Natural Cleaning Products for the Kitchen

The kitchen is often the gathering place for a family and is the heart of the home, according to Deirdre Imus, author of "Green This! Volume 1: Greening Your Cleaning." Imus goes on to state that keeping a clean and sanitary kitchen is important to many people, but the use of chemicals can make a kitchen toxic. There are many alternates to using traditional chemical cleansers including those that are all natural but sanitize and deodorize just as well.

Lemons

Many cleaners boast a fresh lemon scent, but Dierdre Imus writes that lemons work just as well at cleaning many kitchen surfaces, particularly copper and brass surfaces. Imus suggests squeezing the juice of a lemon and then mixing it with a little water and salt and using a soft cloth to rub the mixture on the copper or brass surface, adding more lemon juice as needed. Imus then emphasizes the importance of rinsing and drying the surface to keep it shiny and sparkling.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural disinfectant, says Jeffrey Hollender, author of "Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe and Healthy Non-Toxic Cleaning." Hollender recommends filling a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide and spraying down kitchen surfaces to kill germs and leave a sparkling shine. Hollender also recommends wiping up messes, such as raw meat spills, and then spraying the area with hydrogen peroxide to kill germs that could make your family sick.

Baking Soda

Baking soda can be used to clean up any baked on or food related mess, says Hollender. Mixing a combination of water and baking soda can be used to clean most messes left behind after cooking. The combination of baking soda and water can be used to scrub sinks and counter tops, and is particularly efficient when cleaning the oven, Hollender states. He recommends covering the surface of the oven with baking soda, spraying it with water, re-spraying occasionally, and letting the mixture sit overnight. The following day the baking soda can be wiped off, leaving a clean oven behind.

Vinegar

Vinegar mixed with water is an effective cleaning solution for many kitchen surfaces, including floors, says Imus, because it cleans and deodorizes at the same time. Vinegar is also a good cleaning product for smelly messes, reports Imus because it can eliminate offending odors, such as those that often occur in garbage disposals, drains, and sinks. Imus recommends mixing vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice and then rubbing it where the offending odor is. Leaving the paste for a few hours will get rid of odors and leave a clean surface behind.