Natural Vs Chemical Kitchen Cleaners

Maybe more so than the bathroom, the kitchen is the dirtiest and messiest room in the house. This is the place where oil gets splattered and  mud gets scattered. It's a smelly fridge competing with a smelly sink. Kitchens need constant cleaning - and here is the dilemma - do you go for the safe all natural cleansers, versus the heavy duty super efficient industrial ones.

Everyone wants a clean and sparkling kitchen. Yet who has the time to whip up a natural cleanser when it's easier to go out and buy a bottle? The problem is that many cleaners have a whole host of bad for you chemicals.Any product that boast's it's antibacterial should be given a second glance. It's probably chock full of quarternary ammonium compounds or QUATS. Firstly they help in creating antibiotic resisting bacteria which can be lethal to the very young, very old and the immune challenged .On top of that , they are responsible  for creating asthma. What do you sub in then? Tea tree oil mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar and water can do the trick. Bleach can work too, as with hydrogen peroxide. Just wear old, ratty clothes when you're working with the last two. Bleach can get all over and there is a tendency to wipe our hands on our jeans after we clean (I know do). Even a tiny drop can ruin denim.

Bleach is my go to for cleaning the kitchen sink however I found another natural cleanser that also does the trick.Apple cider vinegar and baking soda  together has been my preference for cleaning stubbornly greasy pans . I thought , well if it works for metal, it could work for porcelain. It did. Use about a quarter of a cup of baking soda over the surface. Add about half a cup of vinegar over the baking soda. Stand back and enjoy the foamy reaction (really the best part of it) and then wipe down with a sponge.The result is the same as the bleach cleaning - a sparkling white and clean surface. Remember that baking soda is also very good at removing tea and coffee stains from cups and mugs.
As far as removing mold from underneath drying racks, I'd go with the bleach. Black mold can be very difficult  and bleach has the power to get rid of it.  You could use vinegar - white works well with an old toothbrush  to scrub it away. That is if you have the time.It can be labor intensive, however.

What's the best cleanser for your kitchen? Natural or chemical? Natural if you have the time to clean. However some of the chemical ones do come in handy when you;re pressed for time. Use whatever works for a clean , sparkling kitchen.