When you need to clean your dishes, your dishwasher is there for you. When you need fresh fruit, your refrigerator keeps your produce cold and nicely stored away. And when you need to do your laundry, your washer and dryer doesn’t complain – they just work hard. So, because your appliances work hard for you, sometimes you need to take a moment to show them some love.
One of the best ways to take care of your appliances is by simply keeping them clean. But don’t just clean your machines with chemicals that will be harsh on them and the environment, use natural ingredients to give your hard workers a beautiful sheen and fresh smell. With the help of these ingredients below, your appliances will continue working efficiently and looking great for years to come.
Washing Machine Wizardry
Just because the washing machine washes your clothes, doesn’t mean it washes itself. Luckily, you don’t have to climb inside your washer in order to clean this appliance out. All it takes is a 3-4 cup mixture of white vinegar and baking soda thrown into a hot water cycle to do the trick. Just make sure that there are no clothes inside so that the concoction can properly clean the washer out.
Decontaminate your Dishwasher
Just like your washing machine, your dishwasher also needs a good cleaning every now and again. Over time food debris, soap scum, and other germy bacteria can fill the inner surface of your dishwasher making it not ideal for cleaning your dishes. In order to get it basically back to the way it was when you first bought it, you’ll only need the 2 same natural ingredients you used for your washer: vinegar and baking soda. The acidity of the vinegar fights hard against soap scum and mineraldeposits while the baking soda will handle any stains of food and residue. Combine the 2 to make about a cup mixture every 3 months and your dishwasher will continue to work and stay fresh for a long time.
Rinse Out the Range Oven
If you like to cook a lot, your oven can get pretty messy. Instead of using a store-bought cleaner filled with unsafe chemicals, try this eco-friendly recipe out:
- Liquid soap
- baking soda
- white vinegar
- lavender or other essential oil of your choice
You’ll combine all the ingredients into a bowl until its consistency is like a paste and then wipe inside your oven with a basting brush. You can also use a wash cloth if you don’t have this utensil. Let it sit overnight or for about 6 hours before rinsing off with a wet wash cloth. Say goodbye to stuck-on food that keeps burning every time you try to bake something.
Refresh Your Refrigerator
When your refrigerator starts to smell funky and it feels a little sticky in there when you reach your hand in for the butter, it’s time to give it a thorough cleaning. It’s important that your food is stored in a sanitized area in order to stay fresh – which is also why cleaning your fridge with all-natural ingredients is better. This recipe requires the same ingredients as all of the previous cleaners but needs to be separated properly. Take out a bowl and a spray bottle and fill each with the following:
Bowl
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ¾ cup liquid dish soap
Spray Bottle
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- Fill rest of bottle with water
Make sure your baking soda and liquid dish soap concoction has a paste-like consistency and use that mixture to scrub the inside of your fridge. Then use the vinegar spray bottle mixture to rinse off the paste.
Keep your food far from chemicals by being safe and using this eco-conscious recipe.
How you clean your appliances is more than just keeping a spotless kitchen, it’s about being safe and doing good for your environment. Continue to be eco-friendly by stopping by Aztec for all your appliance needs. Shopping local may seem small, but it can help out in a big way.