Green cleaning the kitchen
It will probably take a few hours to deep clean your kitchen, so put aside a morning or an afternoon to get it done. As well as the build-up of dust and dirt, there is usually grease in the kitchen, so that adds another element to your cleaning. The best way to deal with a kitchen is to work on getting it clean, and then do a little maintenance each day to keep it that way. Even so, you’ll need to deep clean and reorganise every few months.
So, put on your apron and gloves and let’s go through this step by step. You’ll need your kitchen cleaning kit.
ACTION PLAN: Kitchen cleaning
The oven
* If the oven is really dirty, place an ovenproof dish containing a cup of hot water and a cup of vinegar in the oven. Turn the oven on until the mix starts to boil, then turn it off and leave for an hour.
* It is easier to clean a warm oven than a cold one, so if you haven’t already given it the vinegar steam treatment (above), turn on your oven for a short time.
* Fill the sink with hot water. Remove the oven racks and wash them in the sink.
* Empty the contents of your kitchen cleaning kit out onto the kitchen bench. Fill the bucket with hot water and get your bicarb, vinegar and a rag. Wet the walls of the oven using a wet rag and sprinkle bicarb over every surface. Take a second rag and pour vinegar on it and wipe the bicarbed walls and floor of the oven. If you need a second round, apply the bicarb again and scrub.
* To clean the top of the oven, pour the vinegar onto a rag, then add bicarb on top of the vinegar, and rub that onto the surface. Repeat if necessary. When all traces of grease and grime are gone, wipe the oven with a clean, moist rag, then dry with a clean dry rag.
* Replace the racks and wipe the front of the oven with vinegar and dry with a rag.
The fridge
* Now check your fridge. If it needs cleaning, empty it completely, including the shelving and drawers. Check all the food and dispose of anything past its prime, preferably giving it to the chooks or worms or adding it to the compost.
* Working quickly (you don’t want the food to warm up), take a small bucket of hot soapy water and a rag and clean the interior of the fridge. Dry with a clean cloth. When the fridge is completely dry, spray the interior of the fridge with white vinegar and wipe it dry again.
* Replace the shelving, drawers and food. Check the temperature – it should be no more than 4˚C.
* Don’t forget the seals on the door. Clean them with a toothbrush dipped in all-purpose cleaner.
* Check that the fridge seal is actually sealing. Put a piece of paper over the seal and close the fridge door. Try to pull the paper out. If it comes out easily, you need to replace the seal. Clean the outer fridge with a creamy scrubber and wipe dry with a clean cloth.
The dishwasher
* If you use your dishwasher daily, every month or so remove the filter and wash it in the sink with a brush and soap.
* Clean the seals on the inside of the machine with a moist soapy cloth. Check the spinning arm and make sure the holes are not blocked. If you see any part of the interior clogged or dirty, pay particular attention to it, cleaning it with your soapy cloth and wiping away any debris.
* Replace the filter and spray the inside of the dishwasher with vinegar. Run the machine on a short cycle.
Appliances
* Your homemade creamy scrubber is perfect for cleaning appliances and cupboard surfaces because it rinses off easily. Simply apply the creamy scrubber to the area and clean with a moist rag. When the appliance is clean, wipe over with a dry rag.
* To clean your toaster, turn it off and empty the crumb tray. Wipe the outside of the toaster with vinegar on a rag and dry with a clean rag.
The pantry
* Remove everything from the pantry and wipe the shelves with warm soapy water or white vinegar, then dry them. If you notice pantry moths or any sort of larvae, clean the pantry with the vacuum cleaner and use the small nozzle to get into all the joins.
* Check your storage jars. Whatever is in the pantry should be stored in sealed containers or in unopened packs. If anything needs to be topped up, do it. If something looks as if it’s past its prime, throw it out – preferably in the compost, or as food for the chickens or worms.
* When you re-pack your shelves, keep similar things together and make sure everything is clearly marked. All your flours should be labelled and in one place, for instance; all your vinegars and sauces go together, various rices, dried fruits and spices are all labelled and stored together.
