This Scrunchy Cleaning Method Is the It-Girl's Guide to Cleaning

As much as we love our trusted cleaning products, many of them are packed full of chemicals, plastics, and health-hazardous aerosols. But going all-natural can be difficult, time-consuming, and involves a little bit of a learning curve. So what gives? Is there a balance between going all-natural and reaching for the heavy-duty stuff? Enter: the "scrunchy" cleaning method.

What Is the Scrunchy Cleaning Method?

The "scrunchy" cleaning technique blends “crunchy” (natural, eco-friendly) habits with practical, conventional (aka store-bought) solutions.

This cleaning lifestyle is gaining popularity among families who are looking for a healthier, more eco-friendly home without sacrificing effectiveness. It’s the ultimate flexible, realistic approach that lets you spray vinegar on your countertops, then reach for bleach when scrubbing the toilet. Here are a few ideas for applying this method to hardest working spaces of your home.

How to Use This Technique in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home—and often the messiest and most labor-intensive to clean. Daily crumbs, spills, and general use builds up fast so it's important to stay on top of a regular routine. From using vinegar sprays to pulling out the commercial cleaners when needed, here are some practical ideas for the dishes, countertops, and appliances.

Dishes: Use a plant-based dish soap and a dish brush or compostable sponge for everyday dishwashing. For tougher dishes, use a stronger, grease-cutting conventional soap for baked-on messes or oily pans.

Countertops: For daily cleaning, spray with a homemade mix of vinegar, water, and essential oils (like lemon or tea tree). During cold and flu season (or after handling raw chicken) pull out disinfectant wipes or bleach-based sprays.

Stainless steel appliances: Wipe down with a mix of white vinegar and olive oil for a natural polish. Before guests arrive, clean off stubborn fingerprints with a commercial stainless steel-specific cleaner.

The microwave: Steam clean with a bowl of water, lemon slices, and vinegar. Tackle stubborn caked-on grease and grime with a conventional degreaser if needed.

The oven: Try baking soda and water paste overnight for a gentle clean. Another solution is to scrub the glass with baking soda, hot water, and aluminum foil. For super tough gunk, break out the heavy-duty oven cleaner once or twice a year.

Scrunchy Cleaning Methods for the Bathroom

Let’s be honest—the bathroom is where even the most natural-minded among us need to make a few cleaning exceptions. If you love the idea of using baking soda and essential oils but still keep bleach on standby for the toilet, congratulations: you're officially a squeaky-scrunchy cleaning professional. Here are some more practical tips for keeping your bathroom fresh, functional, and flexible.

Shower and tub: Use a spray bottle filled with vinegar, water, and a few drops of essential oils to mist the shower after every use. Squeegee glass shower walls and doors to remove excess water. Use a commercial soap scum remover once a month for buildup.

Grout cleaning: Once a week (or every-other week) scrub grout with baking soda and a toothbrush or grout brush. For extra-stubborn (or white) grout, pull out a bleach pen or heavy-duty grout cleaner for moldy spots that fight back.

Toilet bowls: For regular maintenance, sprinkle baking soda in the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush. But the toilet is the biggest spot that occasionally requires a little more chemical muscle: use a bleach-based cleaner or drop-in tablet weekly to disinfect and keep mineral rings at bay.

Toilet exteriors: Wipe down weekly with your homemade vinegar-water spray. Switch to antibacterial wipes during that pesky cold and flu season.

Sinks: Crunchy: use a soft cloth with Castile soap, or a vinegar solution. When it come sot the hard stuff (literally) opt for a calcium/lime remover for hard water stains, mold, or rust.

Faucets and fixtures: Rub metallic finishes with a natural paste of baking soda and lemon juice. When you need a little more shine, opt for the stainless or chrome polish.