The dread of having to clean the big, greasy kitchen appliances used to be so daunting to me. It seems it would take a whole afternoon to do and the only good thing about it was the workout my forearms were getting from all the scrubbing.

Then after learning a few great kitchen-cleaning hacks, I can wipe away my microwave and oven with one swipe of a cloth! I can clean off the stovetop in a snap and I can polish the outside of my stainless steel fridge to a fresh shine in no time at all. Not to mention that these are all-natural ingredients used to accomplish this with things you probably already have on hand.

The Easiest Way to Clean a Microwave

This is a trick I’ve been doing for years and it makes cleaning even the most filthy microwave super easy. Fill a bowl with about a cup or so of water. Add ¼ cup white vinegar and heat for 4-5 minutes. The steam gets all of the surfaces of the microwave moist, so with one swipe of a soapy microfiber cloth it is sparkling clean.

The Easiest Way to Clean an Oven

This is a recent find of mine from my Real Simple magazine and it works similar to the microwave routine and it is just as effective. And dare I say even better because you’re not using smelly vinegar, but lemons instead!

Rub half a lemon on the bottom of the oven where food may have spilled and hardened. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F, then place a medium-size, oven-safe glass mixing bowl filled with water and four more lemon halves on the top rack and close the door. As the water heats up, the resulting steam will help soften stuck-on gunk. Wait an hour, then turn off the oven, open the door, and allow the oven to cool enough to touch. Then use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the door and inside. Stubborn spots? Gently run with a wet scouring pumice.

The Easiest Way to Scour a Stovetop

My favorite way to get gunk and grease off my stovetop easily is to wipe a really wet washcloth over the entire stovetop. Then, sprinkle a generous helping of baking soda all over the area. Allow it to sit 5 minutes and use a soft scrubber that will not damage the surface to gently scour away all the gunk. Finish by wiping everything down with hot, soapy water.

The Easiest Way to Polish a Stainless Steel Refrigerator

A couple years ago I found the best way to polish my stainless steel fridge that leaves a very pleasant smell as well. I use paper towels, coconut oil, and a little elbow grease to shine up the surface. It removes any fingerprints and leaves a pleasant subtle shine.

If you start with the oven, you can finish the other three appliances in between and maybe even catch an episode of your favorite half hour comedy while you wait for the lemon to work its magic in the oven. You can have your kitchen appliances fresh and clean with very little effort in under an hour!

Do you have any other tips of how you like to clean these appliances easily? Please share in the comments below.