How to Clean a Kitchen Naturally: Cleaning Without Chemicals

At the heart of our homes is the kitchen. Newly refurbished or exactly the same as it was when you first moved in, we use this space every day, and with that comes dirt! With so many appliances to keep clean, shopping for products can be expensive and overwhelming, especially when there seems to be a new product on the market every day. Cleaners that contain chemicals also pose a threat to the environment. Disposed liquids contaminate water sources and put Ecosystems at risk, and single-use plastics often end up in landfill or as litter, harming UK wildlife in the process.

What Natural Ingredients are Used for Cleaning?

Believe it or not, there are many cheaper and Eco-friendly alternatives to most store-bought cleaners which you can likely find in your own home. They will keep your space hygienic and presentable, whilst avoiding the strong smells and possible skin irritation that can occur with over exposure to store bought cleaners. Tackling tough stains and dirt doesn’t have to be as difficult, or as expensive, as we think. This guide explores DIY natural cleaning methods using baking soda, lemon juice and white vinegar that will take you one step closer to your perfect kitchen!

Baking Soda

Baking soda is well known for being an effective at home cleaning solution, particularly when it comes to tough dirt and stains. When mixed with water it forms a paste which should remove stains from surfaces, pots and pans.

Apply the solution to the affected areas and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. If you have one handy, use an old toothbrush to scrub the baking soda formula deep into the dirt. Once you are ready, wipe the solution away with warm water and a damp cloth, revealing a stainless surface beneath!

Other household uses for baking soda: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a669645/21-cleaning-problems-you-can-solve-with-bicarbonate-of-soda/

Vinegar

While cleaning vinegar is sold at most supermarkets, standard white vinegar can be just as effective. With only 1% less acidity than cleaning vinegar and a lower price point, why not make this change?

To make the most out of your white vinegar, mix it with warm water and dish soap in a spray bottle. Creating a solution that will clean and remove stains from your work tops, just wipe it away with a cloth and your surfaces will look as good as new. Avoid using this method with marble, granite or stone counter tops as it could damage the finish.

It’s not just counter tops that will reap the benefits of white vinegar cleaning, either. Kitchen floors, clogged pipes, and even stainless-steel pans can be cleaned with white vinegar. For such an affordable product, it almost seems too good to be true (we promise you it isn’t!).

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is infamous for its sharp taste, and for good reason! The acid in the juice is antibacterial and antiseptic, making it the perfect natural and safe cleaning product.

Like vinegar, make the most of lemon juice by mixing it with other ingredients. In this case, mix lemon juice and hot water in a spray bottle to cut through grease and grime, and add lemon essential oil for added freshness. Use this solution as a simple counter top cleaner and to tackle some of your dirtier appliances.

When you’re done, your kitchen will not only look beautiful, it will smell amazing too!

How to Clean a Kitchen Without Chemicals

Now we’ve established what natural cleaning products we can use in our kitchens, it’s important we understand how to use them for our appliances. No matter the appliance, there’s nothing these natural cleaning remedies can’t handle!

Kettles

Even though it’s difficult to see, kettles are prone to accumulating masses of limescale and dirt. In hard water locations you will notice your kettle gets dirty quite quickly, but don’t worry, white vinegar is here to help!

1. Start by pouring out excess water from the kettle, removing as much limescale as possible in the process.
2. Fill half of the kettle with white vinegar, and the other half with hot water.
3. Let it sit for about an hour.
4. Use an old toothbrush to scrub away any remaining limescale.
5. Boil the kettle and empty the water.
6. Fill the kettle to the brim with clean water and boil before emptying.
7. Repeat the previous step.
8. Now your kettle should be limescale free. Here’s to a non-tainted cuppa!

Oven

Oh no, the dreaded hour has come… it’s time to clean the oven. Despite being a time consuming and exhausting task, it is a necessary evil to remove unwanted smells, smoke and food debris (which can also be a fire hazard!), and it is so worth it in the end.

However, it doesn’t have to be so difficult. Cleaning your over with natural ingredients can be just as effective as expensive and abrasive oven cleaners.

1. Begin by preheating your oven to 121.1°C or 250°F.
2. Cut two lemons (or oranges) in half and squeeze the juice into a baking tray.
3. Fill the tray halfway with water and place the remaining fruit inside.
4. Put the tray in the oven for 30 minutes, or 45 if it is particularly dirty.
5. Turn the oven off and remove the tray from the oven with heat-proof oven gloves.
6. When cooled, scrub the oven with a scourer, the steam will have lifted the dirt and it should wipe away with ease.
7. Use the rest of the water from the tray to wipe down the sides of the oven. Job done!

