Effortlessly Clean The Woodwork In Your Kitchen With This 2-Ingredient Solution

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Installing wooden surfaces in a kitchen evokes a comforting, rustic feel while offering the added benefit of longevity. Still, it's natural for those wood surfaces to look worn after years of use. While you can replace wooden spoons, it's not as easy to replace a whole countertop. Luckily, using dual cleanser and polisher can keep your wooden surfaces clean and nourished. 

But commercial all-purpose cleaners are often filled with harsh ingredients that can damage fragile wooden surfaces, while polishers can leave wood streaky. A lot of people think DIY cleansers don't work as effectively as commercial brands, but using the right ingredients can be a game-changer and are a great fit for wooden surfaces. To effortlessly clean the woodwork in your kitchen, try a two-ingredient solution of white vinegar and oil. 

White vinegar is a cheap and versatile ingredient you probably already have in your kitchen. This natural cleaner does an excellent job of cleaning excess dirt, grime, and hidden bacteria from wooden surfaces. When combined with oil, it's gentle enough to use on wood without destroying it and still acidic enough to clean. Oils like olive or lemon oil are moisturizers that prevent wood from drying out. Combining them leaves your wooden surfaces clean and nourished without introducing harsher chemicals into the mix. 

Cooking oils like canola or olive oils are pantry staples, making them a convenient option. Combine your oil of choice with an equal amount of white vinegar in a spray bottle and shake to homogenize before each use. When it's time to clean, spray it on a microfiber cloth and wipe down your wooden surface as needed for a clean, rejuvenated surface. That's really all there is to it.

That said, if you're looking for a fresher fragrance, lemon oil is a lovely addition. With its mild citrus scent, lemon oil leaves wooden surfaces smelling crisp in addition to bringing out their natural beauty. Unfortunately, pure lemon oil can be expensive, but you can easily make lemon-scented olive oil at home by infusing it with lemon peels. Lemons give olive oil a bright, fresh twist, and making it is as simple simmering lemon peels in a pot with olive oil for 15 or 20 minutes before straining them. The downside is the oil only lasts a few weeks in the fridge. For a more concentrated citrus scent that lasts longer, opt for lemon essential oil with your olive oil instead. You can buy less expensive brands like UpNature Lemon Essential Oil on Amazon. But even if you opt to skip the lemon scent, this two-ingredient wood-cleaning solution is an effective, affordable way to keep your wood surfaces looking great.