How to Make Natural Home Cleaning Products that are Chemical Free
It can take hours of scrubbing to make your home's counters, floors and surfaces sparkling clean. Commercial cleaning products are sold to help you accomplish your daily cleaning tasks, but often contain toxic chemicals. Make natural alternatives from items around your house. Discover how to make natural home cleaning products that are free of chemicals for a spotless, earth-friendly home. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- White vinegar
- Liquid castile soap
- Tea tree oil
- Coarse sea salt
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Spray bottles
- Cleaning rags, cloths or sponges
Instructions
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Make a glass and linoleum floor cleaner. Pour three parts white vinegar and half a part of liquid castile soap into a plastic spray bottle. Close the bottle, and shake vigorously to mix the contents. Spray and wipe with a rag or mop. The vinegar naturally cuts through grease and stains while the castile soap lifts particles away from the surface. Wipe the area with a damp, clean cloth after cleaning.
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Mix a solution for disinfecting hard surfaces and killing mildew. Pour 12 ounces of water into a spray bottle, and add two teaspoons of tea tree oil, obtained from most health food stores. Spray on counters, toilets and other surfaces before wiping away. The tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant and air freshener and can also be used to kill mildew in bathrooms. Pre-treat heavily soiled surfaces with straight vinegar before disinfecting.
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Create a food-safe degreaser by scrubbing counters and stoves with pure lemon juice. The acid quickly eats away at grease and oil without using toxic chemicals. Avoid getting on your clothes, as lemon juice is also a natural bleach.
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Wash and polish dishes naturally with a variety of homemade mixes. Use baking soda mixed with water as a scrubbing paste on dishes and to clean heavy food deposits on pans or counters. Coarse sea salt can also be used to scrub dishes and is effective at removing rust when moistened with pure lemon juice.
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Make a wood furniture cleaner and polish. Swirl a cup of olive oil with half a cup of lemon juice. Rub onto your wood furniture with a clean rag. The lemon juice cleans away dirt and grime while the olive oil naturally conditions the wood.
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Use plain boiling water to clear drains and remove heavy food or grease deposits in sinks. After pouring boiling water down the sink, follow with several cups of white vinegar to disinfect the drain if you notice strange smells. A few drops of tea tree oil can also instantly freshen the smell of your drains.
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Tips & Warnings
Straight white vinegar is one of the best natural liquid cleaners as it disinfects and cuts through heavy grease and grime. Baking soda is one of the best solid cleaners anytime you need to scrub away a stain or deposit of debris. Mix with water or lemon juice until it is a thick paste, and scrub away with a sponge.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Sanja Gjenero/sxc.hu
