Keeping our homes clean has become easier and less time consuming with the plethora of products on the market today. With the variety of sprays, jets, foams, and wipes, we are now beginning to question just how harmful these products can be to our overall health and the health of our families.
With the rise in respiratory diseases and allergies, we need to be careful about what we bring into our homes. Highly caustic cleaners can be effective, but at what cost? But there is another way.
By following the page of our parents and grandparents, we can prepare homemade cleaning products that are relatively easy, effective, and most importantly, safe for all family members. For the price of a single store-bought cleaner, we can clean your entire home in an environmentally friendly way for a fraction of the cost.
open your closets
The common staples that we typically have on our own shelves serve a multitude of purposes and can be used for just about any cleaning problem we can come across. These are the top three that most have on hand.
Vinegar is by far the best natural cleaning agent for almost any problem. Just mix equal parts vinegar and water and you have a great cleaning agent for:
- Cut grease and grime
- Removal of hard water and soap buildup.
- Glass and stainless steel cleaning
- ceramic tiles
- Fine glass cleaning
- Eliminates odors on contact and as a room deodorizer when left out for several hours.
Lemon juice is another top three when it comes to a serious cleanser. Using the juice undiluted, its high acidity properties are effective in:
- Removal of hard water and soap buildup.
- Remove stains from sinks and countertops
- Brass and copper cleaning
- Natural deodorant for refrigerators and other closed containers
- A natural insect repellent
- Cleaning of wooden surfaces, removal of stains and polishing of furniture when mixed with olive oil.
Baking soda is the third most popular staple to keep on hand for cleaning. Used as a paste, diluted or neat, it is a mild abrasive ideal for:
- Removes tarnish from silver, brass and gold when used as a paste
- A deodorant sprayed on carpets and upholstery before vacuuming
- A drain cleaner when mixed with vinegar.
- Elimination of odors from refrigerators and other closed containers
- Tooth and denture cleaning as a paste and as a mouthwash when diluted
- remove burnt food from pots
Much more
All of these products can be used to clean and maintain every part of your home. They can also be used to keep your appliances running smoothly by running a vinegar or baking soda solution through a cycle of your coffee maker, dishwasher, or washing machine. Vegetable oil can decrease hinge squeak and recondition wood.
As a stain remover, baking soda removes residual oil from clothing and, added to your laundry detergent, can naturally boost its cleaning power. Lemon juices can help lighten stains on white clothing. And diluted vinegar removes salt stains from your winter shoes.
There are so many applications where we can use natural products for a clean house for very little money. Check your local library or search the web for old fashioned tried and true solutions to your everyday cleaning needs. You’ll be amazed at how much you can tackle with what you already have on hand.
