Practical Tips for Kitchen Cleaning

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dish soap
2 tablespoons vinegar
Instructions:
Using a funnel, combine the ingredients in a spray bottle.
Shake the bottle well and leave it for 1-2 minutes.
Fill the remaining space in the bottle with warm water then let it sit for a few more minutes.
Add a few drops of essential oil to give the desired scent.

You'll need: ½ cup baking soda
1 bucket of hot water
Instructions:
Use a clean rag to wipe down the inside of your fridge with this mixture.

Use this method when you have stuck-on substances on your glass dishes.
Instructions:
Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the dish then fill it with water.
Using a ball of aluminum foil, scrub off the baked-on grime. It will come off easily.

The best way to handle your cheese grater is to clean it as soon as it is used, but sometimes you may not remember to do this.
Instructions:
1. Use lemon to clean soft cheese: Simply rub both sides of the grater with a lemon wedge.
2. Use a potato or apple: Grate an apple or potato to dislodge dried bits of cheese.
3. Use an old toothbrush to clean the smaller holes.
When you use sponge, wash against the grain so you will not grate the sponge. If you have really difficult stuck-on bits, you can freeze the grater or soak your grater in a mixture of water and vinegar prior to washing.

Although your dishwasher may appear to be doing its job, soap scum, grease, leftover food and other gunk can buildup in your dishwasher over time. Here are some ways to ensure that the dishes you wash in it are truly clean and sanitary.
Instructions:
1. Use vinegar and baking soda: Remove the filter of the dishwasher then soak it in soapy water for 10 minutes.
Replace the filter, put one cup of white vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher then run the heavy cleaning cycle.
After the heavy cycle is done, remove the cup and sprinkle some baking soda all over the bottom of your dishwasher.
Let it sit overnight, then run another heavy cleaning cycle in the morning.
2. Use borax: Use a damp sponge and a generous amount of borax to scrub the inside door and bottom floor of the dishwasher. When you are done, rinse the borax away with a damp rag.
Now place 1/4 cup of borax on the bottom layer during your next washing cycle (your dishes can be there). Add regular detergent and run the dishwasher normally.
3. Use Kool-Aid: This is a good way to get rid of hard water deposits in the appliance and it smells delicious too.
Simply pour some citrus Kool-Aid (lemon or orange) into the detergent bin of the dishwasher then add a generous amount to the bottom.
Now run the full cycle of the dishwasher to get rid of hard water deposits.

Plain old vinegar has enough acid content to eliminate the buildup of scale, mineral and oils in your coffee maker. Cleaning should be done once a month.
Instructions:
Unplug the coffee maker and wait until it is cool then use a damp sponge to wipe down all the external surfaces.
Fill the water reservoir with a solution of equal parts of white vinegar and water.
Now, run the coffee maker then leave the mixture to soak in it for about 30 minutes.
Pour out the vinegar solution, fill the water reservoir with plain water and run the coffee maker 2 to 3 times.
Remove the pot and filter basket and wash with soap and water.

1 cup of water
1 cup of vinegar
Instructions:
Mix the ingredients together in a spray bottle.
Note: Replace vinegar with vodka or rubbing alcohol if your countertop is made with granite, marble or stone. Vinegar is not good for these surfaces.