Sticky kitchen furniture and appliances are frustrating for all of us, but unfortunately, sticky deposits come inevitably with cooking. The stove and the surfaces around it become sticky to the greatest extent.
Have you ever wondered why every item in your kitchen feels sticky and what you can do about it? Let me shed some light on the subject.
Most of the sticky dirt is deposited in the kitchen during cooking. The most sticky are the stove, the tiles and countertops around it, and the kitchen hood above it. Baked-on greasy deposits on the stovetop and in the oven are also common. If you use oils and fats for cooking, the formation and deposition of sticky, greasy vapor is inevitable. Household dust easily settles on greasy surfaces, which makes cleaning even more difficult. Sticky dirt can also occur in the kitchen when you touch appliances and cabinets with greasy hands, or splatter oily ingredients while preparing food or washing dishes.
What removes sticky grease?
1. Soap and hot water
Traditional washing with soap and warm water is effective against sticky, greasy dirt if you regularly clean your kitchen surfaces and tools. Regular cleaning is essential because greasy, sticky deposits are harder to remove the longer they have been accumulating.
Oils and fats cannot be dissolved in water only, so you also need soap. Dish soaps have good degreasing properties. They loosen greasy dirt, which you can easily wash off. You may be also interested in my article on whether it is safe to wash dishes with just water.
The best tool for cleaning greasy kitchen surfaces and equipment is a plastic brush. You can work more thoroughly and hygienically with a brush than with a sponge or dishmop.
A toothbrush can come in handy for cleaning hard-to-reach, small crevices. Research results prove that fewer bacteria survive on kitchen brushes than on sponges and dishmops. Find out whether it’s a good idea to disinfect kitchen sponges in the microwave.
2. Baking soda
If the greasy dirt has dried and forms a thick layer in your kitchen, you can use abrasives on less sensitive surfaces. You can make a mildly abrasive paste by mixing baking soda and a little water. Baking soda is slightly alkaline, so it has a degreasing effect.
If you wash textured or porous surfaces with baking soda, it can get into the crevices and be difficult to remove. Such surfaces are wooden kitchen cabinets and marble worktops.
3. Borax
Borax (sodium tetraborate) is slightly stronger than baking soda and is also an abrasive cleaning agent. Moisten the greasy surface a little and sprinkle the borax on it. Let it stand for a few minutes, then scrub with a brush and then wash it off with clean water.
Borax is alkaline, which is why it has a good degreasing effect. It is a component of many household cleaning products.
4. Washing soda
Washing soda (sodium carbonate) is also an alkaline substance, which is mostly used for washing clothes. Due to its excellent degreasing effect, it can also be used to clean sticky kitchen dirt. Use washing soda with water and a plastic brush or wire scrub to remove greasy residue.
5. Steam cleaner
Steam cleaners are effective against sticky, greasy kitchen dirt. Their advantage is that they do not require chemical cleaning agents. The use of steam is one of the most environmentally friendly cleaning methods.
The steam acts as a surfactant, which means that it reduces the surface tension, thereby loosening the greasy, sticky residue. Kitchen surfaces made of sensitive materials are not scratched by steam cleaners like abrasives and scrubs.
The steam cleaner is suitable for sanitizing kitchen surfaces due to the high temperature it produces. The temperature of the steam can reach 200°F / 90°C.
Sticky residue in hard-to-reach places and small gaps is easier to clean with a steam cleaner than with other methods. Some steam cleaners are also equipped with a brush, which makes degreasing even more effective.
During my years in the food industry, the steam cleaner was one of the tools we used every day, due to its efficiency.
6. Store-bought degreasers
It is worth choosing a commercial degreaser that is water-based and biodegradable, and at the same time environmentally friendly.
The advantage of store-bought degreasers is that there are special ones for greasy stains of various origins. The sticky, greasy deposit in the kitchen mostly contains oils, fats, and proteins of organic origin, as well as house dust.
Not all heavy-duty degreasers are suitable for the safe cleaning of all types of surfaces, as they are often more aggressive than universal cleaners.
It can damage sensitive surfaces, such as painted wooden and metal surfaces, as well as glass and some types of plastic.
It is always best to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of purchased degreasers. Mixing different cleaning agents can be dangerous because toxic gases can be produced.
Does vinegar destroy grease?
Vinegar is a slightly acidic substance and therefore does not dissolve grease any better than plain water. To dissolve the greasy, sticky residue, you need an alkaline substance, such as soap, or the other substances listed above. Acidic agents are more suitable for cleaning limescale.
Many websites claim that by mixing vinegar and baking soda, you get an effective degreasing agent. However, the truth is that vinegar and baking soda neutralize each other’s effects, so they aren’t effective when applied together.
Important notes
Washing soda and borax can cause eye, skin, and respiratory irritation, so it is best to wear rubber gloves when using them and be careful not to get them in your eyes, nose, mouth, or broken skin.
Also, make sure that small children and pets do not come into contact with the cleaning agents.
As the last phase of the cleaning, thoroughly wash all cleaning agent residue from your kitchen equipment and cabinets with clean water to avoid food contamination.
If you are not sure how a specific kitchen surface will react to certain cleaning agents, try it first on a small, preferably hidden area.
Final thoughts
The sticky residue that forms as a result of cooking is an inevitable part of the everyday use of the kitchen. Most sticky, greasy residues settle around the stove and on the surface of the kitchen hood.
The more regularly you wash the sticky surfaces, the easier it is to keep the kitchen clean.
In addition to commercially available harsh chemical degreasers, we also have environmentally friendly, natural materials and tools at our disposal, such as baking soda and a brush, or a kitchen steam cleaner.
You may wish to read my article about the reasons for dishwashers not cleaning greasy dishes properly.