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Friday, July 16, 2010

Clean Stainless Steel without Chemicals

When we upgraded to stainless steel kitchen appliances I was clueless as to how to clean them. It wasn’t long before my toddler’s fingerprints were all over them. I tried soap and water, but that just made the surfaces smudgier. I then found out about commercial stainless steel cleaners – and what a horror THOSE ingredient were! I could not fathom breathing the toxic fumes or the thought of my kids touching the chemicals on the fridge door and then sticking their fingers in their mouth…on a daily basis. No way. That’s when I discovered the hidden power of microfiber!

Spray some NATURAL window cleaner (7th Generation, etc) onto the stainless appliance and wipe it down with a clean microfiber cloth (available in bulk at Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, etc.). Be sure to wipe down the whole appliance in one direction (vertically or horizontally), wait about 10 seconds, then wipe it down completely in the opposite direction.

If your appliances are extra grimy (from peanut butter fingers, etc). FIRST use plain soap and water on the soft side of a SPONGE -- wiping (for example) horizontally. Let dry for about 10 seconds, then spray the appliance with natural window cleaner, and wipe vertically.

TIP: Save money (and plastic bottle waste) by making your own batch of window/stainless cleaner. I make mine by mixing distilled vinegar and water (1:1) in a spray bottle, and adding a few drops of lavender essential oil (to mask the vinegar smell).

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