Congrats on your new Corvus kitchen! We hope you are loving your new space thoroughly and looking forward to enjoying your new kitchen for years and years to come. To help you keep your hard surfaces in your new room as beautiful as it was on completion day, we’ve compiled our favorite tips, tricks and cleaning products to keep the heart of your home pristine. From all-purpose cleaners to scouring mixtures, we’ve got your kitchen woes covered. Caring for your new kitchen remodel couldn’t be easier.
All-purpose white vinegar and water spray
If you’re looking for a non-toxic cleaning solution, look no further. Although the white vinegar solution smells strong, thankfully it also fades from surfaces quickly and doesn’t leave your house smelling like a salad bar.
Bonus: Good old white vinegar cleans most tile surfaces as well as cooktops and appliances, so you can potentially use the same cleaning solution for all parts of your new room. One thing to note is that you should not use vinegar on travertine or some stone surfaces.
To make basic white vinegar cleaning spray
- Fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and warm water
This wondrous (and thrifty) solution is easy to use for daily maintenance, just spray it on your countertops or hard surfaces and then wipe with a cloth to clean.
All-purpose supercharged white vinegar and soap spray
The cleaning powers of vinegar are widely known, but did you know that there are ways to make cleaning with vinegar even more effective? By heating the vinegar first, or adding plain dish soap, or both, you can have a non-toxic spray that can rival what you’d find in the cleaning aisle of your local market. Pair with a stiff-bristled brush and you can tackle even the toughest of messes.
To make the white vinegar and soap solution:
- Heat 1 ½ cups of white vinegar in microwave for 90 seconds and carefully funnel it into your spray bottle.
- Funnel 1 cup of Dawn (or other vegetable-based dishwashing soap) into the bottle.
- Add 1 cup of water
- Add a few drops of Thieves essential oil, if desired
- Put the sprayer lid on tightly and shake to blend
- Gently shake the bottle before each use
For really stubborn stains, spray the soap and vinegar solution and leave it on to penetrate. After 15 minutes, scrub with a stiff-bristled cleaning brush, then rinse with a damp microfiber cloth.
Quartz surfaces – baking soda scour
A spray is great for light duty work, but if you need some deep scrubbing power, our next recipe is perfect for you. The scrubbing power of baking soda combined with white vinegar and lemon juice give you a scouring cleaner without a bunch of chemicals. Use a soft-bristled scrub brush or toothbrush to work the mixture in, and then wipe with damp paper towels or a microfiber cloth.
To make the white vinegar and baking soda solution:
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup of warm water
- ½ cup baking soda
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Granite surfaces – disinfecting spray
The disinfecting properties of alcohol with the de-greasing powers of dish soap can clean and sanitize granite surfaces easily. Use a clean microfiber cloth and wipe up the spray as you go, so you won’t leave streaks behind. If you choose to use essential oils, we recommend basil, lavender, Thieves and cinnamon scents. While you don’t want to use acidic liquids like lemon juice on granite since it can corrode sealant and make the underlying granite vulnerable to chips, citrus-scented essential oil is pH-neutral and completely safe to use on granite surfaces.
To make the disinfecting granite spray solution:
- ½ cup of rubbing alcohol
- ½ teaspoon of dish soap
- 1 ½ cups of warm water
- 10-20 drops of essential oils, if desired
Grout cleaner – synthetic bristle brush
Using either the all purpose spray or the disinfecting spray (depending on your stone surface), work the cleaner into the grout with a synthetic bristle brush. It’s surprising how easy it is to clean up dirty grout and keep it from showing its age with very little elbow grease.
Ready to get started on your new kitchen remodel?
Contact Corvus Construction about a new kitchen remodel and see how to make your dreams a reality. We’re family-owned, one of the top-rated full-service construction companies in Snohomish County. Call 206.355.4981 to get started with a free in-home estimate.