Clean the Kitchen: Appliances that Sparkle & Shine

October 22, 2018

Appliances: necessary for the kitchen, but unnecessarily hard to clean. With some natural cleansers, a few Libman tools, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease, you’ll have your kitchen spic-and-span and your stainless shining in no time. Here’s a how-to on whipping all of your kitchen appliances into tip-top shape.

Refrigerator

To clean the outside of your fridge (or any stainless steel, for that matter), you’ll need a Libman All-Purpose Sponge and a Libman Microfiber Sponge Cloth. If your fridge isn’t super dirty, you can simply wipe it with the dry microfiber sponge cloth. But if you’re seeing sticky fingerprints and grease, use a mixture of dish soap and water or a solution of 1:1 white vinegar and water. Soak the sponge with the solution and scrub, applying pressure. Add a little rubbing alcohol or baking soda to any spots with stubborn grease. Buff with the dry microfiber sponge cloth for a sparkly shine.

Stove

Gas Range

For a gas range, first remove your burner grates and soak them in a sink full of hot water and dish soap. Sprinkle your stovetop with a handful of baking soda. Take a halved lemon, and rub the surface with the cut side down. Wipe clean with Libman Baked On Tough Job Sponge. Spray with vinegar and wipe down again to get rid of the grit. Rinse and replace grates.

Electric

For an electric glass cooktop, drizzle dish soap over the stove. Then some hydrogen peroxide (you heard that right) and then a good amount of baking soda. Use the Libman Easy Grip Scrub Brush to mix it all together, and make sure to apply pressure. Use a damp paper towel to remove the mixture, and boom! Like new!

Oven

If you want to avoid using harsh chemicals or the self-cleaning function on your oven, this is a great way your oven clean! First, remove the oven racks (you can clean these separately the same way). Next, spray the whole oven, including the inside of the door, with a mixture of 1:1 white vinegar and water. Then, sprinkle baking soda everywhere putting more on any caked on food particles. Follow that by sprinkling a thick layer of course salt over the baking soda. Spray again with the mixture. It should be bubbling. Now, let it sit overnight. In the morning, scrub with the coarse side of a Libman Baked On Tough Job Sponge. Spray again with the mixture to help remove everything. Finally, wipe the oven with old towels or paper towels.

Dishwasher

The dishwasher is probably one of the places that sees the most gunk. But doing a deep clean on the inside of your dishwasher is super easy! First, use the Libman All-Purpose Kitchen Brush to scrub the drain and remove any particles that may be stuck in there. Then, place a dishwasher-safe cup or bowl on the top rack and fill it to the top with white vinegar. The dishwasher should be empty except for the cup or bowl. Run the dishwasher on the hottest setting. This will help remove the rest of the gunk and any musty or gross smells.

Microwave

This is a super simple way to clean your microwave. Slice a few lemons and put them in a microwave-safe bowl filled with water. Add a splash of white vinegar. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for five minutes. Carefully remove the bowl a few minutes after the “ding.” Wipe the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth.