USE Natural Cleaning for Your Home

Countertops
Try these natural cleansers.

• Lemon: Dip the cut side of a lemon half in baking soda; wipe with a wet sponge and dry. Don’t use on delicate stone, like marble or stainless steel (it may discolor).
• Liquid Castile soap: This is safe on marble. Stir 1 tablespoon liquid Castile soap into 1 quart warm water. Dampen a cloth with the solution and wipe surface. Rinse, then dry with a clean cloth.
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Garbage Disposal
Try this natural cleanser.

• Lemon: Cut a lemon in half, then run both pieces through the disposal.

Plastic Food-Storage Containers

Try this natural cleanser.

• Lemon: To bleach stains from tomato soup and other acidic foods on dishwasher-safe items, rub lemon juice on the spots, let dry in a sunny place, then wash as usual.

Pots and Pans
Try these natural cleansers.

• Borax: Rub borax into cookware with a damp sponge; rinse well.
• Table salt: Sprinkle salt on cookware to absorb excess grease. Dump out the salt before washing as usual. (Not recommended for nonstick cookware).
• Ketchup: To remove tarnish from copper and brass cookware, squeeze ketchup onto a cloth and rub it on pots and pans. They should go back to their coppery color in minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry with towel.
• Cooking oils: To combat cooked-on debris on cast-iron pans, make a scrubbing paste with vegetable oil and a teaspoon of course salt; then rinse with hot water.
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Dishwasher
Try these natural cleansers.

• Borax: If the machine has a distinct odor, sprinkle borax in the bottom, let it sit overnight, then wipe down with a damp sponge. No need to rinse; just run the next load.
• Vinegar: To disinfect the interior of the machine, pour 1/2 cup vinegar into the reservoir and run an empty cycle. Or place a small bowl filled with vinegar on the bottom rack and run an empty cycle.

Coffeemakers, Can Openers, and Other Small Appliances
Try these natural cleansers.

• Vinegar: Pour equal parts vinegar and water into the coffee machine’s water chamber, then switch on the brew cycle. Halfway through, turn off the coffeemaker and let the solution sit for about an hour. Turn it on again to complete the cycle, then run several cycles with clean water.
• Baking soda: To clean a can opener or food processor, dip a toothbrush in a paste of 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 teaspoon water and use it to dislodge gunk.

Glassware
Try these natural cleansers.

• Vinegar: For spotless hand-washed glasses, add 1 cup vinegar to the rinse water.
• Table salt: Salt won’t scratch the way a scouring pad can. To get out stubborn stains, add some salt for extra abrasion and scrub.

Silverware
Try these natural cleansers.

• Baking soda: To combat tough grease stains, dip a moist stiff-bristled brush in washing soda and scrub away.
• Toothpaste: Put a dab of toothpaste on a soft cloth, rub it onto the tarnish, then rinse with water and dry with a clean cloth.

Stove Burners, Stovetop, and Oven
Try these natural cleansers.

• Baking soda: In a dishpan, soak burners in 1 gallon warm water and 1/2 cup washing soda for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry.
• Liquid Castile soap: Add a few squirts of liquid Castile soap to 2 cups hot water. Apply to the stovetop, the burners, and the vent hood to cut through accumulated grease.
• Table salt: If there’s a spill in the oven, pour salt on the spill to soak it up. When the oven is cool, wipe with a damp sponge.

Stained Teacups and Coffee Mugs
Try these natural cleansers.

• Baking soda: Fill with 1 part baking soda and 2 parts water and soak overnight; rub with a sponge and rinse.
• Table salt: Sprinkle salt on the outside of a lemon peel; rub the affected area till clean.