Whether you are allergic to cleaning products or simply want to keep your home free of harmful chemicals, there is no reason to spend a fortune in stores buying natural cleaners.
Why not make them yourself at home?
It is likely that you have already done some cleaning since the last major holiday.
If you are interested in natural cleaning products, you do not need to spend extra money at specialty stores. Here are seven excellent tips for cleaning with materials you probably already have at home, which are certainly safer for you, your children, and your pets.
Lemon and Baking Soda: From Toilet to Refrigerator
These are two things you likely already have in your cupboard.
Both are excellent cleaning agents individually, but together they form an outstanding cleaning duo. Sprinkle baking soda on any surface you want to clean, such as kitchen countertops, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, refrigerator shelves, and even inside the oven.
Then squeeze fresh lemon over the baking soda and let the mixture work for 5 to 10 minutes.
Spray water over the surfaces and wipe or scrub with a reusable cloth to achieve a particularly shiny surface.
Just be careful not to spray lemon juice on fabrics, as it may stain them.
Salt: Cleaning Stains on Stovetops and Surfaces
If some food spills in the oven or on the stove, sprinkle table salt on the spill.
Allow the salt and food to cool, then wipe with a damp cloth.
Salt is also excellent for removing rust if you mix two tablespoons with one tablespoon of lemon juice. Salt works well on wooden surfaces too.
Simply apply a salt-soaked cloth to a cutting board.
For coffee stains, add two ice cubes and a good amount of salt to your coffee pot, mix until stains disappear, and wash well before use.
Olive Oil: Polishing Wood and Preventing Stains
Olive oil can do more than season your salad.
Mix half a cup of olive oil, half a cup of vinegar, and two cups of warm water to create a shiny wood polish.
Apply with a cloth. Olive oil also helps prevent staining of stainless steel cookware and can clean garden tools.
Natural Fabric Softener: Essential Oil and White Vinegar
Store bought fabric softeners work but can be harmful to the environment and health.
Make a natural version by adding 20-30 drops of essential oil to 3.5 liters of white vinegar.
Shake well, and use one-third cup per load of laundry.
Room Spray: Vodka, Lemon, and Oranges
You can make an eco-friendly room spray using lemon, orange peels, vodka, and water.
Cut the peels into strips, place them in a jar with vodka for a few days, then transfer them to a spray bottle with vodka and water.
Eliminating Odors: Spices and Herbs
Grow your own herbs and spices, or use the ones you already have, to clean and deodorize your home.
To remove food odors from the oven, sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on a plate, squeeze a little orange juice on top, and leave until the mixture cools.
For sinks or bathtubs, mix a quarter cup of herbs like mint or basil with a cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt, then scrub the surface.
You can also make an all-purpose herbal disinfectant by boiling a mix of herbs such as lavender, eucalyptus, sage, basil, thyme, or rosemary in water, strain, and pour into a spray bottle.