On day 3 of my spring clean, I tackled the kitchen. Yesterday the floors, day before that the windows.
I actually didn’t mind the kitchen clean, as I tend to keep it pretty sparkling on a daily basis. Our kitchen is basically in the middle of our living space, and if it’s a mess, everything seems a mess. The kitchen is my domain, my happy place, and I like it to sparkle!
Getting down to business:
Garburator/Garbage Disposal
I clean my garburator about once a week, or more if it gets smelly. I like to do this using a 1:1 ratio of baking soda to vinegar.
- I find 1/2 cup of each works.
- First dump in baking soda, then pour on vinegar.
- Let sit for at least 15 minutes, even 1/2 hour.
- Rinse thoroughly with hot water, while running your garburator.
Also, don’t forget about your garburator plug! It should go into the dishwasher at least once a week, everyday if you remember!
Chair Cushions
In our home, I find removable chair covers are a necessity. They get used as napkins, paint splatter collectors, the cat bed, you name it! So into the washer they go! Easy peasy.
Coffee Pot
I like to clean my coffee pot about once a month. It gets used a lot, so there gets to be a pretty good build up on it after a while.
- I run 2 cups vinegar through first.
- Then I run a full pot of water through at least 5 times. Just smell it and see if you need to run more water through.
- After all that, I also like to make one pot of coffee, then I dump it out. This seems to get rid of any residual vinegar.
- I also like to use Method’s stainless steel cleaner on my coffee maker. It smells amazing, and cleans so nice!
Kitchen Sink
To get my sink sparkling again, I use this stuff: Shaklee’s Scour Off. It’s amazing, and you hardly need any. (I’ve actually had the same container for 2 years now!) (I also use it on so many other things! It’s a great non-toxic scrub for taking crayon (and red wine rings) off my counter tops too!)
Oven
Self clean. Yay!
Microwave
I hate cleaning the microwave! But it’s not too bad of a job if you microwave a bowl of water, with a chunk of lemon in it, for 5 minutes. This steams off all the gunk on the inside of the microwave. Then I just wipe it down with soap & water.
Cupboards
I gave them a good wipe down using a sink full of hot water, dish soap and 1 cup of vinegar.
Fridge
Wipe down using hot water, dish soap and vinegar. Don’t forget the top of the fridge!
Dishwasher
Scrub all the edging with a toothbrush. Put a dishwasher safe container filled with 1 cup of vinegar, on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run a complete cycle with nothing else in it except for the vinegar. Sparkle! Sparkle!
Thanks again for reading! Tomorrow I attack some other mundane cleaning! (but it’s all worth it! Water-logged hands and all!)
Hi I'm Jo-Anna! I mom. I blog. I cook. I craft. I like pretty things.
Great job!! I am still procrastinating. Ugh. Must make a start today, I know once I get started I will feel better and want to keep going! x
Hey, Jo-Anna! I have stumbled upon your blog several times now (this time from the UBP 2011) and have finally thought to “follow” you! Your blog is so cute and you always write about great projects!
I would love to have you visit my blog at ourtaylormadehome.com where I write about all things homemaking. Hope to catch you there!
I love vinegar! Use it for so many things! I haven’t tried the lemons in the micro yet. Thanks!
The only thing I will use vinegar for is chips…kitchen does look fancy though!
The Hubby
Hmmmm I am gonna have to go and get some vinegar…and some lemons…and get to cleaning…thanks for the tips!!
Some great idaes!! love them all!! You have just inspired me to start my own spring cleaning!! and i love the tips.. and the right adjectives have pushed me into dreaming of glitzy kitchen myself!! its an addiction i tell you..
Great Ideas I am going to do the dishwasher sparkle idea! Thank You~ Very cute blog. oxox Diane
Thanks for the tips! I clean my microwave by warming up a bowl of vinegar in the microwave, and then wipe. It smells like vinegar but the smell dissipates and the vinegar does a great job of cleaning!