subject: House Cleaning With Natural Products You Make Yourself [print this page] Besides being expensive, most cleaners that you purchase at the store are made with toxic chemicals. Many retailers are starting to carry cleaners made with all natural ingredients. But are you aware that it is very inexpensive doing your house cleaning with natural products you mix yourself? You probably have most, if not all of the following items in your home. With a few simple recipes, you will have natural cleaners ready to tackle your dirt and grime!
You can use vinegar in several ways to help you clean. It is a great disinfectant and deodorizer and by mixing one part vinegar and one part water, you will have a wonderful all purpose cleaner. Pour the vinegar and water solution into a spray bottle and you can use it in your bathroom on your tub, toilet, sink and counter top. In the kitchen, clean your appliances, stove top and counters. It is a good solution to use for mopping your floor to, but you will want to be sure it will not damage your floor. Test on a very small spot before using it to mop. You can also clean the goop out of your automatic coffee maker by running full strength vinegar through a full brewing cycle. Rinse the vinegar out by cycling water through the maker two or three times. There are many uses for vinegar, but you should know that it can not be used on marble surfaces.
Besides using vinegar to clean, it also does a great job as a fabric softener. All you need to do is pour one half cup of vinegar in during the rinse cycle. You will no longer have any reason to buy dryer sheets. Don't be concerned that your clothes will smell like vinegar. The odor will disappear as the vinegar dries.
Another product that makes a great, affordable cleaner is baking soda. To clean the surfaces in your home, simply pour a little bit onto a damp cloth or sponge and wipe away. This will also take scuff marks and grease spots off our your floor. Mix three parts baking soda with one part water to make a paste to clean your silver pieces. Rub the paste onto your silver, rinse in warm water and then dry with a soft cloth. Setting an open box of baking soda in your refrigerator and freezer will help absorb odors. You can take out odors from your carpet by sprinkling some baking soda onto your carpet and vacuuming it up. You will want to be sure that your vacuum can pick all of the powder up, so try it in an inconspicuous area first before you sprinkle it over all of your carpet.
To remove stains from your carpeting, mix white vinegar and baking soda into a paste. Use an old toothbrush and rub the paste into the stain. When it has dried, vacuum up the baking soda. It is possible that you will have to do this again to completely remove the stain.
You may not know tat lemon juice can also come in handy for cleaning. It can be used alone to dissolve hard water deposits and soap scum. You can also combine it with baking soda or vinegar to make a paste. Combine half a cup of lemon juice with one cup of olive oil to make a polish that can be used to shine your hardwood furniture pieces.
Window and glass cleaner is another cleaning product that you can easily make yourself. Here are a couple of recipes you can use. Combine equal parts of rubbing alcohol and water with a small amount of white vinegar. Or if you prefer, combine a half cup each of ammonia, water and rubbing alcohol. Each recipe will provide your glass and windows with a streak free shine.
If your store does not carry natural made cleaning products and you don't want to wait to receive an order in the mail, why not just make your own? It is so easy and affordable and you probably already have everything you need on hand so you don't need to make a trip to the store and you will be saving money too!
