How to Keep Your Kitchen Sparkling (Without Harsh Chemicals)

The kitchen is the hardest-working room in your home.

It’s where you cook, eat, gather and somehow make a mess almost immediately after cleaning. Crumbs, grease splatter, sticky counters, and a sink that never stays empty for long.

Because it’s also where your food lives, your kitchen is the one place you really don’t want harsh chemicals lingering on surfaces, dishes, or your hands.

At Nellie’s Clean, we believe a clean kitchen shouldn’t rely on heavy fragrances or aggressive cleaners. You don’t need a cabinet full of products, just a few that actually work and rinse away completely.

Here’s how to clean your kitchen effectively, safely, and sustainably.

Why Kitchen Cleaning Matters

Your kitchen isn’t just another room — it’s a food-prep space. Every surface you clean eventually comes into contact with what you eat.

Many conventional cleaners leave behind:

• Synthetic fragrances
• Sticky Surfactant film
• Dye residue
• Chemical traces

You might not see them, but they stay on cutting boards, dishes, countertops, and even your hands.

A proper kitchen cleaner should remove grease, food residue, and odours without leaving anything behind. That’s real clean.

Start With the Sink (The Real Dirtiest Spot)

One of the dirtiest places in the kitchen might be unexpected, it’s the kitchen sink. Food particles, moisture, and grease buildup create the perfect environment for bacteria and smells.

Here's how to to make sure you're keeping it clean: 

1. Grab your Dish Butter and Kitchen Brush
2. Wet your Kitchen brush and dab it in the Dish Butter
3. Scrub your sink top to bottom, giving extra attention around the drain
4. Rinse with hot water

Clean Countertops Without Residue

After cooking, counters collect oils, flour dust, and invisible food particles. Many surface sprays leave behind fragrance or a light film that attracts more dirt.

Nellie's All-Purpose Cleaner is the answer to clean counters: 

1. Spray your countertops with All-Purpose Cleaner
2. Grab a damp Swedish Dishcloth and wipe down countertops
3. While you're at it, use the same method for appliances, cabinet fronts, and any other high-touch surfaces

Remove Grease & Stuck-On Messes

Ovens, stovetops, and baking trays are where people often reach for heavy chemical cleaners. You usually don’t need them.

Here's a special tip to tackle these messes with planet-friendly products:

1. Create a paste with two parts Oxygen Brightener to one part water and apply to affected area
2. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and scrub gently with a Kitchen Brush
3. Rinse or wipe with a damp Swedish Dishcloth and repeat if necessary 

Don't Skip the Floors

Kitchen floors collect cooking oils and fine residue from the air, not just visible crumbs. Sweeping alone won’t remove it.

Floor Care is the best way to keep your floors barefoot ready:

1. Sweep or vacuum crumbs and dust
2. Fill your WOW TOO with Floor Care and use as directed OR add one part Floor Care to three parts water and use a Swedish Dish Cloth to wipe the floors.
3. For extra stubborn messes, use a Kitchen Brush for scrubbing power.