All-Purpose Kitchen Cleaner DIY (With Essential Oils)
This content was updated for accuracy and relevance on May 18th, 2022
If cooking is an art form, then the kitchen is a studio. And just like working in an art studio, creating something beautiful (and in this case edible) can lead to undesirable messes.
You might wash the dishes and clean the counters on a daily basis, but when was the last time you scrubbed your cabinets or looked in the back of the fridge? If there was ever a time to give the heart of the home a good cleaning, it’s spring. To help you get started, we’ve put together a few helpful tips and an all-purpose kitchen cleaner DIY with essential oils that will make your space spick and span.
Tips For Cleaning Your Kitchen Naturally
Step up your green cleaning routine with these top tips.
DIY Natural Kitchen Cleaner
Spray and wipe away gunk, marks, soap scum and spills with this DIY all-purpose cleaner. This homemade cleaner recipe is a good alternative to commercial formulas made with harsh chemicals. Each natural ingredient found in this cleaner also lends itself to being uniquely powerful at ridding your kitchen of dirt and grime.
2 oz Distilled White Vinegar
1 oz Distilled Water
1 oz 190-Proof Grain Alcohol
20 drops Lemon
10 drops Pine- Scots
10 drops Orange
4 oz Glass Spray Bottle
Note: This natural cleaner should not be used on granite countertops.
Fridge
Start by removing the products and produce that are looking a little on the green side. Check expiration dates and toss anything past due. If you can’t remember when you purchased something that’s been chilling in the freezer, it might be good to toss that too.
Once you’ve removed all of the undesirables, take all of your refrigerated items out and put them aside. Take your DIY cleaner and wipe down the shelves, drawers and sides of the fridge. It’s good to work quickly to preserve your food. This might also be a good time to make room for oil storage if you’ve been meaning to start refrigerating your oils.
Drawers & Cabinets
Again, get rid of anything that’s been sitting in your drawers and cabinets that you don’t use. If you have multiple spoons and spatulas, pick your favorites and move the others to storage or a donation pile. The holiday dish sets that have been sitting in your cabinets are also probably wanting to join the rest of the holiday decor in your garage.
After completing this first step, remove everything, vacuum and wipe down cabinets and drawers. Replace kitchenware by organizing it where it is most functional: bowls with bowls, plates with plates, mugs with mugs, etc.
Oven
Often the most overlooked area of the kitchen, the oven, can contain hard-to-clean messes and gunk that have been baked over time. Many ovens today have self-cleaning features that, when used, lock the oven and heat it to the point where grime burns off so you can easily wipe it away.
If you want to clean your oven the old-fashioned way, pour a light amount of vinegar on the bottom of the oven and shake baking soda over it. Let the paste sit for an hour, and wipe away using a cloth. Oven racks can be cleaned by scrubbing them with washing soda and castile soap or sal suds. After scrubbing, rinse the racks with hot water and let dry.
Dishes
Want to upgrade dish cleaning? Add 10 drops of Tea Tree oil per ounce of dish soap for added cleaning power. Then, soak dishes in hot soapy water for 30- 60 minutes before washing them or dropping them in the dishwasher. Not only does this save cleaning time, but it also reduces the amount of time the water faucet is running.
SOURCES:
- How to Make Your Own Household Cleaners Using Essential Oils. https://homemadelovely.com/how-to-make-your-own-household-cleaners-using-essential-oils/
- Natural Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!). https://wellnessmama.com/natural-home/homemade-all-purpose-cleaner/
Grab The Essentials Here:
About the Author, Bella Martinez
Bella Martinez is a Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skincare Formulator and Edens Garden’s lead aromatherapist. An industry expert, Bella has spent years training and learning in the aromatherapy field, which she continues annually. Her passion is taking evidence-based aromatherapy and making it approachable for all.
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2 comments
Mona
It’s not easy obtaining nor affording that proof of alcohol, esp here in California where they love to ban everything. Wish there was a recipe that didn’t require that.
Edens Garden
May 24, 2022 at 9:17 am
Hi Mona! You could alternatively use a solubilizer such as Polysorbate 20 and a preservative. For more formulating assistance, please reach out to us: aaa@edensgarden.com