Pre-May Day Kitchen Deep Clean: I Fell Into 3 Traps — Found These 2 Cleaners Actually Work

Girls, May Day holiday is coming and guests are on the way — the kitchen definitely needs a thorough cleaning.

But there are really too many kitchen cleaners on the market: heavy grease cleaners, stainless steel cleaning paste, Mr. Muscle, Green Sprout… it’s overwhelming.

I’ve fallen into quite a few pits over the past three years. Today I’m helping you sort through what actually works and what’s just a money grab.

First, my conclusion: I only recommend one combo of 2 cleaners.

Baking soda + dish soap.

Yes, you read that right — just these two ordinary things.

Why these 2?

Baking soda is alkaline and can dissolve grease. Dish soap is a surfactant that carries away oil stains. Together, one plus one is greater than two.

How to use:

1. Heavy grease areas (range hood filter, around the stovetop): Dissolve baking soda in hot water, apply to grease stains, let sit 15 minutes. Then scrub with a brush and wipe clean with a damp cloth.

2. Stainless steel surfaces (sink, faucet): Wipe directly with dish soap, then rinse with clean water. For stubborn hard water stains, apply white vinegar, wait a few minutes, then wipe away.

The 3 Traps I Fell Into

Trap 1: Buying a $30+ bottle of “plant extract kitchen cleaner.”

Honestly, the cleaning effect was about the same as supermarket shelf products. “Plant extract” is just a marketing gimmick — the cleaning ingredients are the same. Not worth the extra money.

Trap 2: Buying multi-purpose cleaning paste.

I thought one paste could clean all surfaces. Turns out, it wasn’t strong enough for heavy grease, and not effective enough for hard water stains. Can do everything, excels at nothing.

Trap 3: Blind faith in the “old toothbrush” cleaning method.

It’s not that old toothbrushes don’t work — it’s that many people don’t know to replace them. I used one toothbrush for half a year, the bristles were bent, and the cleaning effect was basically zero.

Specific Steps for Range Hood Filter Cleaning

This is the headache for many. Here’s my method:

1. Remove the filter (usually just a few screws, very easy)

2. Find a basin or bag big enough to hold the filter

3. Sprinkle a handful of baking soda, pour in hot water to cover the filter

4. Soak 30 minutes (the longer the better — I usually soak overnight)

5. Take out, scrub with a brush, rinse with clean water

6. Air dry before putting back

I’ve used this method for 2 years, cleaning once a month, and the range hood suction has been great.

One Unexpected Discovery

I found that kitchen paper towels combined with cleaner work especially well. Kitchen paper towels are thicker than regular towels, have strong oil absorption, and can be thrown away after use — no need to wash rags.

I buy kitchen paper towels from Daiso, 10 yuan for 3 rolls, which lasts a long time.

Alright, that’s kitchen cleaning. If you have any exclusive cleaning tips, feel free to share in the comments.