The beginning of January seems to be a logical time to do some deep cleaning as Christmas decorations are packed away for the season. Today I am sharing a few of my favorite cleaning products and methods that I use throughout the year.
Hands down, this is my favorite way to keep mirrors and glass clean and sparkling!
Several years ago a friend gave me a Zap cloth and ever since I have been hooked. You wet and wring out the cloth before using it. No cleaners are needed. For a highly polished finish, I follow up with a glass and polishing cloth (mine happens to be an e-cloth brand).
Even though our shower doors are glass, I clean them differently. I have found that equal parts of Dawn (it must be the original blue formula) and white vinegar mixed in a new spray bottle to be the most effective and easiest way to routinely deep clean them. We always use a squeegee on the doors after using showers, but a bit of soap scum can still find a way to cling here and there. For that reason, I rely on this concoction when necessary. When the surface is already wet, spray on the Dawn/vinegar combination (always shake the spray bottle first to mix it well) and use a soft sponge to rub in a curcular motion.
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| This picture was taken from the inside of the shower looking out. The blue rectangular shape that you see is a print which hangs on the nearby wall. |
Then just let it sit for about 45 minutes (or longer depending upon your situation) before gently wiping down and rinsing off everything. It removes any scum or water spots, leaving smooth and perfectly clean and shiny shower doors.
For some surfaces, I think e-cloth general purpose cloths are wonderful. Using only water, this cloth will remove grease, grime and over 99% of bacteria. No use of chemicals is a plus! Microfiber is one hundred times finer than a human hair so it easily traps everything on a surface.
When it comes to oven upkeep, I use baking soda and vinegar. Although my oven has a self-cleaning steam system, I suspended that practice several years ago after a repairman strongly suggested doing so because of safety issues. He told me to use baking soda and vinegar instead and that's what I have been doing ever since. Sprinkle liberal amounts of baking soda directly on spots in the bottom of the oven and then pour vinegar over that. My favorite part is when it fizzes and bubbles because it's like an elementary science experiment! After it sits for about 30 minutes, you are able to gently wipe/scrub it clean. It works like a charm...even on this MESS!😲
Late last summer, I made our favorite vegetable casserole (which I have highlighted on this blog before; you can click here for the printable recipe). After it had been in the oven for maybe five minutes, I heard a loud pop! Curiously, I traced the sound back into the kitchen where I discovered what had happened. Obviously, my glass 9 by 13 pan had some sort of a hairline crack not visually detectable and its "explosion" coated the bottom of the oven and the racks with eight beaten eggs, several cups of freshly chopped vegetables, a pound of sausage, milk and cheese---not to mention million of glass shards. As you can imagine, it was disappointing and discouraging! After the glass was picked up, I was able to successfully restore the oven to its normal state using baking soda and vinegar...and some elbow grease. There were definitely spots that required a few appilications, but it did the trick! By the way, don't forget that patting a slice of soft bread is a highly effective way to pick up the tiniest slivers of glass.
Do you keep some of this at your sink, too? It's absolutely great for pots and pans. My sister-in-law told me about when Dawn Powerwash first came out on the market a few years ago and I have not been without it since!
Speaking of washing dishes, I adore these microfiber dishcloths. First introduced by a friend eons ago, I use nothing else in the kitchen sink. I used to be able to get them in stores and that was my source the last time I stocked-up. It is entirely likely that they would be an online purchase now. They do a great job and hold up very well. I bleach all of my whites when I do the laundry and my Scotch cloths still look new even though they have been washed a million times.
Although I have listed several natural approaches today and that is preferable to me in many situations, there are certainly places where traditional cleansers and bleach are essential. It's all good 'clean' fun, though!
