Video:Green Kitchen Cleaners

Transcript:Green Kitchen Cleaners

Hey guys - Jonathon Stewart here for About.com - ever wonder which room in your house holds the title for being the germiest? You might be more than a little surprised to learn that it's actually your kitchen.

That's right, from your sink to your counters to your appliances, your kitchen is a veritable Disneyland for bacteria. But don't fret, with just a little elbow grease, you can send these microscopic freeloaders packing. Today, it's all about sanitizing kitchen surfaces - check it out.

Benefits of Natural Kitchen Clearers

While it's important to scrub up your kitchen, you don't want to rub out mother nature. Ordinary household cleaners work well enough, but can be just as toxic to the environment, and your body, as the bacteria you're trying to eliminate. The most effective natural cleansers are inexpensive and easy to get, and might even be lining your cabinets already. All you really need to get started are three basic ingredients: lemons, white vinegar and baking soda.

Lemons as Green Kitchen Cleaners

Rubbing half a lemon onto your cutting board after use can prevent odors from lingering, and eliminates built-up grime in a heartbeat. Lemons can also be used to polish up metal surfaces like sinks and other fixtures. The citric acidity of lemons is naturally anti-bacterial and they also leave a lively citrus scent wherever they go. Mmm. Lemony.

Baking Soda as Natural Kitchen Cleaners

Forget nasty, chemical-laden abrasives. Baking soda is nature's hit man for odor, grease and grime. From deodorizing your fridge to freshening sponges and dish rags to scouring your sink, counters and appliances, unfriendly smells and unsightly stains don't stand a chance. Apply liberally, and rinse with warm water.

White Vinegar as a Green Kitchen Cleaner

Finally, white vinegar is a killer all-natural solvent that's gentle enough to work on glass, but strong enough to knock out bacteria strains that can make you sick. Dilute one part vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle. Use generously for everything from insect assassination to dispatching dirt to deep-sixing sticky messes.

Recent studies suggest that using vinegar as a disinfectant is actually more effective at eradicating dangerous bacteria than popular artificial chemical cleansers. So spare your lungs and your skin and rest easy knowing that not only is your kitchen clean, it's also green.

Thanks for watching, to learn more, visit us on the Web at homegarden.about.com.