My particular challenge this year, was GREASY surfaces in the kitchen and elsewhere. Enter the magic of Miracle Spray. It's a homemade recipe I gleaned from this blog, and particularly useful for cutting through grease!
What do I mean by grease...?
Exhausting
Well, it's the kind that accumulates, above the rangehood cupboards! This has been building for a few years now, and I was tired of the reminder to trade my rose-coloured glasses, for a lovely shade of brown, instead.
I wonder if this can get any worse? The trusty step-ladder, reveals ALL...
The grime scene
Yes, indeed. It can get worse. The very TOP of the kitchen cabinets, accumulates even more dust, grease, bug carcasses and even food particles! How did that popcorn, get there? Seriously. The stove is directly underneath the cabinets. So it would have accomplished some rather fancy, ricocheting, to land there.
Mummified popcorn, just waiting to be discovered. The wonders a step-ladder will reveal in your home!
Hallelujah!
I've seen the white
And this is why I love, Miracle Spray, so much. It cuts through sticky, dusty and greasy surfaces. It's possible to use regular dishwashing liquid instead, as I've done in the past. But your bucket of water, becomes incredibly sudsy, afterwards.
A spritz of Miracles Spray, however, and not only does the cloth cut-through all that mess, but your bucket of water (to rinse the cloth) remains watery, instead of overflowing with suds. Which means, you don't have to change your bucket of water as often.
Grime sins, are no more!
While regular dishwashing liquid, will achieve the same result, there's less mess to clean the tools, you're actually using to clean with. The cloth in particular, can get quite manky. So clean water for rinsing, is important.
The cleaning tools I used in this application, was a bucket of warm water, Miracle Spray and a cleaning cloth, or rag. Something that can at least handle, the caking of greasy gunk all over it. Some heavy cotton, flannel, or in my case, a microfibre cloth. I don't buy microfibre myself, but these were given to us when someone was doing a clean-out, of their kitchen supplies.
Transformation
These are my kitchen cabinets now, which look as good, as the day they were installed. So much cleaner. At least for another year or two. Grime always finds it's way back! I suppose that's the blessing of having a working kitchen though. All that home cooking, inevitably leads to mess. I wouldn't have it, any other way.
Miracle Spray, has other applications around the home too, which are just as easy to deal with, when the cleaning supplies are out...
In plain sight
Do your light switches, end up with as much dirty marks around them, as ours seem to collect? Natural oils, mixed with a good helping of dirt! Being a live, electrical switch however, I never spray liquid directly on it. Spray the cloth instead. The grime is still removed in a few seconds.
There are even more jobs for my cleaning kit and mojo, to tackle though.
Almost finished shedding
Time to give the ceiling fans some love. I didn't get a photo of what they looked like, "before" I started cleaning. This was only the remnants, I had yet to finish off. But just imagine these white blades, had sprouted a thick, brown, furry coat. All over! No wonder they were slowing down, with all that fuzzy drag.
Ideally, I should have cleaned them before Summer, but I always get so busy with the Christmas plans instead.
Ready for takeoff
Now I have my white, ceiling fans back - and I didn't have to get covered in suds to do it! They sound like a jet plane again, when starting up. Aerodynamic. I'll save the fluffy coat, for next winter. No doubt, it will re-sprout!
On the blog I gleaned the Miracle Spray from, it claims to remove stickers as well. Frankly, I had the perfect test subject, for that theory too...
Stuck on you
My son and our coffee table, are inseparable. He loves to create all sorts of lego, on it, play board games, and of course, the obligatory stickers. Which I absolutely told him NOT to stick to anything but paper! I was cross at the time, but didn't let it rise to the surface. I mean, I could just rip them back, off. Right?
Wrong! Now my son's stickers, were inseparable from the table too...
It really IS a Miracle...Spray
That was, until I sprayed my trusty homemade cleaner on it, and left for a few minutes. It does actually remove stickers, plus, that all important gummy residue. It states in the blog I linked this recipe from, not to spray on wooden surfaces. This was my exception though.
I'm not sure why it cannot be used on wooden surfaces, as I regularly use eucalyptus oil to clean mine. Maybe the washing soda will dry it out, and make the wood brittle, over time? I'd stick with the recommendation to avoid using on wooden surfaces. But I'm sure a one-off, desperate measure, can be forgiven. I mean, it was either the Miracle Spray, or the paint scraper!
Ready to play
Back to business as usual, at the coffee table again - minus the stickers. You'll be happy to note, that no coffee tables were actually harmed in the filming of this process. Even the lego managed to stay in tact! I'd like to thank my bare feet, for avoiding any random pieces of lego on the floor though. Sometimes you get lucky.
Have you tried the Miracle Spray at home? Any interesting applications I haven't thought of yet?
Wow! Thanks for this, Chris. I went to the link to get the recipe for Miracle Spray and had to look up what Lectric Soda was. Apparently it's good for applying as a pack for all sorts of sprains, inflammation and swelling and in the bath for a good soak. I'm going to get some (as well as for the Miracle Spray) and try it on my wrists when they are swollen and inflamed with rheumatoid arthritis. Bexters are the makers and they also sell an application wrap to use with it. I'm hoping our local supermarket will have it. (I'd put a link to the Bexter's site here but not sure if your comments box accepts links).
ReplyDeleteA cleaner, and a medicine! Now that's an ingredient worth spending money on. Thanks for sharing the extra info on the Lectric Soda. We can purchase ours through Woolworths in Queensland. It's normally in the laundry aisle. I have not seen any application wraps though. I'm so glad this ingredient may well be of some help, in your overall health.
