Cleaning Appliances and Cookware

Most people find that the kitchen is the most difficult room in their home to keep clean. And with good reason! With an endless supply of spills, drips, greasy pans, and foot traffic, kitchen cleanup can feel like an endless series of tasks. But thanks to vinegar, you don't need a different commercial cleaner to tackle each problem. An indispensable tool in any kitchen, this ingredient can clean practically anything plus perform some nifty restoration and maintenance tricks.

In this article, we'll show you how to clean just about anything in your kitchen using vinegar, from pans to sinks. We'll start with basic appliances:

 

Coffeemakers, Teakettles, and Teapots

Buildup in a coffeemaker's brewing system can affect coffee flavor. Get rid of buildup by running 1 brewing cycle of cold water and 1/4 cup vinegar. Follow with a cycle of clean water. If you can still smell vinegar, run another cycle using fresh water.

Boil water and 1/2 cup vinegar in a teakettle for 10 or 15 minutes to help remove any mineral deposits inside the pot and spout. Rinse thoroughly.

Clean a teapot by boiling a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water for several minutes; let it stand for 1 hour. Rinse with water.

Dishwashers

Add 1/2 cup vinegar to an empty dishwasher and run the rinse cycle. This will open up any clogs in the dishwasher drain lines and deodorize the machine.

Microwaves

If your microwave is spattered with old sauces and greasy buildup, place a glass measuring cup with 1 cup water and 1/4 cup vinegar inside microwave. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove the measuring cup and wipe inside of oven with a damp sponge.

Ovens

Twice a year you should "de-grease" the vents of your oven hood. To do this, wipe vents with a sponge and undiluted vinegar, or remove vents and soak them for 15 minutes in 1 cup vinegar and 3 cups water. When cleaning your oven, finish the job by using a sponge to wipe entire surface with a mixture of half vinegar and half water. This will help prevent grease buildup.

Distilled white vinegar can be used to prevent grease buildup in your oven.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Vinegar can be used to prevent grease buildup in your oven.

Refrigerators

Prevent mildew buildup inside your refrigerator or on its rubber seals by wiping occa­sionally with a sponge dampened with undiluted vinegar. No need to rinse.

Cookware

To prevent egg poachers or double boilers from becoming discolored, add 1 teaspoon vinegar to the boiling water.

Take care of a really greasy frying pan by simmering 1/4 inch water and 1/2 cup vinegar in it for 10 minutes. The lingering oily smell or residue should disappear. Wash as usual.

Aluminum pans can develop ugly dark stains over time. Remove stains by boiling pans in a large kettle, using 2 tablespoons vinegar and enough water to cover.

Clean the burned-on mess off a broiler pan by adding 2 cups vinegar and 1/2 cup sugar to pan while it is still warm. Soak pan for an hour, then clean as usual.

Check out the next section to see how vinegar can help make sinks and kitchen surfaces look better.

A Multipurpose Kitchen Cleaner
Eliminate the need for several expensive commercial cleaning products by using the following mixture:
  • 1 teaspoon borax

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 2 teaspoons vinegar

  • 1/4 teaspoon or 1 squirt liquid dish soap

  • 2 cups hot water
Prepare the mixture and store it in a clean spray bottle. You might want to recycle an old spray bottle from one of the commercial cleaners, or you can buy brand-new spray bottles at most hardware stores. Make sure you clearly label the bottle and attach a list of ingredients.

Use the cleaner on virtually any surface in your kitchen for daily cleaning. It is especially good for cleaning stove-tops and ovens. For caked-on stains on your stovetop, spray on mixture and let sit 15 minutes before wiping surface clean. To clean the inside of your oven, spray on the cleaner, leave overnight, and wipe clean.