Green Clean: With summer just around the corner, it’s high time to get rid of that unnecessary fat… from the kitchen!

Here are some clever ways to clean your kitchen, greasy surfaces and appliances easily and effectively, while keeping it safe for your health and the environment.

Greasy surfaces, burnt, caked-on or dried-on dirt and food leftovers can make kitchen cleaning difficult. It is certainly one of the most challenging areas to tidy up in any home. We will tell you how to do it effectively and in harmony with nature.

Caring for household appliances and keeping them impeccably clean requires a considerable amount of effort. Just remember the last time you cleaned an oven or a refrigerator. What’s more, the kitchen has to be a hygienic place, so you have to make sure to eliminate bacteria and prevent mold from growing in the nooks and crannies. So how do you go about cleaning this particularly demanding space? How often should you wash the various kitchen surfaces? What tricks can you use to make cleaning easier? And finally, what cleaning and maintenance products for the kitchen and kitchen appliances can be used to make cleaning easier, faster, more effective, and safe for the health and the environment?

Systematically means effectively

In kitchen cleaning, the game changer is regularity. Generally, we can divide cleaning tasks into those that we do every day, every week or once a month. However, it all depends on how often we use our kitchen for cooking. If we get it very dirty or we are preparing a bigger party or a family dinner, sometimes some chores need to be done faster. In general, every day after preparing meals we should make sure that every surface we work on is clean. We should also be sure to remove any spills or leftover food. This is important because it will make it much easier to maintain cleanliness in the future and will save us the time and effort of big tidying up. It is worth paying attention to the floor as it often needs sweeping and, if it is dirtier, washing as well.

What’s more, it is worth to do a few more cosmetic activities. You should disinfect the handles of cabinets, refrigerators and other appliances, because it is on these surfaces that many viruses, bacteria and fungi accumulate. Do the same with the knobs and buttons of kitchen appliances. Once a month you should think about washing the whole fridge, hood or microwave. Do not forget to wipe the dust off the tops of cabinets and other places. This is particularly important because the accumulated dust sticks to the grease, creating dirt that is very difficult to remove.

Stubborn grease and other stains: how to fight them?

The biggest enemy of a clean stove and oven is grease. It is almost 100 percent certain that during our kitchen endeavors and culinary experiments it will end up on the stove top, burners or inside the oven, kitchen countertops and even the walls around. There are several ways to fight it. The first one is to remove it as quickly as possible with a cloth, before it dries up. In the heat of battle, we very often forget about this, so usually we try to get rid of grease after it has already gone cold. Of course, we have to choose the appropriate cleaning agents for a given stove. In case of gas stoves and electric ovens, if the dirt is not easy to remove, it is best to use light cleaning products. Apply them on a cloth, wipe gently and then thoroughly remove the product and wipe the surface dry. For more stubborn dirt, you can leave the wet cloth for some time to let the dirt soak off. A slightly different approach is required for ceramic and induction cooktops, here the mucky marks should be removed immediately using specialized agents. If this does not happen, permanent stains may remain on our stoves, and that will not look nice. In both cases, it is recommended not to use caustic substances, wire sponges or other devices for cleaning which could permanently damage their surface, thus destroying not only the aesthetics of household appliances. So, what agents to use and is it always safe?

Chemical fuming vs. healthy cleaning

There are many products on the market that help remove grease and other dirt so that your kitchen shines clean. However, the manufacturers themselves do not recommend using some of them without gloves or other protective equipment. These are foams, liquids or aerosols which contain many corrosive substances in their composition. They can lead to skin irritation or even burns, like highly aggressive caustic soda for instance. Very often during their use our mucous membranes and eyes are also at risk. The problem is further aggravated by the fragrances that are supposed to make us “smell” the effect of cleanliness, but in fact are just another dose of chemicals that we inhale. Let’s remember that the substances contained in these products are also able to harm the youngest inhabitants of the house and pets if they accidentally come within their range. So, can we defeat dried grease and dirt in a safe way?

Cleanliness in harmony with nature: Mission Possible

It turns out that we do. The weapons in our arsenal are the home methods that have been known for decades, and were used even before the arsenal full of dangerous and harmful “chemicals” was created. The traditional way to get rid of grease and grime is to use citric acid, vinegar and baking soda. Of course, they should be mixed in the right proportions. This is how our grandmothers kept the kitchen clean. Today, however, we can use a new generation of agents. They are both effective and efficient, ecological and safe not only for cleaners but also for other household members, including animals. Usually, in their composition there are surface-active compounds of plant origin. In the case of natural products, you should look for products specifically dedicated to a particular surface. Natural ingredients may work great on one type of surface, but will not serve another.

“Eco-friendly and vegan home care and cleaning products are a safe alternative designed to protect the health of you and your loved ones while respecting the environment. These products are chemical-free and do not contain artificial fragrances. They are hypoallergenic, which means that they do not cause allergies or eye or skin irritations. They can be used without hesitation even by particularly sensitive people suffering from allergies, asthma or dermatological problems. – says Agnieszka Tkaczyńska, an expert at ZAA-ZOO-LAA, a producer of ecological and vegan cleaning products. Often, the composition of eco-cleaners is so neutral for living organisms that even their accidental ingestion in small quantities does not pose a direct threat to health and life. This neutrality is a huge advantage, and it is particularly appreciated by parents of small children and pet owners. It is worth adding that organic cleaning products can also effectively protect the health thanks to the content of natural substances with virucidal and fungicidal properties. Importantly, organic cleaning products are usually completely biodegradable, which means they do not harm or pose a threat to the environment. – says Agnieszka Tkaczynska from ZAA-ZOO-LAA. This last aspect is very important, especially in times when the society and international organizations pay more and more attention to environmental protection and ecology. This is no longer just a fashion, but a trend which is slowly changing our reality. Out of concern for the environment we segregate waste, use sharing services and increase the use of renewable energy sources.

“Ecological cleaning products are another step down this road. It is a small step but an extremely important one because it affects our future and the future of our planet’ adds Agnieszka Tkaczyńska.

A green-clean kitchen, a green-clean planet

As you can see, there are many means to fight grease and keep the kitchen clean. All of them are efficient, but does it mean they are good for the cleaning person or their environment? Which ones will you choose? You have to decide for yourself. However, it is worth to try do in harmony with nature, using old home methods or modern, innovative and environmentally friendly products.

More about eco-friendly cleaning at zaazoolaa.com