The stove
* So, the oven and fridge are clean and the cupboards are organised the way you want them; now clean the stove. Remove the bits you can, including the knobs, and wash them in hot soapy water in the sink, then dry. You can use either the creamy scrubber or the all-purpose cleaner for the surfaces of the stove. Either spray on the all-purpose cleaner or, using a moist rag, apply the creamy scrubber. Wipe it clean, then wipe over with a wet, clean rag. When it’s clean, dry with a terry cloth and replace the parts you cleaned in the sink.
The benches
* Clear your benches and thoroughly wipe them with either the all-purpose spray or the creamy scrubber. Using a moist rag, wipe the benches, cupboard doors and handles and the splashback or whatever you have behind your benches and sink.
* Wipe dry with a terry cloth and replace everything.
The sink
* Now that most things have been cleaned, you can clean the sink. To clean a dirty sink, or to make one shine, wet the sink, combine equal parts of baking soda and coarse salt and sprinkle it on.
* Scrub the sink with a hard brush to remove dir t and grease. Make sure you get in all the areas around the taps and drain.
* About once a month, finish off with a litre of water in the sink, add a tablespoon of liquid bleach and remove the plug. You’ll sanitise and clean the pipes at the same time. This will stop any debris building up and will eliminate smelly pipes.
WARNING: Don’t use bleach in your sink if you have a septic system. The bleach will kill the beneficial bacteria in the tank.
* Wipe with a dry terry cloth.
The floor
* You’re almost finished. The only thing left now is the floor. Sweep the floor and scoop up the dust and crumbs and dispose of them in the compost or bin. Now you can wash the floor. Choose your floor cleaner depending on the type of floor you have. Combine all the ingredients in a bucket and wipe over the floor with a clean mop.
* Now clean your kit so it’s ready for your next cleaning session, then wash your hands, stand back and admire your work.
Green cleaning the bathroom
This is the way I clean my bathroom. I do it once a week, and I wipe the vanity and taps during the week whenever I feel like doing it. I don’t stress over it, I just do it as it suits my mood. This routine should take about fifteen minutes for an average bathroom. If it’s dirtier or much larger, add another fifteen minutes.
ACTION PLAN: Bathroom cleaning
Prepare the area
* If possible, open door s and windows to allow a free flow of air through the room. Put on your apron and gloves. If you have a toilet in your bathroom, close the toilet lid after using it and pay particular attention to drying your surfaces. Bacteria generally need moisture to grow, so drying the surfaces after cleaning is a good habit to get into.
* Remove all the items you have stored in the shower, around your sink and bath. Put all towels and floor mats in the laundry ready for washing.
* Check the mould on the grout. If there is mould growing, make a paste of some bicarb, tea-tree oil and water and apply it to the grout with a toothbrush. Leave it while you get on with the rest of the cleaning. If the mould has been growing for a while, it might have eaten into the grout. You’ll only be able to remove it if it’s on the surface. Re-grouting the tiles is the only thing you can do for deeply embedded mould.
* Pour a cup of bicarb into the toilet, add a cup of white vine
gar and leave it for a few minutes. It will fizz – that’s okay.
The mirror
* Wipe the mirror over with a clean cloth and a splash of white vinegar. Rub with the same rag until it’s dry.
The shower
* If there’s a build-up of soap scum, wet the walls and sprinkle with bicarb, then scrub with a rag soaked in vinegar. If it’s hard to get off, reapply and scrub with a stiff brush. If the shower is not very dirty, just sprinkle bicarb onto your damp (not wet) terry cloth and wipe all the surfaces.
* When you’re satisfied it’s clean, add about 1 litre of cold water to your bucket, dip a clean cloth into the bucket and wipe all traces of bicarb off. If you have a removable shower head, use it as a hose to clean off the bicarb.
* When you’ve finished cleaning, wipe all surfaces with a dry terry cloth. Pay particular attention to the glass and stainless steel surfaces as they will show water spots if you allow the water to dry on them.
