Want a simple, no-fuss solution to cleaning your oven? Look no further than a pumice stone, a cleaning tool made from porous lava rock. It’s often used to soften rough feet or to erase marker from your skin, but it’s also a formidable household cleaning tool. To use it, just dampen the stone and scrub dirty areas. The best thing about using it to clean the oven — besides how well it works to lift burnt grease stains — is how little mess there is to clean up afterward. Unlike other methods, which require repeated rinsing and wiping, a pumice stone leaves behind a few crumbs at most. 

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Dawn dish soap, vinegar, and baking soda make a dynamic cleaner. Combine 1/2 cup Dawn dish soap, 1 1/2 cups of baking soda, and 3/4 cup of white vinegar in a bowl. Wait for the foam to subside, and then coat the interior of your oven with the mixture. Let it sit for about three hours, and then scrub and wipe clean. In addition to being a fume-free solution to your biggest oven messes, you probably already have everything you need on hand.

This year, we tested the Eraser Daddy, which consists of melamine foam on one side and a Scrub Daddy sponge on the other. The results? It was one of the easiest and most effective oven-cleaning options around. The dual-sided tool offers two ways to attack burnt-on messes. And like a pumice stone, the Eraser Daddy requires hardly any cleanup.

The popular, five-star-rated Everneat Oven Scrub Natural Cleaner gives your oven a “spa treatment” and leaves it squeaky clean. This oven cleaner, sold on Etsy, is made of pumice stone, coconuts, citric acid, and baking soda, and scented with peppermint, lemon, and eucalyptus essential oils. It also comes with a metallic scrubbing sponge, which helps get the job done quickly.

Easy Off makes mincemeat of a dirty oven. Many people prefer to avoid cleaners that require gloves and ventilation, but sometimes you need the strong stuff to get a handle on an extremely dirty oven. The active ingredient is sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, and it’s super effective at melting baked-on grease from your oven interior. Using Easy Off is as simple as spraying the foaming cleanser in the oven, letting it sit, and then wiping the grease all away. 

Refrigerators 

A clean, organized fridge will help you maintain food hygiene and reduce waste. This is a job that needs doing roughly every 3-6 months.

Empty the food out of the fridge, placing meats and dairy in a cool bag. Take out the shelves and salad crisper drawers and clean in the sink using washing up liquid and hot water. Wipe down the inside and outside of the fridge using Milton Sterilizing Fluid and cold water. Dry thoroughly using a clean tea towel.

Replace the shelves and salad crisper drawers. If you have a fridge thermometer, wait until the temperature inside the fridge falls to 5°C or below before replacing the food.

Make sure you don't overload your fridge when you restock, as this can prevent the air from circulating. 

Washing Machines

It's recommended that you clean your washing machine roughly once a month. This is especially important if you've been running eco or cold cycles, as this can allow bacteria and mold to build up in your machine.

To give it a deep-clean, run a hot wash (above 140F) with no laundry or detergent. Take out the draw and clean it in hot, soapy water, giving special attention to the fabric conditioner section. Leave it to air dry before placing back in the machine.

Dishwasher

While owning a dishwasher is a big time saver, particularly after cooking a big meal, it's one of the most expensive appliances to run. Cleaning your dishwasher will help it run efficiently so that you can get the most out of every cycle.

You can usually remove your machine's spray arms, but always consult the manual before attempting this. Use a cocktail stick or study wire to clear each hole of debris. Using an old toothbrush, scrub away any build-up on the filters and around the door seal.

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 Hopefully these tips will be helpful in your cleaning!