Green Thanksgiving: The Sequel

Sara T — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:34:27 +0000

You roasted a free-range turkey. You baked local squash. You served organic wine. You had a green Thanksgiving and it was great! Now you have to clean up. But don’t whip out the overpowering cleaners that sting your nose and make your head hurt. You can get your kitchen clean without using nasty chemicals and spending a lot of money with a few basic supplies:

Microfiber cloths. Dampen with water and apply a little elbow grease and your microfiber cloth can clean just about anything. I use them to clean countertops, walls, the inside of the fridge… I’ve cleaned just about everything in the kitchen with a microfiber cloth. I even use one in place of disposable Swiffer cloths. They require no cleaning solution and you can use them over and over.

Vinegar. Clean glass surfaces with an equal mixture of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Wipe the stovetop with it, too.

Baking soda. Baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive, making it easier to scrub messes without harming the finish on your counters or appliances (don’t use on marble countertops). Just mix a little baking soda with water to form a paste and scrub with a damp sponge. Try this paste on plastic storage containers – it eliminates smells and discoloration without scratching the plastic.

Lemons. Yep, just lemons. Cut one in half and use it to polish copper.

Salt. Salt is both an abrasive and grease absorber. Just don’t use it to scrub anything you want to maintain a shine on (stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, shiny copper, etc.). Mix some salt with lemon juice and baking soda to scrub the oven.

When you’re done cleaning, skip the air freshener and simmer some apple cider, cinnamon sticks and orange peel on the stovetop. Happy Thanksgiving!

Waukegan Public Library - cleaning

Green Thanksgiving: The Sequel