Eliminating cooking odors naturally

Odours from last night’s dinner can continue to linger in the kitchen and throughout the house for hours on end. And if you, like me, are not the person who likes to use artificial air fresheners, probably have tried to find a natural way to get rid of them. We have already talked about the useof baking soda for eliminating bad smell from the trash bin, but cooking odors, especially from cooking fish, are some of the most stable and difficult to eliminate.

source

There are several natural ways to try to solve this problem, like brewing some coffee, baking anything aromatic such as cake or leaving out a bowl of vinegar for several hours. People say also that scented candles, especially lemon scented candles work great. Or you can boil a pan of water with a few teaspoons of lemon juice, or a teaspoon of cinnamon.

An interesting way of creating a natural air freshener is to put some baking soda and water in a slow cooker and set it to LOW with the lid off in the room that needs freshening. You can add also several drops of essential oil or nice-smelling spices to the pot.

The same is the problem with garlic and onion – their strong smell is very stable. One way to eliminate it is to rub your cutting board with lemon and your hands, too. Lemon is a great natural deodorizer. I have tried that and know it works. Some people squeeze lemons into a spray bottle and add warm water and just spray this around the house.

I have heard that burning some sage as a deodorizer works pretty well. And I have read about an Odor Absorbing Splatter Screen, but have not tried it. 

For sure, a safe way to clean the air from unpleasant odors is just to use an air purifier with a good filter – in addition to catching other particles like dust and allergens it will absorb the smell, too.

-->

Easy Green Cleaning: Use Steam

Cleaning is an intensive process and most people think that green cleaning is even more intensive. Fortunately, it’s only as intensive as you want it to be.

You’re here because you know that using chemical laden cleaners just isn’t right for your health, your family’s health or the planet’s. This is the age of technology; shouldn’t there be green cleaning machines? Well, there are, and one of these machines is called the steam cleaner.

The steam cleaner or steam mop is one of the few cleaning machines that do not require any chemical solutions to clean. In fact, all it needs is plain tap water.

Each steam cleaner has a water tank where you pour the suggested amount of water and allow it to heat for the required time. Basically, the water is heated until it forms steam which is then pushed through various attachments which you use to steam clean.

Most steam cleaners come with a wide range of attachments which allow you to use them for different purposes. There are usually different sizes of brushes, squeegees, concentrator nozzles and pads for steam mops. These specific attachments can help you to clean around a toilet, grill, widows, inside your oven and more.

How does it work?  The steam which is heated at high temperatures (between 100°C to over 300°C) basically sterilizes and sanitizes the area on which it is applied. The heat causes bacteria and other harmful microorganisms to be instantly killed. In your home, there are numerous types of bacteria that can harm you which include: E.coli, salmonella, Clostridium and more. Fortunately, the high temperature of the steam causes the bacteria to denature and thus die.

Using steam allows you to clean numerous surfaces which include your floors, carpets, kitchen, bathroom fixtures, furniture and just about anything else. If you’re still wondering about the power and cleaning ability of steamers, then you should know that steam cleaners are used throughout various industries. Industrial strength steamers are used by food and restaurant businesses as well as by numerous hospitals and health facilities. These machines are in demand because of their ability to deliver powerful high grade cleaning.

When purchasing a steam cleaner, there are a few factors you should be aware of and take into consideration. These include your budget and your cleaning needs.

There are many brands of steamers which include offerings from Shark, Bissell, Haan, Monster, VaporClean, Ladybug and many more. Besides the different brands you can purchase different types which include steam mops, hand held steamers and canister type.

The cost of a steam cleaner can be as low as $40 and as high as $1,500+ for industrial types.  This however shouldn’t be a deterrent as a good household steam cleaner will cost in the range of $100 - $200 and is definitely worth the investment. It is not only good for the environment and your home, but also for your pocket. Have you ever calculated how much you spend on cleaning solutions per year? I bet it would add up to a tidy sum. However, a steam cleaner is truly an investment as you will never have to undergo the recurring cost of buying cleaning solutions for your home.

This machine is one that shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s green, affordable, cleans superbly without chemicals, improves your home air quality and saves you money in the long term. Can it get any better than that?

This is a guest post by Cindy Sha who has enjoyed using steam cleaners as they are completely chemical free and make cleaning a breeze and who writes steam cleaner reviews.  I hope you will find this information useful and inspiring.