The kitchen is probably the most important room to keep clean – and also one of the most difficult! Thanks to its vital role in our lives, messes reappear almost as soon as we remove them. Dirt is usually synonymous with delicious food, so we can’t complain – except when that dirt is the greasy kind that’s hard to fight and sticks forever. No matter how careful you are in the kitchen, at some point you’re going to get a hard-to-clean mess, whether it’s on your countertop, in your cabinet or on yourself. When that time comes, don’t resort to bottles of all-purpose cleaners with mystery ingredients. Instead, opt for natural, chemical-free DIY methods! How Stuff Works inspired us to come up with a list of our ten favorite natural tools to fight grease. Read on and stock up:
- A DIY cleaner for your floors
The messes that we walk around – or even on – can be harder to spot than the ones right in front of our faces, but that doesn’t mean they have to be more difficult to clean. Use a mix of vinegar, dish soap, washing soda and tap water to make your own grease-cutting cleaner. - Dish soap and vinegar, or . . .
Sometimes, the messiest thing in the kitchen ends up being ourselves! Whether we’ve dropped and dripped wine, pizza grease, or cooking oil on our shirts, this solution clears it right up! - . . . aloe vera for your clothes
Another great solution for set-in, oily shirt stains? Aloe vera, of all things! - Salt and rubbing alcohol for other fabrics
As annoying as it is when we stain our clothing, at least we have the option of throwing it into the washing machine. Rugs, carpets and chair cushions? Not so much. For harder-to-wash fabrics, mix 1 part salt with 4 parts rubbing alcohol, then use a cloth to rub the mixture into the stains and lift the grease away. - Lemon and oil combined for fighting power
The natural acidity of lemons makes it the perfect natural ingredient for a great-smelling, general grease fighter. Combine it with a vegetable-based oil for a DIY all-purpose cleaner. - White vinegar to clean everything
You’ve noticed it popping up in lots of other solutions for a reason! Similarly to lemon, vinegar’s natural acidity makes it the perfect all-purpose grease fighter, especially when you combine it with dish soap or natural oils. Keep a ton on hand for whatever stains, wherever and whenever they appear! - Baking soda and soapy water for your stovetop
Did you bake some stains onto your stove while baking your favorite dish? All you need is a sprinkling of baking soda, some soapy water, and the right technique. - More oil for your cabinets
“Water and oil don’t mix, but oil and oil do!” And if you use either mineral oil or vegetable oil, you can cut through the grease build-up on your cabinets. It works on appliances, too!
