This article is also featured at ShanghaiMamas.org Wechat official account on May 26, 2022. Shanghai Mamas is a premier expats moms community website in Shanghai, China.
Our kitchen’s got many very effective, safe, and cost efficient cleaners. ShanghaiMamas.org published an article I wrote about this 5 years ago. But it is even more relevant nowadays with this extended lockdown, when we might be running out of our usual cleaners. Or we simply wish to stay away from chemical fumes while the whole family is home 24/7. I've updated this list of my favorite Cleaning Hacks from the Kitchen.
Cut Grease with Flour. Sometimes, our pans and plates are left with a greasy film no matter how much you scrub. Or, it could be an expensive and delicate pan (hello Le Creuset!) that you don’t want to scrub too hard. Simply sprinkle flour and scrape it off. Ta-dah! Yes, it’s really that easy.
Zap funky air with Vinegar. Did you cook something that made your whole house stink? Or did you leave for a long holiday and the air smells musty when you came back? Close the windows and doors. Boil a bottle of cheap, distilled white vinegar in an open pot. Open your ventilation after a couple of hours. Unlike air fresheners that just mask scents, vinegar actually breaks down scent molecules.
Erase Eye Make Up with food ingredients. Zoom and masks make wearing eye make up necessary, but they're tough to clean thoroughly. Not! Just massage Bebebalm ByeDry nourishing balm, wipe off with cotton. It's made of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Tapioca, & wonder nutrient Monolaurin for soft, healthy skin. It can erase ink stains on skin too!
Wash Pesticides off Fruits & Vegetables with Salt. After washing your fresh produce, soak it in a 10% salt water solution or 1% baking soda, for 15-20 minutes. Studies show these are effective ways to eliminate common pesticide residue.
Boost Laundry detergent with Baking Soda. Good news for sensitive skin. Adding ½ cup of baking soda in top loading washing machine (1/4 cup to front loaders) softens water, so you can actually use less detergent.
Zap germs with microwave. Disinfect your sponges & washcloths easily. Pop wet sponges in the microwave high setting. Make sure it has NO metal parts. 2 minutes is enough to kill most disease-causing germs, including e-coli. 4 minutes, none of the bacterial spores will survive. Mmm, just imagining the germ genocide feels so good, doesn't it?
Freshen breath with Coconut Oil. The ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling helps clean mouth of bacteria & plaque, and lessens bad breath. You can use any clean edible oil but we prefer Organic Virgin Coconut Oil because it has natural antibacterial & antiviral properties.
ShanghaiMamas.org columnist Carol Ong writes No-Nonsense Mommy Tips and touches on everyday parenting dilemmas that we all face. She has previously written about mosquito bites, tooth-brushing, moisturizing, first aid kits and several other topics, which you can also find in Bebebalm.com/tips and in her Wechat Official Account. @倍蓓棒Bebebalm .