6 Tips to Detox Your Kitchen With Vinegar & Olive Oil

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

“Show me a man who lives alone and has a perpetually clean kitchen, and 8 times out of 9 I'll show you a man with detestable spiritual qualities.”
--Charles Bukowski

I want a healthy and happy Mediterranean-style kitchen, complete with colorful gourmet pots and pans, Tuscan pottery, dishes, plates, bowls, a dutch oven (lots of Italian chocolately recipes paired with olive oils and vinegars to try in this gem) and even a strong taste of feng shui with air filled with a sweet chocolate scented candle (or two). And it's all going to happen for me in the months to come. It's my new project. First and foremost, I'm going to start with a thorough clean-up--and yep, I'm turning to vinegar and olive oil (and you can too) to help me get the clean kitchen of my dreams...

Last night I watched the film The Family Stone--with Diane Keaton. Her kitchen was where the heart of the family seemed to be. It was filled with family, good food, love, laughter, and life's ups and downs. It was cluttered, like mine, with lots of mix and match dishes, a large array of cookbooks, and green hardy plants. It reminded me of how my kitchen is but it can be even better and much more decluttered. And it can be more organized filled with kitchen gadgets (i.e., bagel toaster, blender, cupcake pans, and measuring cups) my old fun friends, hidden in dark cabinets.

Tomorrow, it's time to wash the kitchen curtains. I do love these because they have a rustic charm to them with the maroon, white, and gold colors of the Mediterranean look. I will wash the kitchen windows inside and out until they sound squeaky clean at my touch. Then, it's time to take off everything on the countertops and scrub the surfaces as well as declutter. And the stovetop (it's older with character) needs some TLC. Vinegar is golden for all of these chores. Here's a few tips that I'll follow:

1. Shine on Counters. Clean formica counters by rubbing a cloth soaked in white vinegr. The finish will shine. (Trust me on this one.)

2. Stamp Out Grease. Dampen your cleaning rag in vinegar and water and use it to wipe out your oven and stovetop. It will prevent grease buildup.

3. Fixtures That Sparkle Bright. Remove soap and stain buildup on chrome and plastic fixtures by cleaning with a mixture of 1 teaspoon salt dissovled in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.

4. Liven Up Carpet. To bring up the color in rugs and carpets, brush them with a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water.

5. No-Wax Linoleum. To wash no-wax linoleum, add one-half cup of white vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water. Your floor will be sparkling clean.

6. Feng Shui is often used in homes, and can be very valuable when you place special objects in a room. Now take a few flavored vinegars you have stored in your pantry and line them along a window sill (or on a shelf above the oven); mine doesn't have much sunlight but boasts a panoramic view of towering pine trees). It will show off their healthful ingredients--parsley, sage, rosemary, and other herbs.

And this is just the beginning. Olive oil, my good cooking friend, is next on the agenda to help me get through making my kitchen be a good friend with good vibes. And I'll keep you posted on the cleaning and tips in the pre-autumn days to come.

Source: The Healing Powers of Vinegar by Cal Orey (Kensington, 2009)

P.S. Share your kitchen cleaning tips with me. Is your kitchen clutter free and sparkling clean? Will you be joining me in pre-autumn clean-up chores? Love to hear your thoughts.