Hannah Williams
Some of the most commonly used cleaning detergents found on the market contain toxins like phthalates, triclosan, sodium hydroxide, perchloroethylene, chlorine and God knows what else. Except for the long-term damage, the short-term exposure can also result in rashes, respiratory issues and much worse. To live a clean and healthier life, you need to get rid of all these poisons. You can easily replace them with the following homemade cleaning products, made from ingredients commonly found at home.
Most all-purpose cleaners are very smelly, harsh and can can cause nausea. Which, ironically, is the opposite of what an all-purpose cleaner should be like. Since it’s something we use all the time on many types of surfaces, it should be strong, but gentle, and it should smell nice. For the green all-purpose cleaner you’ll need 1 cup of white vinegar, 3 cups of warm water, around 2 table spoons of salt and some orange peels. Mix those in a closed container, leave it for about 24 hours and then pour it into a spray bottle. You can use this mixture to clean the sink, the stove, the countertops, even the floors. The orange will block the unpleasant smell of vinegar, so you will be left with a refreshing citrus smell in your home.
The oven provides every homeowner with a very dreadful cleaning experience. All that grease and food particles stuck all over the place can make everyone feel helpless. However, there is a very simple and natural solution, which will clean and disinfect your oven completely. All you need is some baking soda and white vinegar. First, spread the baking soda all over your oven. Then spray the vinegar on top of it. It will start to fizz a lot, but don’t worry, this is what it’s supposed to do. Leave it for a couple of hours or even overnight. After that, you just need to wipe the oven clean.
We all love our pets, but they can be a handful sometimes. If you have a pet, you’ll have to eventually learn how to clean “pet accidents”, especially from carpets. First, you’ll have to blot all the moisture. Cleaning experts advise to use a mixture of warm water and white vinegar and a soft brush to treat the stain. Gently rub the mixture into the fibres and then blot. The vinegar will kill the ammonia in the dog’s urine. After that, you can put some baking soda over the stain, work it into the fibre a little and leave it for some time. The baking soda will absorb most of the moisture and will remove any leftover smells. After you’re done, you can vacuum it off.
For this next recipe, you’ll need 5 general ingredients which can be found in almost every home – a cup of white vinegar, half a cup of rubbing alcohol, 2 table spoons of cornstarch, 4 cups of water and a few drops of essential oil. My personal favourite is tea tree. The vinegar will disinfect your windows, the rubbing alcohol will remove any stubborn stains and soil, the cornstarch will prevent streaking and the essential oil will provide a nice scent. Mix all those ingredients, pour them in a spray bottle and go crazy!
Tiles are a great type of flooring, because they are durable and easy to maintain. To provide your tile surfaces with the gentle deep clean they need, you will need a few basic ingredients – half a cup of baking soda, 2 table spoons of borax, 2 table spoons of washing soda and 3 table spoons of natural castile soap. Mix and stir. First wipe the surface with some white vinegar, then pour the baking soda mixture and start scrubbing. Then mop away with water. It’s perfect for mouldy tiles and blackened grout.
