6 Money-Saving Kitchen Cleaning Tips

Kitchen cleaning for the apartment resident needs to be efficient and inexpensive, to allow for even the smallest of spaces and the tightest of budgets. You can save money when apartment cleaning in your kitchen with the following tips:

1 – Don’t Waste Money on Commercial Cleansers

Commercial cleansers are not only harsh on your plumbing and release potentially harmful chemicals into your cramped apartment’s air space, but they’re costly in the long run. Rather than buying multiple spray bottles of commercial cleansers, buy your own empty spray bottle and fill it with homemade cleaning solutions.

2 – Removing Stains

Lemons are inexpensive and can be used as a safe alternative to bleach when kitchen cleaning. Use lemon juice to clean stains on kitchen countertops and in the sink by letting the juice soak for a few minutes before you scrub the stain away.

3 – Cleaning Surfaces, Sinks and Floors

Pour undiluted vinegar or a solution of equal parts vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle, and use the solution to wipe down countertops, linoleum floors and the sink. Let it soak and wipe or mop away; the solution will kill bacteria and mildew. The strong scent from kitchen cleaning with vinegar will dissipate after the solution has dried.

4 – Cleaning the Microwave

Pour 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave the solution until you see the mixture boiling. Carefully remove the bowl with a hand mitt, dispose of the mixture and wipe the inside of your microwave using the steam produced from the boiling cleaning solution.

5 – Unclogging and Freshening the Sink

If your sink is clogged, use a bendable bristle brush to get as much of the clog out as you can. Then pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. The solution will foam and reach all of the corners of the drain. Allow the mixture to soak for a few minutes, and then rinse it with warm water. If the drain is still slow, use a toiler plunger to produce enough force to move the clog through.

If you have a garbage disposal, throw in lemon peels to freshen and clean your disposal naturally and cheaply thanks to the strong scent and acidic properties of lemon.

6 – Scrub Away Grease

Kitchen cleaning inevitably means tackling grease. When there’s grease in your sink, make a scouring powder using baking soda by sprinkling the sink liberally with baking soda and slowly adding water (until the soda attains a paste consistency). Use a scrub pad or brush to wipe the mixture around and scrub away tough food stains.

The baking soda scouring powder also works on getting tough grease stains off of pans and dishes. Just be sure to let the dishes or pans soak for a few minutes in warm water before you apply the scrub.

Natural and cheap household cleaning products makes kitchen cleaning a breeze. Besides lemons, distilled white vinegar and baking soda can both be used separately or combined for effective, cheap and safe alternatives to chemical cleansers, so stock up on them and make sure you regularly use them when apartment cleaning.