DeleteI'm more than happy to let my regular commenters post links in the comments, Bev. It's the people I've never met, that say, "Hi, nice blog" and then leave hyperlinks to something they wish to spam, that get turned into compost, lol. Most likely, they originate from a spam-bot. I have every confidence however, the links my regulars leave, will be of interest to other thinking individuals.
Coles didn't have it (I'm not a Woollies person) but I got it at the chemist. They didn't have the application wrap, but they're ordering it in for me. Strangely, they said they're not going to stock the Lectric Soda in future. I'll check out Woollies. Another bag in the cupboard wouldn't go astray.
DeleteColes must have been out. I know in Woolies case, it's one of their smaller lines, as I'm often grabbing the last one off the shelf! I know Coles online, stocks it though. You can opt for "click and collect", instead of delivery. Which means you buy it online, but opt which store you want to collect from. There's no charge for doing this. Just mentioning it, in case you find Woolies is out too.
DeleteI actually discovered recently, I can buy washing soda (and bicarb soda) in bulk from, "The Source". They sell dry food ingredients, in bulk. As it wasn't strictly a food item though, I didn't realise they sold it. But they do. So if you have a similar place that sells dry ingredients (maybe a health food/organic store) see if they stock it too.
Never tried, it, never even heard of it until I read your blog post. But I'm sold! I didn't know what Lectric Soda was, and in her photo of the ingredients the package label is partially covered. I looked it up and it seems to be washing soda, which I can get but a different brand. Looks like a must-have for the cleaning cupboard.
ReplyDeleteI recall in the comments of the blog, the recipe originates from, it was said to be washing soda too. So you're on the right track, Leigh. I'm sure if you tried it, and discovered it worked for you (with the brand of washing soda available in the US) it will be a great recipe to share on your blog. Linking to the original one, first, of course.
DeleteIt really is a must-have. I realised a bunch of other stuff I use it for too, that didn't make it into the post. A great spot cleaner on floors, too. Although, maybe not if they're wooden floorboards. I guess if sealed though, it wouldn't matter.
Thanks for sharing this Chris, as I've been looking for something that will actually cut through the grease. Vinegar just doesn't do it. Lectric Soda is one of the ingredients for making Rhonda's clothes washing liquid, so I have some in my laundry cupboard along with all the other ingredients. Making this over the next few days for sure.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Sally. I thought most of my readers would already be familiar with this recipe, so was fishing for more ideas I hadn't thought of using it for. I was surprised when it was news to so many. I'm so glad I shared it though, because it's one homemade recipe, which really is effective against grease. Smells nice too! Not chemically, like commercial cleaners.
DeleteWe use single sheets newspaper and put them on top of the kitchen cabinets to catch the dust/grime and then all we have to do it remove the newspaper and replace it once a year.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really great idea! You wouldn't see the newspaper sheets, being up so high either. I already use this technique, under my kitchen sink, where we keep the compost bin. Bits of food inevitably miss the bucket. I also use newspaper in the small, overhead cupboard, we keep the oil (for cooking) in. As it always tends to get oil on it's base.
DeleteNot tried it but I am going to, it's time to do the top of my kitchen cabinets, I should only have the edges to do as I put card on top, so I am hoping just to remove the card, wipe down and put new card up. Thanks for this post I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteYour comment, and the one above, are the first time I've heard about putting something down to catch the grime. If you want to share on your blog, I'd love to know (since you're going to be doing it soon) how effective the card was. I'm sure it's 100% better than nothing, but are there special tips and tricks that work best with this strategy? My one concern, for example, is the kitchen window, adjacent to my wall cabinets. Would it blow them off?
DeleteI do like the idea of putting something down though, so thanks for sharing (and Mr HM).
Chris, I have had the ingredients to make this for absolutely ages but need to get motivated. As we live in a wooden house the bit about not using it on wooden surfaces put me off a bit but Annabel uses it on wood and hasn't had any problems so I should just get motivated and make it up.
ReplyDeleteI know the reasoning behind avoiding glass, is because the oil leaves a foggy residue - not good to see through! Which defeats the purpose of cleaning the glass, lol. I wonder if the same reasoning applies to wooden surfaces, which are generally buffed to get a shiny patina? All it requires, is a little buffing to wipe it off.
DeleteThe main job I use Miracle Spray for (and didn't think of it, when writing the post) was a spot cleaner on floors and cupboards. Especially where our youngest eats. I find globs of dried up ice-cream, on the floor. I spray, leave it and then it wipes off. I imagine your floorboards will have a chemical varnish over them, so the cleaner won't really come in contact with the wood to do any damage.
What also didn't make it to the post, was how I use it to clean the tile splash-back, near the stove. It's really quick and effective. I know in your new kitchen, it would work really well.
I have been using Miracle Spray for years. It is my all purpose cleaner. I use it in the showe, bath, sinks, toilet and on all surfaces. I dont use it directly on my wooden furniture. I spray onto a cloth and then wipe over the furniture. I have been doing this for about ten years now. I place a glug of the cleaner in a bucket of water and using a cloth I find it to be the best cleaner for the wooden venetians. I tried it on my windows but it did end up quite streaky. I might have simply used too much. I made up 3L of the spray just this week. This will be my cleaner for several months now. It doesnt take long to make up a batch and I love that the recipe can be found on the back of the Lectra Washing Soda pack. I highly recommend this cleaner.
ReplyDeleteIt's great isn't it! I've yet to try mine in the shower. I will be changing over if it does the job. It seems to be very good at removing gummy residue, so why not soap scum? I tried mine on the window recently, and it was just the rinsed cloth, I used for cleaning the cabinets previously. It got the mould off, no problems, without any residue I could see. So maybe the trick is, less is more on glass?
Delete