Top advice for chemical-free kitchen cleaning

Cleaning your kitchen can be challenging, especially if you’re dealing with hardened grime and tough-to-reach spaces. Tackle these challenges head-on with natural, eco-friendly cleaning methods.

Don't be discouraged by baked-on food and grime – with these chemical-free cleaning tips and a bit of patience, your kitchen will soon be spotless.

• Sprinkle saucepans with washing soda. Gently add boiling water and leave for 30 minutes before washing as normal. Alternatively, pour a thin layer of cooking oil over burnt pans and heat gently. Allow to cool, drain off the oil and wash as normal.
• Clean an oven dish by dipping it in very hot water and quickly turning it upside down on a flat surface. Leave for 15 minutes. The trapped steam will loosen the residue making it much easier to clean off.
• Soak oven shelves overnight in a solution of 250 millilitres (1 cup) of washing soda per 1 litre (1 quart) of hot water. You may need to use the laundry tub or turn shelves occasionally for even cleaning. Wear rubber gloves for this task.
• Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F), then turn it off. Place a small bowl of cloudy ammonia in the centre and a bowl of boiling water on the bottom. Close the oven door and leave overnight. Wipe out in the morning with warm, soapy water.
• Place wet cloths over the stovetop and leave for at least half an hour. The dirt should wipe off much more easily without the need for caustic products. If that doesn't work, leave the cloths on overnight.

Important: If you have a catalytic self-cleaning oven, do not use any of the cleaning methods described above unless your user's manual says it's safe to do so.

Your kitchen may have tough-to-clean spots, but you can have them sparkling in no time with the following cleaning tricks.

• Cut pieces of thick paper or newspaper to fit on the tops of high cupboards, where grease from cooking settles and gathers dust. Change the paper twice annually and you won't need to clean.
• Scrub the mildew from the folds of fridge door seals with an old toothbrush dipped in white vinegar.
• Pull out the fridge, microwave and dishwasher once or twice a year to clean behind them. These appliances provide warm dark places where cockroaches like to hide and breed.
• Wipe around the knobs of your stovetop with the end of a teaspoon wrapped in a scrap of damp cloth.
• If the S-bend under your sink is blocked, pour in 250 grams (1 cup) of baking soda followed by 250 millilitres (1 cup) of vinegar. When the fizzing stops, pour in a kettle of boiling water and then use a plunger to push the blockage through.
• Tie the hood from an old sweatshirt to the end of a broom and use it to clear cobwebs on ceilings.

• Wet dishcloths and kitchen sponges harbour bacteria. Tackle this problem by soaking them each night in a solution of boiling water with a good dash of vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Rinse well in the morning.

Using the methods described above, you can skip harsh chemical cleaners and keep your kitchen spotless in a way that is much easier on the environment.