Self Help

1. Wipe up food spills in the oven as soon as possible. Better yet, line your oven with aluminum foil to prevent spills from caking on in the first place. Enamel stove tops can sometimes get those hard-to-wipe-off type of stains that only get worse as time goes on. But if you sprinkle on a few drops of your favorite essential oil the stain will wipe clean.

2. Sprinkle fresh grease spills in the oven with salt. When the oven has cooled, wipe clean with a soft cloth. Baking soda will also soak up the grease when applied this way.

3. Sanitize wooden cutting boards by rubbing with half of a freshly cut lemon, lime, or grapefruit. Or let the board soak in a solution of 2 cups of water and 15 drops of a citrus essential oil. Then wash with a mild soap and hot water.

4. Electric can openers can collect a lot of “gunk.” Who wants to open a can of tuna for lunch after opening your dog’s dinner the night before? Use an old, soft toothbrush dampened with 2 or 3 drops of any essential oil to clean in and between those small parts. Rinse, and the gunk is gone.

5. Keep garbage disposals smelling fresh by tossing in lemon, grapefruit, or lime remains when available.

6. How about some ready-when-you-need-them kitchen wipes? Instead of using paper towels so frequently to wipe up spills or to clean off counter tops, you can store multiple squares of soft cotton cloth or cellulose sponge in a container filled with a mixture of 1 cup water, 1 ounce liquid soap, and 6 to 8 drops of your favorite essential oil. The cloths, made from old T shirts or pajamas, can be washed and returned to the jar for reuse. Be sure to cap the jar between uses.

7. Keep a supply of 100% cotton cloths and towels on hand to use instead of paper towels. To reduce your consumption of paper napkins, use cloth napkins and placemats whenever possible.

8. Plastic storage containers can get heavily stained from foods such as tomato sauce, especially if they’re frequently microwaved to reheat leftovers. For these stains, let the containers soak in a strong herbal infusion and a tablespoon of baking soda. After soaking for an hour or so, scrub the container with a little more baking soda if needed. The stains may not disappear entirely, but they’re bound to look better than before.

9. Reduce your use of plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and brown paper bags by using plastic containers to tote lunches to work or school. That goes for plastic tableware as well. All are dishwasher safe; with proper care they can last for years. And plastic containers can always be used to store other materials when they are “retired” from kitchen service.