If you are in the position to invest in a new appliance, pyrolytic ovens are an interesting option if you don’t want to spend so much time cleaning. Better known as a self cleaning oven, its stand out feature its ability to reduce dirt and grime, simply by burning it into ash, which you can sweep out once the oven has cooled down.

Floor

The floor is undoubtedly one of the dirtiest spots in any kitchen, and while you’re probably not eating off it, a clean and shiny floor is a must for an immaculate space.

White vinegar is one of the main natural components for cleaning your floors. When used with water, washing up liquid and essential oils you will have a cost-friendly solution without any harsh chemicals. Just grab a mop and bucket and you will be ready to go!

1. Add half a litre of warm water and a couple squirts of washing up liquid to a bucket.
2. Then mix in 250ml of white vinegar.
3. Add 5-10 drops of essential oils in the scent of your choice.
4. Mix together.
5. After mixing the ingredients in a bucket, make sure the mop is well soaked and go to town with your new floor cleaner!

Sink

When it comes to the kitchen sink, baking soda and vinegar are your new best friends! Whether you want you to clean dirt or stains, or to unclog your pipes, baking soda and vinegar can really help. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands during this process.

To clean your sink:

1. Mix baking soda and warm water into a paste.
2. Remove any dishes or dishes from the sink and rinse out with hot water and soap.
3. Wipe the baking soda solution around the sink.
4. Use a bottle to spray vinegar on the area, it should gently react with it.
5. After it dries, wipe the solution away with olive oil and kitchen roll to reveal your fresh new sink!

To unclog your drain:

1. Fill your kettle with water and let it boil.
2. Poor the contents of the boiling water down the drain.
3. Mix 240ml of boiling water with 240ml of vinegar.
4. Then add 120g of baking soda into the mix and pour the whole solution down the drain.
5. Let the mixture sit for at least thirty minutes, then rinse it away with another pot of boiling water, enjoy your unclogged drain!

A great way to ensure food waste doesn’t clog your drain is to install a waste disposal unit. These can be installed in your sink or under a counter top depending on your preference. They incinerate food and flush them through the pipework, allowing you to efficiently dispose of food waste without taking up so much space in your bin.

Fridge

Your fridge is one of the most essential appliances in your kitchen and keeping it clean could not be more imperative. Designed to extend the life of your fresh foods, keeping your fridge free from bacteria (and nasty smells!) couldn’t be easier with this homemade solution.

Thankfully there are several methods to clean the inside of your fridge with essential oils, white vinegar, and hot water!

1. Remove all food and trays from the refrigerator and soak the trays in hot water and soap.
2. Mix one parts white vinegar, two parts hot water and one tablespoon of an essential oil of your choice (to tackle any nasty smells) into a spray bottle.
3. Cover as much space as you can inside the fridge with the solution.
4. With a damp cloth and water wipe away the solution and replace the clean trays when dry.
5. Restock the fridge with all your favourite foods and enjoy!

Microwave

Like ovens, microwaves can quickly become dirty, and they can be difficult to clean out (no matter how hard you try you always seem to miss a spot!) . While a microwave safe plate cover will provide some protection against food splatters (you can find these at a range of UK homeware stores), here is a simple solution for those times where mess is inevitable.

1. Fill a bowl with clean water.
2. Squeeze half a lemon into the water and place the rest of the lemon in the bowl.
3. Place the bowl in the microwave and and set on full heat for one to two minutes- the dirtier it is, the longer you should heat it.
4. Once finished, remove the bowl of water and the steam from the water should be loose enough to scrub away with a damp cloth!

Pots and Pans

As much as we wish they would, pots and pans never stay the way they looked when we first bought them. When it comes to cleaning stains and burnt food, there is a better way than scrubbing away for hours with a scourer or using abrasive chemicals. We can thank your trusty lemons for protecting the appearance of your pots and pans with this solution:

1. Place your stained pans on the stove and fill it just over half-way with water.
2. Cut three to four lemons into quarters- the bigger the pot, the more you should use.
3. Add the lemons to the water and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. When done, discard the water (be aware of any food waste that might come out with it).
6. Once the pan is clean, wipe down the dirt with a paper towel and rinse out with clean water for the perfect shine!

Keeping your kitchen clean doesn’t have to be difficult. Now you can walk past the cleaning isle at the supermarket in confidence, knowing you already have everything you need already in your cupboards to maintain your beautiful kitchen. From baking soda and vinegar to lemons and essential oil, there are plenty of natural cleaning alternatives that will make our wallets lighter and lessen our impact on the environment. What more could you want?

Originally posted on July 28th, 2021 by Connor Dowling. Updated by Lauren Newman August 2024.