Five easy ways to leave your kitchen spotless

Doing chores can be a bore but with a little know-how you can make your kitchen shine in no time. You don't have to use harsh cleaning chemicals - all you need is some salt and a lemon.

See also: Four surprising uses for kitchen sponges

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Kitchen sink: Stainless steel sinks can quickly become tarnished but it's easy to bring the sparkle back. Simply cut a lemon in half and dip in salt – then rub it on the soap scum and rinse clean.

Pots and pans: Salt can also be used to clean other things too. To safely clean a cast iron skillet, mix coarse salt and warm water, scrub and wipe clean.

Sanitize sponges: Research shows that the average kitchen sponge contains 10million bacteria per square inch, making it 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat. You don't need to throw them away after a few uses. Simply pop the wet sponge in the microwave for two minutes to neutralise bacteria.

Clean a blender: Don't risk putting your fingers inside a blender . Let your blender clean itself. Simply add warm water and a squirt of washing-up liquid, then blend and rinse. Likewise, to clean a coffee grinder, simply grind white rice and tip out.