Good Question: Tough, Green Kitchen Cleanser?

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Amy's got a kitchen cleaning dilemma:

I recently moved into a new apartment with some funky, gunky grime on the (wood) kitchen cabinets and the metal knobs. I tried soapy water, scrubby sponge, and elbow grease but that didn't work. Is there a tough grease and grime cutting kitchen cleanser that's also green? I looked at the method line and I didn't see anything strong enough that would help in this situation.

Well, we've seen very few nasty clean-up situations that vinegar and baking soda can't handle. That being said, we're not sure exactly what kind of gunky grime you're dealing with there. (Heck, baking soda even works as a paint remover.)

What's the toughest, greenest kitchen cleanser out there? Any help?

image via garr1s0n; Flickr.com

Comments (5)

I second baking soda with dish soap mixed in and a vinegar and water rinse down -- used with a mesh plastic scrubby sponge. Should definitely work on the nobs if not the wood. Ecover also has a really good wood floor cleaner that might work on grimy wood cupboards or counters.

Yes, baking soda will get any old residue or just about anything-- when in doubt, add a little more elbow grease.

Bon Ami cleanser is non-toxic, very tough (like Comet without the chemicals), and (best of all) cheap and available at mainstream grocery stores. It scrubs through soap scum and all kinds of grime.
http://www.bonami.com/

Besides the Bon Ami, you can also try using BioKleen Citrus Soy Solvent. It is an excellent de-greaser. It took off decade old kitchen grime off my tile backsplash with just a little elbow grease.

Any of the above should do it, but I recommend a citrus solvent. (Orange solvents are even used for auto grease.) And there are citrus-based furniture polishes, too, which should work well on the wood.

Baking soda really can get any grease off, but it's easier if you get to let it soak - not an option for vertical surfaces.