Grease is the word. Whether you’re frying up a pan of bacon or sautéing veggies in olive oil, grease splatter abounds. It multiplies in tiny little droplets and clings to your stovetop, cabinets, the backsplash, and any other areas close by. It’s often difficult to remove, especially if you aren’t able to clean it right away, so we’ve compiled a simple how-to for cleaning up the mess with basic items you already have in your kitchen.

What You (Might) Need

  • vinegar, baking soda, and/or vegetable oil
  • dishcloth
  • sponge
  • spray bottle

How to Clean Grease with Vinegar

Pour undiluted vinegar into an empty spray bottle and apply a generous mist to the greased surface. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then wipe the surface clean with a dishcloth or non-abrasive scrubber.

If your mess isn’t too bad and you don’t like the smell of vinegar, you can dilute it with water, filling the spray bottle with a half-and-half mixture. Or add essential oils (lemon essential oil makes a great combination) to your taste

Note: You shouldn’t use vinegar on unsealed stone countertops, or any other porous surface.

How to Clean Grease with Baking Soda

Sprinkle baking soda on a damp sponge or non-abrasive scrubber and wipe down all greased surfaces. Follow with a clean, damp cloth to remove any baking powder residue.

You can use baking soda to battle grease stains on many surfaces—even pots, pans and your sink drain.

Note: Baking soda is abrasive, so be careful not to scrub the surface too hard, or you could damage your countertop’s finish.

How to Clean Grease with Vegetable Oil

If all else fails, a surprising grease remover is non other than —grease! You can use natural vegetable oil on a paper towel to remove a really difficult stain. Follow up with one of the methods above for that like-new sparkle.

Note: For extremely difficult grease stains, you can use a phosphate-free TSP-substitute cleaner (TSP=trisodium phosphate). It is a good replacement for the toxic, heavy duty cleaners that we all try to avoid.

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