Take a look under your kitchen sink at all those various cleaning products. Now throw them all away. You have all that you need to maintain a clean home without them! Not only can you go green by using natural cleaning solutions, but you can save money too. Take a look at these natural ways to keep your house spotless, without wasting your money on all those harsh chemicals:
Porcelain & Tile:
Baking soda and water – dust the surface of the tile with baking soda, and then scrub them with a damp sponge or cloth. For tougher grime, sprinkle kosher salt on the surface before scrubbing.
Lemon juice or vinegar – spray mildew, grease streaks, or stains with either the juice or vinegar, and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with a stiff brush.
DIY Disinfectant – mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid soap, and 20-30 drops of tea tree oil into an old spray bottle. Spray on surfaces to disinfect.
Carpets & Rugs:
Club soda – liberally pour it onto stains (right as they happen!) and blot with an old rag. The soda will help lift the stains out of the carpet.
Cornmeal – pour this onto bigger spills and stains. Wait 5-15 minutes, and then vacuum it all up.
DIY Spot-Cleaner – combine ¼ cup of liquid soap (or detergent) and 1/3 cup of water into a blender and mix until foamy. Spray on stains, and rinse out with vinegar.
Windows & Mirrors:
DIY cleaner – combine 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water, and dispense it into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the surface, and scrub with a newspaper (unlike paper towels, the paper will not cause streaking). If you do not like the smell of vinegar, you can substitute it with undiluted lemon juice or club soda.
Kitchen Counters:
Baking soda and water – sprinkle baking soda onto the counter surface, and then scrub with a damp cloth or sponge. Like the tile floors, use kosher salt for tougher grime and stains.
DIY Disinfectant – the same disinfectant made for the tile floors works for kitchen counters as well (see above)
Clogged Drains:
Baking soda and water – pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. If that does not work, chase the baking soda with ½ cup of vinegar and cover the drain tightly. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and then flush the drain with water.
Silverware:
DIY Cleaner – line your sink (or a bucket) with aluminum foil, and drop in your silver. Pour in boiling water, 1 cup of baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Let that sit – the tarnish will transfer from the silver onto the aluminum foil!
Toothpaste – rub your silver with any kind of toothpaste. Rinse with warm water and then dry. You can also use a solution made from 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water.
So stop wasting your money…
Baking soda also works well for eliminating odors, cleaning toilet bowls, and removing grease residue. Liquid dish soap can be used to make homemade icepacks, kill weeds, and clean all types of floors. Ammonia can help clean jewelry, remove scuff marks from shoes, shine crystal, and remove sweat stains from clothes.
Think twice before buying harsh cleaning solutions – save your time, money, and the environment!
