Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Germ-Free

Guest blog by Bryn Huntpalmer

Going green and eliminating germs is easier said than done, and you’re not alone if you feel like the majority of kitchen cleaners on store shelves contain harsh chemicals that are anything but environmentally-friendly. A few years ago, I decided to ditch the bleach and keep my kitchen clean with all-natural cleaners, and I couldn’t be happier. Here’s how to do it:

 

Clean with Natural or Non-toxic Cleaning Materials

Dishes, countertops, appliances, and any place that has seen a piece of raw meat needs cleaning and disinfecting. You can use natural materials to create cleaning products for any situation.

The basic ingredients for almost any type of non-toxic disinfectant are:

  • Vinegar
  • Lemon
  • Baking Soda
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Tea Tree, Orange, and Neem Oils
  • Grapefruit Seed Extract

Clean the refrigerator and countertops with baking soda. About a quart of warm water and a couple tablespoons of baking soda will give you a solution you can use to effectively clean quite a few things. Baking soda is actually a versatile substance. You can also use it to make a paste that can lift stains off cups and pans. Even better, when you’re done with the baking soda, you can pour it down the kitchen drain. It can help to get rid of and keep away bad drain odors.

Let your disposal unit grind down a lemon. Really, you can use any kind of citrus rind or peel to freshen the unit. You can also throw in some vinegar or baking soda (or both). Tossing in a few ice cubes can also help knock some debris off the disposal’s blade.

Add vinegar to the dish soap. You don’t need that fancy, overpriced dish soap. Get the cheapest brand you can find and simply add in a little vinegar (the ratio should be 10:1, with that smallest amount being vinegar). Vinegar cuts grease. And that’s just one of the things it does. Vinegar is really a miracle cleaner for your kitchen. For instance, you can clean your kitchen windows with vinegar. Just mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle.

Clean and freshen food prep areas. In a spray bottle, combine half a cup of white vinegar, 3 cups of water, and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Use this mixture to clean cutting boards, sinks, countertops, and other hard surfaces.

With these basic ingredients, there are almost an unlimited number of cleaning and disinfecting solutions you can make. You can use them in every part of your kitchen and all over the house. Just search for cleaning recipes involving any one of the listed things.

Even the solutions listed here aren’t the only way to accomplish any particular task. By cutting out the use of hazardous, chemical-based cleaners, you will make your kitchen clean, safe, and definitely green.

For more home tips and tricks, head to Modernize.com.