Today I want to talk about the products we use in the Kitchen.
These are pretty important considering how often they come in contact with our food... crockery and utensils. Keep in mind that what we out into our mouths all ends up in our body.
We would never spray our food with a cleaning liquid... and yet when our food touches surfaces that have been sprayed with a chemical...its virtually the equivalent.
I would much prefer to use products that are safe... and food grade... lets keep our bodies free of toxins and allow our gut bacteria to flourish... rather than damaging them with anti-bacterials and other chemicals.
Dishwasher Tablets -
- 1 Cup Baking Soda
- ¼ Cup Citric Acid
- 1 Tablespoon On Guard Cleaner
- 3 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil
Press into a cube mold - Large ice cube trays work well.
TIP: You will need to press the mix firm a few times as it rises out of the molds.
Allow to dry overnight - push out of molds and store in a air tight jar.
Use one tablet per wash.
Dishwasher Powder - (I have not trialed this yet)
- 1 Cup of Washing Soda
- 1 Cup of Bicarb Soda
- ½ Cup of Salt
- ¼ Cup of Citric Acid
- 20 drops of Lemon or Grapefruit Essential Oil.
Place the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add the Essential Oils and mix again to combine well. Store in an airtight container. Use 1-2 Tablespoons per wash.
Dishwasher Cleaner -
- ½ Cup Bicarb Soda
- ½ Cup White Vinegar
- 10 drops of Lemon, Grape Fruit or Peppermint Essential Oil.
Give your dishwasher a thorough clean by mixing the ingredients together and adding to the open powder holder. Run the dishwasher through a full cycle while empty for a sparkling clean and deodorised dishwasher.
Dish Liquid-
- 2 cups unscented castile soap
- 5 drops Lime oil
- 20 drops Lemon oil
In a large bottle - Mix Castile soap with Essential Oils. Use 1 - 2 Tablespoons - Shake before each use.
(I am personally a big fan of the Simply Clean Lemon Myrtle Dishwashing liquid.)
Oven Cleaner -
- 2 Tablespoons Castile Soap
- 1⅓ Cups Bicarb
- 6 drops of Wild Orange essential Oil
- ¼ Cup White Vinegar
- Water
Mix all the ingredients together using just enough of the water to blend into a thick paste.
Apply to the oven surface until completely covered.
Allow to sit all day or overnight.
Wipe clean using a wet sponge - the racks may need some extra elbow grease with a stainless scourer - I use the laundry tub for this job.
(Credit to Dr Axe for this recipe)
Bench Spray-
- 10 drops On Guard Essential Oil
- 10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- Distilled Water
In an approx 250ml glass / metal spray bottle add Essential Oil drops. Fill with distilled water..available from the supermarket in the cleaning aisle (alternatively use cool boiled water.
You can also add vinegar to the mix for added cleaning but you will need a trigger spray made to withstand vinegar as it will destroy them quickly.
Shake before each use. Both On Guard and Lemon are food safe oils...so if you make a sandwich on the bench sprayed with this there is no harm.
Multi-purpose Spray - (another version)
- 4 Tablespoons of doTERRA On Guard Cleaner
- 15 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
- Distilled water.
Fill a large spray bottle with water. Add the other ingredients and shake to combine.
(I have not tested this version yet)
Kettle / Coffee machine cleaner -
- 2 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- a teaspoon of citric acid
Add the ingredients to a full kettle and bring to the boil.
Empty and refill with clean water to rinse... boil and discard... clean and shiny kettle.
Stainless Steel Cleaner -
- 6 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- Undiluted vinegar.
Fill a spray bottle with the vinegar and lemon oils. Spray your stainless steel appliances and wipe clean ... wipe in the direction of the grain.
Stovetop / Sink Gentle Scrub -
- 1 Cup of Bicarb Soda (Baking Soda)
- ¼ Cup of Castile Soap
- 10 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
- 10 drops of Lime Essential Oil
- 10 drops of Wild Orange Essential Oil
Mix all ingredients together. Add more castile soap if needed for a soft paste.
Apply to surfaces with a soft cloth or sponge then rinse clean.
This is fabulous for getting those grimy spots removed.
Kitchen Bin Odour Tablets -
- 2 Cups Bicarb Soda
- 1 Cup Epsom Salts
- ¼ Cup of Water
- 10 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
- 5 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil
Combine the dry ingredients then slowly add the oils and water. Mix well ... then spoon into a ice cube tray and allow to dry overnight. Store in an airtight jar.
Place one or two into the bottom of your kitchen bin - replace when needed.
Fruit and Vegetable Wash -
- ½ Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup of water
- 5 drop of Lemon Oil
Fill the sink with fresh water and add the ingredients. Soak the fruit and vegetables to remove any dirt or contaminants including any pesticide residue.
Unfortunately manufacturers are not required to list all the chemicals in their products unless they pose an immediate risk... so some will be listed with a warning to avoid skin contact etc...others wont even be in the label. Aside from the immediate risk there is also a risk from cumulative exposure which is so worrying. Some chemicals to avoid when reading your labels are -
Triclosan - disruptive to the immune system and accumulative in the environment (USA removed it in 2017)
Sodium Hydroxide - Found in oven and drain cleaner - highly corrosive to skin and airways.
Ammonia - An irritant ..especially to asthmatics...and long term exposure can lead to chronic bronchitis.
2-Butoxyethanol - often not listed but contained in multi-purpose cleaners. Can lead to lung irritation and severe liver and kidney damage.
Phthalates - labeled as 'fragrance' and responsible for endocrine disruption.
doTERRA Foaming Hand Wash
doTERRA On Guard Cleaner Concentrate
Simply Clean Products
Enjo and water.
Or choose Another green product - be cautious about 'all natural' and other claims... read the ingredients and do your checks.
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