A spotlessly clean house must be every homeowner’s dream. In order to make it come true, two essential conditions should be satisfied: one must be willing to work and have good cleaning supplies. While no one can make you scrub the walls in your bathroom or remove grease from the stove in your kitchen like a pro, cleaning materials are not a problem at all. The shelves in any supermarket are crammed with all kinds of powders and liquids that will remove the most stubborn of stains. However, the majority of those is not quite safe for our health. The Environmental Working Group has compiled the so-called Cleaners Hall of Shame list that includes some 2,5000 products and discovered that using more than a thousand and a half of them may lead to issues with lungs. In addition, almost a quarter contain elements that may cause cancer. So, instead of exposing your health to those risks, consider some alternative natural homemade cleaning solutions for different kinds of surfaces.
1. Lemon
Lemon is a common ingredient in many homemade cleaning solutions. This valuable citrus fruit contains acid capable of cleaning any dirt or even rust. Here are a few examples of how lemon can be used for creating your own cleaning agents.
Countertops
- Cut a piece of lemon and use a teaspoon to put some baking soda on the lemon’s pulp (or dip the pulp into baking soda).
- Rub the lemon against the countertop and use a wet tissue to wipe the place.
- Leave to dry.
Note that this method is not suitable for such materials as marble, fine stone, or stainless steel, as their colors may fade.
Brass fixtures
- Take a sponge and dip it into some lemon juice. Note that the lemon must be fresh.
- Rub the sponge against a brass fixture.
- With another wet sponge, wipe the surface.
- Dry the place with a soft tissue.
Faucets
- Evening: dip a sponge in some lemon juice and rub it against a faucet in the place with lime scale.
- Morning: clean the faucet with a wet tissue.
2. Vinegar
This is one of the oldest known substances invented by men. Some ships dating back to 6000 years B.C. that scientists found in China and Egypt had evidence of vinegar use by ancient people. It can be employed in a whole range of homemade cleaning solutions for many surfaces including shower heads, glass, and floors. It is a good deodorant and excellent liquid for keeping pests away.
Multi-surface spray
- Take half a cup of white distilled vinegar and pour it into a container with five cups of water.
- Take a few citrus grinds (lemon or orange) and put them inside a glass jar.
- Pour the vinegar-water mixture into the jar.
- Leave this liquid for a couple of weeks to acquire the citrus scent.
- Use the solution either as a spray or with a tissue to clean surfaces such as window panes.
Walls affected by mold
- Take a vinegar bottle and spray the liquid on the parts of the wall where mold has grown.
- Let it soak in for about a quarter of an hour.
- Wipe with a damp tissue and let the place dry completely.
Toilet bowl
- Pour a bucket of water into your toilet to remove as much water from it as possible. That way you will have a better access to the toilet sides.
- Take a bottle of white vinegar (don’t dilute it with water) and pour it on the sides.
- Take a toilet brush and scrub it against the sides. That must clean the toilet and make it smell better.
3. Baking and washing soda
When used in homemade cleaning solutions, baking soda can be considered an alternative to standard scouring powders. Soda can effectively kill odors by truly removing them instead of simply masking them with chemicals the way conventional powders do. This white stuff is good for cleaning stains from fine things like porcelain. When using washing soda, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
Floor in your garage
- Treat all the greasy and oily places on your garage floor with washing soda. Don’t spare it.
- Wait until you see paste on the treated spots.
- Let the soda sit on the spots for about twelve hours.
- Dip a brush in water and rub the paste off.
- Pour water on the spots with a hose.
- Clean dry with a rag.
The Inside of the fridge
- Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda in about one liter of tepid water.
- Take a sponge and pour some of the mixture on it.
- Clean the shelves and inside walls of your fridge with the sponge.
There are so many places at home that need cleaning regularly: walls, shower head, and faucets in the bathroom, countertops and stove in the kitchen, hardwood floors in the living room, and others. Rather than spending money on commercial products that may harm your health, use some of the homemade cleaning solutions described above.
