Appliances are one of the most overlooked parts of the home when it comes to cleaning and household chores. Leaving kitchen appliances to their own devices can lead to neglect and, in turn, negatively impact their efficiency when you need them most, especially in the run up to the festive season.
The longer appliances sit, the dirtier they become, especially appliances, such as stove tops and hobs, which are used everyday. Cleaning guru and TikTok creator Chantel Mila recently shared five of her favourite home hacks that everyone should take note of in the run up to Christmas. These simple hacks can help get the house in shape for any Christmas entertaining.
To get the kitchen prepared for a long stint over the festive season, it’s important that your appliances are in tip top shape, including hobs. You won’t need any specialist cleaning products, instead Chantel recommended a homemade alternative using a highly praised natural ingredient.
How to clean hobs
To cut through tough grease and grime, Chantel uses a homemade paste using baking soda and washing up liquid. Simply combine one cup of baking soda and half a cup of washing-up liquid together, along with half a cup of splash of water to create a smooth paste.
This paste can be stored in a plastic or squeezy bottle to use whenever. Cover the top of the hob with the paste and use a damp sponge or wet cloth to work the paste into the surface.
Allow the solution to sit for a few minutes to break down the stuck-on grease and grime.
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Finish by wiping off the paste and loosening grime with a clean sponge or cloth. The results should have your oven door sparkling and back to its former glory.
The paste can also be used on other appliances, such as inside of ovens and on oven glass. If you have particularly stubborn food stains and marks, you can leave the paste on the oven overnight.
Once you’re satisfied that the cleaning paste has done its job, use a damp cloth to wipe away any excess that might be leftover. Baking soda is a great ingredient for removing grease because of its alkaline nature.
This helps neutralise the acid in grease, allowing it to be easily lifted during cleaning. As baking soda is a mild abrasive, it also helps lift stubborn grease or food particles without damaging surfaces.
Pairing it with washing-up liquid makes the cleaning process a lot smoother. As a washing-up liquid acts as an emulsifier, it helps bind grease and oil stains, allowing them to be rinsed away with water.
Dish soaps contain surfactants that are both hydrophilic – attract water – and hydrophobic – repel water and bind to oil. These surfactants attach to grease, allowing oil and water to mix and form a stable emulsion that can then be washed away.
