Kitchen Grease Cleaning: 3 Methods Under $2 That Beat Store-Bought Cleaners

As a ‘veteran renter’ who’s rented for 5 years and moved 8 times, I’ve basically become a grease-fighting expert out of necessity.

At first I believed the hype about ‘heavy-duty degreaser’ sprays—30+ yuan per bottle, ventilate for 30 minutes after use, that chemical smell burning my nose.

Then I discovered: the most common kitchen items, combined, work better than commercial cleaners—and cost under 15 yuan total.

Here are my 3 battle-tested methods.

Method 1: Baking Soda Paste (About 3 yuan)

Baking soda is the kitchen cleaning MVP. For heavy range hood grease, here’s my process:

Mix baking soda with a little water into a paste. Spread on grease, wait 20 minutes. Scrub with sponge—grease lifts right off.

Simple chemistry: baking soda is alkaline, grease is acidic—they neutralize. Plus baking soda’s mild abrasiveness tackles ‘years-old grease’ effectively.

Last time I cleaned my range hood this way, I saved enough to buy two pounds of pork ribs.

Method 2: Vinegar Spray (About 5 yuan)

Vinegar tackles that ‘greasy film’ on stovetops and tile backsplashes.

Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Mist on surfaces, wait 3-5 minutes, wipe with cloth—clean.

Plus vinegar disinfects. Two birds, one stone.

Pro tip: For heavy grease, spray vinegar first, then sprinkle baking soda. Watch it fizz and foam. Wait for bubbles to subside, then wipe—double effectiveness.

Method 3: Lemon + Salt (About 6 yuan)

Perfect for stainless steel—sinks, faucets.

Cut lemon in half, dip cut surface in salt, scrub stainless steel directly. Lemon’s acidity + salt’s abrasion removes water spots and fingerprints, leaving mirror-like shine.

And that lemon scent beats any artificial fragrance.

Why these beat commercial cleaners:

First, safety. Baking soda, vinegar, lemon—all food-grade, no residue concerns. I once used a brand-name heavy cleaner; my noodles tasted weird for a week.

Second, cheap. One cleaner bottle: 30 yuan. Baking soda bag: 5 yuan lasts half a year. Vinegar: 3 yuan lasts 3 months.

Third, eco-friendly. No chemical packaging, no hard-to-degrade ingredients, drain-friendly.

One caveat:

These handle daily grease fine, but ‘decade-old accumulated grime’ might need professional cleaners. My suggestion: maintain with baking soda/vinegar regularly, hire professionals for deep cleans every 6 months.

Because preventive cleaning always beats damage control.

Ladies, got other money-saving kitchen cleaning hacks? Share in comments!