The kitchen is the cosiest and busiest corner of our home. As a result, the kitchen is super easy to get grease buildup as the oily droplets float on air and stay on the kitchen surface when cooking. Grease in the kitchen can be a real nightmare! Whether it’s on the kitchen floor, counters, or cabinets, just a tiny splotch of grease is enough to spoil the look of an otherwise squeaky-clean kitchen.
Although there are a million hacks available out there on the internet regarding kitchen cleaning, the primary point of concern for most is how to remove kitchen grease while not damaging the surface underneath.
If we talk about kitchen floors, every floor type whether vinyl, ceramic tiles, wooden flooring, laminate, etc. have a specific chemical agent and a specific technique for grease removal to avoid damaging the material underneath. The same goes for kitchen countertops and cabinets.
I am sure you must have witnessed the abundance of options available at supermarkets and departmental stores when it comes to grease removing chemicals. Not only this, but you will also easily come across grease removing chemicals meant for specific surfaces like wood, tiles, vinyl, laminate, etc. However, just buying one of these and spraying some on kitchen grease is not enough. It will only worsen your nightmare!
There are other crucial steps that need to be followed before and after using these chemical formulations if you wish to completely get rid of the kitchen grease. Moreover, if you go a step further and combine this process with a do-it-yourself hack, the squeaky-clean kitchen afterwards will be a dream come true.
So, without further ado, let us get straight to the point. Here is your guide to having a completely grease-free kitchen always:
Dealing with Greasy Kitchen Floors
You must be thinking that ‘Why can’t I just pour the degreasing chemical over the floor and wipe it off?’. Well, the reason is that the soap in the degreaser, water, and the grease itself reach together to form an emulsion. If this emulsion is not washed off thoroughly with the required amount of water, it will leave behind a sticky and cloudy residue on the floor.
Moreover, if you use too much of the degreasing chemical or use the wrong type of it, it will do you worse than good.
Therefore, to be on the safe side, it is a must to follow the following three steps every single time:
1- Firstly, always sweep the floor to get rid of loose dust particles. Even if you cannot notice any visible trash and loose dust particles, it is crucial to perform this step.
2- Secondly, mix equal quantities of your favourite floor cleaner and degreaser and pour it over the floor surface. Leave the mixture on the floor for a few minutes and let it perform its magic.
3- Thirdly, prepare a mixture of 7 litres of lukewarm water with 300 ml bleach. Pour this mixture over the floor and mop thoroughly using a clean mop.
4- Fourthly, wash the entire floor with clean warm water to get rid of any leftover residue.
As a cherry on top, let me present you with a priceless hack – if you have a tiled kitchen floor and the dirty tile grout seems impossible to clean, all you must do is spray the mixture prepared in step 2 directly on the tile grout, let it sit for a few minutes, and scrub with a toothbrush.
On the other hand, if your kitchen floor’s grease situation is not that bad, you can use a DIY hack and get rid of all the grease in just one step instead of four. Here’s how:
You need acid and a base for this purpose. The acid will loosen up the bonds of grease with the floor surface whereas the alkaline base will reach with grease and turn it into soap. For this DIY hack, you will need the following ingredients:
– 4 gallons of water
– ½ cup washing soda (base)
– ½ cup vinegar (acid)
– 2 tablespoons dish soap
– 2 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide
Mix all these ingredients together and wash up that kitchen floor! This cost-effective and efficient method will not disappoint you.
Dealing with Greasy Kitchen Cabinets
Removing grease from kitchen cabinets is not a daunting task. All you need are some natural products, a spray bottle, a soft sponge, and a clean cloth. To prepare the cleaning liquid, you will require the following ingredients:
– ½ cup of warm water and vinegar each
– 1 tbsp baking soda
– Few drops of any dishwashing liquid
– Juice of one lemon
Mix all these ingredients together in a spray bottle and spray generously over the greased area. Let it rest for a few minutes and then start scrubbing with the soft foam.
In addition to this, if a blotch of grease somewhere is too stubborn, mix vinegar and salt to form a paste and use this to scrub it off.
End the process by wiping the cleaned area with a clean wet cloth. However, it is crucial to not use a wet cloth dripping with water if you have a wooden cabinet since a lot of water can spoil wood.
However, if you are implementing this method on a wooden cabinet, make sure to apply beeswax to the cleaned area to restore the moisture dried up by the acidic solution. The grease will not only protect the wood but also repel grease build-up in future.
Dealing with Greasy Kitchen Counters
Although kitchen counters catch up grease most frequently because of spillage and cooking, they are the least stubborn part of the kitchen when it comes to cleaning grease.
All it will take is a few drops of your favourite dishwashing liquid and warm water! Mix these two together in a spray bottle and your grease killing hero is ready. Spray this liquid generously on greasy counters, let sit for 5 minutes, and then wipe off with a wet sponge.
However, if the grease on your kitchen counters is stubborn, you can mix bleach and lukewarm water in equal parts and use the solution like how its mentioned above.
Protect the Wall from the Yellow Kitchen Grease
Besides the above cleaning method, you can also take some precautions to prevent greasy kitchen walls.
Add a covering film on the heavy grease area.
The economical way is to apply cling film wrap, you can just peel it off after a long while. But it’s not the most eco-friendly.
Another covering is the self-adhesive oil proof film with or without a pattern. After applying it on the wall and cabinet, cleaning can be easily a minute of wiping after cooking. When it gets too dirty, you can peel it off and apply a new patterned one. It saves your time and effort on deep cleaning in tile gaps or even recovering the overall kitchen tiles. At this time, you should be lucky that you at least have a smooth tiled kitchen wall.
Remember to clean deeply before applying the protective peel.
There are also many protective covering options for kitchen cabinets and counters. They will not spoil the natural and beautiful look but protect them from kitchen grease.
Whatever place in your kitchen is greasy and sticky, the best way is to clean ASAP after cooking. Do not let it dry stubbornly on the kitchen surface. If you are in a rush to work, then clean deeply your kitchen at least once a week.
