The Spotted Sparrow: Natural Stove Cleaner

My first attempt at using a natural stove cleaner was a success. I bow to the power of baking soda and vinegar. While researching possible natural cleaners, I learned that 5% vinegar (what is sold in most supermarkets) will kill 99% of bacteria. ¹

One of my goals for 2010 is to replace store-bought cleaning supplies with natural alternatives. I ran out of kitchen cleaner last week and needed something to clean my stove. As you can see, I'm a messy cook.

Please excuse our poor excuse of a rusty, pockmarked stove. The previous tenant took horrible care of it and we have never gotten around to replacing it.

What you'll need:

baking soda
water
vinegar
dishtowel or rag

Step 1
If you have any removable parts, you can take them off if desired. Wipe any crumbs from the stove.

Step 2
Make a paste of 1 part baking soda to 1 part water. I needed 1 Tbsp baking soda to clean my small stove.

Step 3
Scoop some paste onto your dishtowel and start scrubbing. The paste will clump up as the baking soda starts absorbing the grease and other nastiness. Just keep scooping and scrubbing until you've done the entire stove top. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the grime came off.

Step 4
If you have a spray bottle, put some vinegar in it and spray the stove top. If you don't have one, pour some vinegar into a sponge, then squeeze the sponge out over the stove. Enjoy the fizzy action.