Natural Cleaners for the Home
Use the natural cleaners already in your home!
Cleaning your house is an important part of home maintenance, but sometimes it can feel overwhelming, especially if you are concerned about using eco-friendly, natural ingredients instead of harsh chemicals, and/or are watching your wallet. Luckily, there are many natural cleaners you probably have in your kitchen that can be used as natural, non-chemical cleaners and can help you keep your home clean and smelling fresh, while also saving you money. Here are five non-toxic natural cleaners you probably have on hand, and some ways to use them.
5 Household Products That Are Natural Cleaners
Lemon
This citrus is known for its zesty kick and tangy smell, so it’s no wonder it is the scent of choice in many chemical cleaners. However, you can use this beautiful fruit in its natural form for all sorts of home cleaning projects. For example, to clean a cutting board, simply cut a lemon in half and scrub it over the surface. Wait ten minutes, then rinse. Do you have coffee stains inside of a mug? Cover the inside of the mug with lemon juice and salt. Let it sit for a few minutes, then simply wipe the stains off! The acidity of the lemon is invaluable for getting rid of difficult stains on all sorts of surfaces.
Baking Soda
While you probably know baking soda as the leavening ingredient in cookies, you can now get to know it for its other properties! Baking soda mixed with warm water (about ½ cup baking soda to three cups water) can make a great cleaner for the inside of your fridge. Simply use a rag dipped in the solution to clean. To remove food crusts from a ceramic or glass stovetop, dampen the area with hot soapy water and dust with baking soda. Dover with a damp towel and let it sit for thirty minutes, then wipe it dry with a clean towel. Baking soda can also be put on grease or oil that may have dripped onto the floor of the garage and be cleaned up with a wet brush.
White Vinegar
Like lemon, the acidity of white vinegar makes it the perfect choice when it comes to getting rid of grime, stains mildew, and grease. To clean a shower or tub, apply the white vinegar directly onto the porcelain surface for around thirty minutes, then give it a quick scrub and rinse it off. If you want an all-purpose counter cleaner, mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. If you want to clean granite, marble, or stone countertop, just replace the vinegar with rubbing alcohol. To clean a microwave, mix vinegar and a bit of lemon juice into a small microwave-safe cup. Heat the cup in the microwave for two minutes. When that’s done, let the cup sit in there for a few more minutes with the door closed, then take it out and wipe down the inside of the microwave.
Olive Oil
This multi-functional ingredient can now be multi-functional outside of the kitchen! And if you don’t have olive oil, in most cases it can be substituted with vegetable oil. If you need to clean a cast-iron pan, skip the soap, which can actually damage the pan. Instead, cover the surface with olive oil and salt, and scrub. Then rinse it off with warm water. For a furniture polish, mix ¼ cup white vinegar with ¾ cup olive oil. Use a cloth to wipe a light coat of the mixture over furniture. For wood furniture, adjust the recipe by using ¼ cup lemon juice and ½ cup olive oil. To clean fingerprints off any stainless steel surface, apply a few drops of olive oil to a microfiber cloth and wipe.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has become famous for its health benefits, but it can also be a great cleaning agent about anywhere in the home. If you have mildew in your bathroom, scrub at the mildew with some apple cider vinegar diluted with a bit of water. You can add some drops of lemon juice if you want a fresher smell. Residue from wax that has dripped from a candle can be cleaned off with apple cider vinegar, which will clear the reside. Simply remove as much of the wax as possible, then use a rag dipped with the vinegar and clean off the spot. Dry it off with a paper towel. To clean a clogged drain, pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain, then a cup of apple cider vinegar and another cup of hot water. Wait fifteen minutes, then pour down boiling water to finish the job. Check out one of our previous blog for a recipe that uses apple cider vinegar and baking soda for a pet stain remover.
Ideas Sourced From:
https://greatist.com/health/27-chemical-free-products-diy-spring-cleaning#14
https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/non-toxic-home-cleaning/#substitutions
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/13-ways-to-clean-your-whole-home-with-apple-cider-vinegar-235579