* You have now used three of your cloths – one for bicarb and water, one for vinegar and one as a dry wiper. Keep these cloths as they are; you’ll use them again soon. Depending on the state and size of your bathroom, you might need more dry wipers.
The bath
* Wet the bath with clean water and wipe it over with your bicarb-and-water rag. When it’s clean, wipe with a dry cloth.
The sink
* If you have a toothbrush holder, clean it first with your clean rags using the creamy scrubber to remove all traces of toothpaste. Then wipe with a clean, moist rag, and dry.
* Now clean the sink with bicarb and water, or bicarb and vinegar if it’s really dirty. Make sure you clean the taps, around the taps and the areas where the taps join the sink – this is where bacteria can build up so scrub those areas well with a brush. When it’s all clean, wipe over with your dry cloth.
The toilet
* You’ve already poured the vinegar and bicarb into the toilet; now it will need to be scrubbed with the toilet brush. Make sure you get into every area. If there are stains in the toilet, you might have to repeat this treatment – scrub it and leave it for a couple of hours. Then come back and scrub it with the toilet brush and flush. Wipe the cistern, seat and lid with a clean rag dipped in warm, soapy water to which 4 drops of tea-tree oil have been added.
The floor
* Sweep the floor to get rid of all the strands of hair, dust and talcum powder.
* Half-fill a bucket with hot water and add a teaspoon of liquid soap or ¼ cup of laundry liquid. I have found that a broom cleans a bathroom floor better than a mop because it gets into the spaces between the tiles and around the toilet more effectively. Wet a clean broom in the bucket and drain it a little, then scrub the floor. Clean the floor of the shower recess using this method too. Make sure you get into the corners.
* When you’re satisfied the floor is clean, empty your bucket and fill with clean cold water. Wipe the floor over with a mop and the clean water, making sure you remove all the soap and lather. Wring the mop out well and wipe the floor one more time, so you leave the floor moist, not wet.
* Let the floor dry. Take off your gloves and wash and dry your hands. Lay down your fresh floor mats and put out fresh towels. Now you can put your toiletries, creams and make-up back.
Clean your kit
* Now clean up your bathroom kit so it’s ready for the next job. You want everything to dry out between uses, otherwise bacteria will build up in your equipment and it’ll start to smell. Rinse the mop and broom in clean, cold water and wring out as much as possible. Stand them in the sun or somewhere they can dry completely.
* Wipe out your bucket, put it in your cleaning kit with fresh cloths and return it to the bathroom, under the sink if possible. Put all your cleaning cloths in the laundry to be washed.
Green cleaning in the laundry
Cleaning your laundry usually means wiping surfaces with a warm soapy rag and drying them off again. Every so often, run a cycle in your washing machine with a cup of vinegar and nothing else – just a short cycle will do. It will clean it out and remove any built-up soap scum. If you use a dryer, remove the lint every week or so. This is important because lint in a faulty dryer can be a fire hazard. Give the sink a good clean with the bicarb and vinegar treatment, then dry it.
Handwashing
Some clothing lasts longer and looks better if it is handwashed. Be guided by the garment label and your common sense. I have handwashed garments recommended for dry cleaning only; they survived the process and looked clean and smart when they dried.
To handwash effectively, half-fill your sink with warm water and add a small amount of liquid soap or dissolved Lux flakes. Put the garment into the water and thoroughly soak it. If it’s a blouse, dress or shirt, take particular notice of the collar and underarms – you may need to wash these areas with a bar of soap.
For woollens or natural fibres like alpaca, be careful not to lift the garment by the shoulders. Support the weight of knitted items and don’t let them hang loose – they will stretch. Move the item through the water and rub the underarms gently. When it is clean, squeeze it out but don’t wring it. Twisting will stretch and weaken the fibres. Place in clean water and rinse until every bit of soap is removed. You may need to replace the water a couple of times.
Have some towels ready. Squeeze as much water from the item as you can, then place the garment flat on the towel. Roll the towel up tightly and press down to remove more water. Do this a couple of times, then take the garment outside and place it on a dry, clean towel in the shade to dry.
