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When it comes to deep cleaning your home, the kitchen can be a real pain. There is often greasy areas that don’t get the attention they should all the time. Most of us are lucky to wipe the counters, clean the floors and do the dishes.

How do you go about degreasing your kitchen? Of course you can use harsh chemicals like oven cleaner, but there are several ways to clean that do not require the use of such fumes. These cleaners are also often cheaper than the chemicals and more natural.

First, let’s start with the oven. I loathe cleaning the oven. SO MUCH! I hate the harsh cleaner and I hate the smell when you turn it on to “self clean” (if you are lucky enough to have this setting on your oven!). But how can you get rid of the built-up grime?

Put a heat-resistant container (glass works best) filled with 1 cup of vinegar, in the oven and turn it on to 350 degrees for 10 minutes. This will loosen the grime and make it much easier to remove. When you are ready to scrub, make a paste of baking soda and water. Add 1 part water to 4 parts baking soda. This will be a mild scrub to use on the greasy parts.

Next, let’s move onto the fridge. Sure, you can do a simple wipe-down, but did you know that cleaning your fridge is extremely important, not just for looks, but for food safety? Ideally, we throw out everything as it went bad, but sometimes, things, especially condiments get shoved to the back and “lost”. Eating spoiled food can make a person very sick. Not only that, there is bacteria that accumulates on the inside shelves, drawers and bins of the fridge that can make food spoil quicker and unsafe.

So how can you ensure your fridge is clean? First, start with some bleach water. Mix 1 capful per 1/2 gallon of water. Wipe the handles, top and front. Then, remove the entire contents from your fridge. Go through all your condiments and throw out any that are expired or questionable. Wipe all surfaces in your fridge and allow to dry or dry them with a paper towel. You can take this even one step further by wiping off your containers as well. It is important to do this at LEAST once monthly, but weekly is ideal.

Last, let’s clean the microwave. The easiest way to do this is to use a similar method as we did with the oven. Mix equal parts water and vinegar together and place in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes. Simply wipe the interior clean. For stuck on foods, try some vinegar.

Back to school can mean chaotic mornings and leave you and your kids reaching for something easy to make for breakfast. Instead of buying pre-packaged foods, you can save a bundle by making a stock of your own Easy Freezer Meals for Back To School that are easy for kids (and adults!) to grab in a hurry and pop in the microwave or toaster.

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You can make a stock a couple times a month, or if you don’t have much freezer room, do it one morning of your weekend.

To demonstrate how much you can save by making your own, let’s look at the cost of premade waffles you find in the frozen foods section. On sale, you can usually find these for around $2.00. In the pack, you get 8 waffles. This makes each waffle, around 25¢ each. If you make them yourself, using a simple waffle recipe, you can easily make them for pennies each. Waffles freeze well and don’t take long to reheat, either. Just pop on in the microwave for 30 seconds or if you prefer them toasty, stick one in the toaster.

Here are some more ideas for freezer breakfasts:

Make pre-wrapped breakfast burritos with sausage or bacon crumbles, cheese and scrambled eggs.

Bake muffins in large batches. Pull them out of the freezer and re-heat in the microwave.

Use up leftover fruits like bananas by chopping them into small pieces and freezing them. Add them to yogurt and a blender and you have a smoothie.

Just as you can make waffles, try doing french toast pieces as well.

Assemble English muffin sandwiches with sausage, eggs and cheese. Pop one in the microwave or toaster oven.

Banana bread makes a great on the go breakfast and also freezes well. Just slice it and stick it in the freezer.

Make a breakfast casserole with diced ham, eggs, hash browns and cheese. Keep it in the freezer and put it in the oven when you first wake up. It should only take 20 minutes to heat and is hearty and delicious.

If your kids really dig those french toast sticks you can buy, just make french toast and cut it into sticks. Freeze in separate packs of 3-4 for easy access by the kids.

What do you do on busy mornings to make sure your kids get breakfast?