|
|
 |
Natural Cleaning Products
Cleaning is a fact of life in every home, but are all those nasty chemicals really necessary? The answer is no! Stores are stocking increasing numbers of natural cleaning products, or you can even make your own. Read on for more info about banishing the chemicals.
Choosing Natural Cleaning Products
There are more natural cleaning products hitting the shelves in supermarkets and other stores. But how do you ensure that you are cleaning as naturally as you can? Firstly, only buy the cleaning products that you absolutely need. Also, use as little as you can to get the job done.
Look for products that are made as locally as possible. Look at the ingredients list to ensure that your “natural” product does not contain any hidden nasties. Natural cleaning compounds are preferable to synthetic ones. These ingredients are usually plant based or based on essential oils. If you can find organic cleaning products, even better! Avoid optical whiteners, chlorine, petrochemicals, and other toxic ingredients. Also choose products that are low in phosphates and sodium.
Cleaning as naturally as it gets
If you want to be as natural as possible, you can clean your home effectively using just a few basic natural ingredients as well as a little bit of elbow grease. These are outlined below:
• Bicarbonate of Soda – this cleans, deodorises, softens water, and is also good to use as a scouring powder.
• Lemon juice – is a mild bleach, a deodoriser, and also a cleaner.
• Washing soda – removes stains and also cuts through grease.
• Borax – a naturally occurring mineral salt that cleans, deodorises, bleaches, and disinfects. You can also use it to control pests.
• White vinegar – cuts through grease, is a mild disinfectant, and a deodoriser. Use one part vinegar with one part water.
• Pure soap – a general purpose cleaner that completely biodegrades.
Natural Cleaning Recipes
Here are some great natural cleaning recipes for you:
• Toilet cleaner – use a paste of borax and lemon juice to clean non-septic toilets.
• Ceramic cleaner – tiles, sinks, toilets, and baths can be cleaned with bicarbonate of soda and a damp cloth.
• General cleaner – use warm water mixed with pure soap or white vinegar.
• Surface cleaner – bicarbonate of soda on a damp cloth can clean benchtops, sinks, windows, and your refrigerator.
• Dishwashing detergent – use pure soap to wash your dishes. White vinegar added to the rinse water will make your glasses sparkle.
• Oven cleaner – wipe down a warm oven with a soapy cloth.
• Carpet cleaner – bicarbonate of soda sprinkled on the carpet is a good deodoriser. A paste of bicarbonate of soda is great to remove stains. Just vacuum it up when it dries.
• Window cleaner – half a cup of vinegar added to a litre of warm water is a good window cleaner.
• Laundry detergent – use a third of a cake of pure soap grated with a third of a cup of washing soda. Dissolve with hot water in a bucket and add some more water. It will set into a soft gel. Use two to three cups of the gel per wash.
• Stain remover – eucalyptus oil is great for removing stains before washing. Just apply a few drops and let it evaporate.
• Bleach – use one cup of lemon juice in half a bucket of water and soak overnight.
Printer Friendly Version
References
Related Categories
Cleaning Services - Commercial
Cleaning Services - Domestic