Drying your washing in the sun
There are a few daily chores that have not changed much in a hundred years. One of those things is hanging washing out to dry. Drying clothes outside is a task that connects you to your great-grandmothers. We might have plastic pegs and clotheslines now, but most of the other elements are basically unchanged.
Tumble dryers are among the most energy-intensive household appliances, and using them to dry your clothes will add to your electricity bills and to the carbon emissions coming from your home. Line drying your laundry, on the other hand, is remarkably efficient. All you need is the time and a bit of effort – sun and breeze are supplied free to everyone with the will to use them. If there is no wind, you could even do without pegs and just place the clothes neatly over the clothesline – or a fence or large bush. Back in the old days many women used lavender bushes to dry their clothes.
When the washing machine finishes the cycle, take the clothes out immediately and head to the line. If you leave the washing in the machine or in your washing basket you’ll have more creases than necessary. The thing that makes the most difference when hanging washing is a shake and snap: shake the item and give it a sharp, hard whip-snap before you peg it up. You’ll remove some of the wrinkles in cotton and linen, and help fluff up the towels.
If you’re hanging brightly coloured or black clothing, turn them inside out to help prevent fading. Your whites will benefit from drying in the sun because it has a slightly bleaching effect. Woollens or any natural fibres like alpaca will shrink if dried in the sun. They should be laid out flat on a large towel and dried in the shade. Make sure you support wet woollen and alpaca clothing with both hands when you move them from the sink to the drying area.
Generally we have good weather where we live, ideal for drying, and a line of clothes set out early in the morning will be ready to bring in after lunch. Hanno has built an all-weather line too, so in addition to our Hills hoist, that umbrella-shaped Australian icon, I can line-dry clothes on our back verandah, even when it’s raining.
When you peg the item to the line, smooth it out with your hand and make sure the edges are straight. Straighten and smooth collars, sleeves, pockets and hems before going on to the next item. If you can hang your items straight, without creases, there’s a better chance you won’t have to iron them. This includes most jeans and some shirts.
On a rotary line, socks and underwear were trad
itionally hung in the middle, hidden by the larger items that were hung on the outer lines. I have to confess I still do this. If you have a long line, hang the lighter items in the middle and the heavier things on the ends of the line, where there is more support.
Peg towels, tea towels, pillowcases and napkins by two top corners, shirts and blouses upside down on the side seam, jeans (with the zip undone) and skirts by the waist, and dresses on the shoulder seam. Hang sheets, tablecloths and doona covers by the two top corners, then make a U shape with it and peg the bottom corners to the line behind it. This will create better drying conditions for these large items and, sometimes, the wind takes up the fabric like a sail. If you’re using a circular line the wind will spin the line around. If you have enough room and sturdy coat hangers, you could hang dresses, shirts and anything permanent press on a coat hanger and peg it to stop it slipping along the line. Permanent press clothes are chemically treated so they don’t wrinkle. They’re generally trousers and business shirts and if you wash and dry them correctly they don’t need to be ironed.
I like wooden pegs but here in our climate, they go mouldy and often end up marking the clothes. Plastic pegs will serve you better in humid or moist climates. And don’t do what we do here and keep the pegs on the line. It’s best to store plastic pegs out of sunlight; they’ll last much longer if you take care of them.
If you intend to immediately iron anything you have hanging on the line, remove it when it’s still slightly damp to make ironing easier. When the clothes are dry and full of the smell of sunshine, unpeg them, and place them in your basket. When you remove towels from the line, shake them again to fluff up the pile. Take the washing inside and fold it straight away. I do this on the kitchen table as it gives me enough room to work and stack everything. It’s also a central place from where I can easily put away tea towels, napkins, dishcloths, towels and sheets as soon as they’re folded and stacked. Don’t put off your folding because if you do, you’ll have creased clothes that will have to be ironed. I have been able to cut my ironing by 50 per cent by shaking wet clothes at the line, careful hanging, and folding as soon as the clothes are off the line.
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