Kitchen Spring Cleaning

Spring is here!  Time to clean!

I like to clean.  I like things to be clean.  I don't like the seemingly obligatory chemicals that come with a good clean.  I used to go into the bathroom with big ol' yellow gloves and an old t-shirt tied around my face (true story), because I've never been able to stand the smell of conventional cleaners.  Something just seems wrong about inhaling those obnoxious fumes.

Now that I have an omnipresent little helper, using anything that requires gloves and a t-shirt gas mask is just not an option.  If mommy is cleaning the kitchen, you better belive Little Bear is right behind me with his dishcloth, mini swiffer and mop...

I've phased-out of the icky chemical cleaners in my house and have slowly replaced everything with natural, non-toxic products.  Often, the best replacements are really easy DIY mixes which can be made extremely cheaply.

I kicked-off spring cleaning around my house this week by scrubbing my kitchen top to bottom.

Here's the cleaning solution that I used:

Ingredients

• 1 quart white vinegar
• 3 quarts hot water
• 1/4 cup natural dish soap

Directions

1.  Mix all ingredients together in a small tub or bucket.
2.  Fill a spray bottle (I use an old Windex bottle that's been washed well) with the solution.  Use this for heavier stains, as needed.
2.  Wet a sponge or dishcloth in the cleaning solution bucket.  Use the wet rag to wipe down almost any surface.  Rinse and rewet your dishcloth as needed.  I use it on the kitchen cabinets, countertops, back splashes, baseboards, appliances, and underneath the cabinets.  It literally cleans almost any surface!
Bonus Tip
I cannot stand the feel of dipping my hand and rag into a cold bucket of cleaning water, so I use a heating pad to keep the bucket warm until I'm done cleaning.  Just remove any removable cover from the heating pad, and make sure that there aren't any rips or tears that could cause an electric shock issue if it gets splashed.  (My heating pad actually is made to work while damp, so I know it's extra safe!)  Plug the heating pad in, and set your cleaning solution bucket on top of it.  Turn the heat up and BAM - you'll have warm cleaning solution for as long as you need it!

What have you done to avoid chemical cleaners around your house?  I'd love to hear your tips and tricks!