As the weather warms up and the birds are chirping outside the windows, we are reminded that it must be time for spring cleaning. There are some simple ingredients you probably already have in your home that you can use to clean and freshen your house without chemicals.
Fresh Lemons
When life gives you lemons, clean with them!
When life gives you lemons, clean with them!
- Add some drops of lemon juice to warm water to soak yellowing fingernails after taking nail polish off.
- A few tablespoons added to one cup of water in a spray bottle is an excellent window cleaner and great spray for cleaning counter tops.
- As a laundry brightener add some lemon juice to your clothes load.
- Don't forget when you are done with the lemons, cut them up and put them down your sink for your disposer to chop up. Now you have fewer germs and a great-smelling drain.
Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is a non-toxic cleaner for many of your household needs. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add some lemon juice to your spray bottle. Distilled white vinegar inhibits the growth of mold and mildew and also some bacteria such as E. Coli and salmonella. Cleaning with distilled white vinegar is endless.
Distilled white vinegar is a non-toxic cleaner for many of your household needs. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add some lemon juice to your spray bottle. Distilled white vinegar inhibits the growth of mold and mildew and also some bacteria such as E. Coli and salmonella. Cleaning with distilled white vinegar is endless.
- Use on walls in the bathroom and shower full strength or dilute with equal parts of warm water and put in a spray bottle to wash windows.
- Pour some in the bottom of your dishwasher to get rid the food smells and clean the inside of your dishwasher, while at the same time removing hard water spots on your dishes.
- Add to your washing machine to refresh a load that you forgot about. Add soap and run your load once again. It will clean your washing machine at the same time.
- Pour equal parts of vinegar and water in your coffee pot to clean out hard water deposits for fresher coffee: pour the mixture in the water reservoir for your coffee maker and start the brew cycle, stopping the machine halfway through the cycle. Let sit for about an hour, then turn the coffee pot back on to run the rest of the mixture through the machine. Follow up with a few pots of clear water to rinse the vinegar from the reservoir and the machine. Do this often for a longer lasting machine and fresher coffee.
- Clean non-wax floors by adding half a cup vinegar to half a gallon warm water for spotless shiny floors. You can also clean out your refrigerator and disinfect cutting boards and kitchen surfaces with this same solution.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a very inexpensive, efficient, and non-toxic cleaner as well. It can be used as a deodorizer and a disinfectant. Here are some ways to use the 3% hydrogen peroxide in cleaning.
Hydrogen peroxide is a very inexpensive, efficient, and non-toxic cleaner as well. It can be used as a deodorizer and a disinfectant. Here are some ways to use the 3% hydrogen peroxide in cleaning.
- Add to a spray bottle and disinfect counter tops in the bathroom and kitchen. Allow time for the liquid to bubble and do its thing and then wipe off with a washcloth.
- Clean out your refrigerator and microwave with it, along with cleaning toys in your playroom and any surface you would like to disinfect, such as door handles.
- Pour a half cup per gallon of warm water to scrub the floor. There is no need to rinse because it is so mild.
- For the toilet, pour a half of a cup in, let sit and flush.
- Also pour on bathroom grout as an easy cleaner and whitener. Let it bubble and then wipe clean.
Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol
Just remember it is not safe to drink, should be used in a ventilated area, and not around flames.
Just remember it is not safe to drink, should be used in a ventilated area, and not around flames.
- A great cleaner for marble counter tops.
- Use to clean off your phones and computer keyboards since they gather lots of germs.
- It also removes permanent marker from surfaces.
- It is a great window cleaner or white board cleaner when mixed with water (equal parts water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle).
- Can be used to clean the sticky residue left by price tags and stickers.
Baking Soda
A non-toxic product for not only cooking and baking, but cleaning too.
A non-toxic product for not only cooking and baking, but cleaning too.
- Sprinkle baking soda on a wet cloth to scrub surfaces in the kitchen and the bathroom, let stand and then rinse.
- Soak stained and smelly plastic food containers in a mixture of water and baking soda.
- Remove scuff marks from floors with a mixture of baking soda and water.
- To remove odors from carpeting and upholstery, sprinkle baking soda on the area and let sit, then vacuum after 20 minutes.
- Add baking soda to your laundry by removing half the detergent you would use and adding that amount of baking soda. Your laundry will stay fresher than without it.
- Don't forget to add an open box to your refrigerator and freezer. Write down the date you put it in there and then replace every month. What a great way to keep your refrigerator/freezer odor free and help keep the smell of different foods from transferring.
- You can get rid of coffee/tea stains in cups by putting 1 part baking soda with 2 parts water and soak your cups 6 to 8 hours, then wipe out with a washcloth, wash and rinse.
Castile Soap
This soap has been used for years and years and is made with vegetable oil. Castile soap is definitely a "green" cleaner because it is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Its uses are endless.
This soap has been used for years and years and is made with vegetable oil. Castile soap is definitely a "green" cleaner because it is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Its uses are endless.
- It can be used to wash your car, as a surface cleaner, patio furniture cleaner, and to clean almost anything around the house.
- Mix 1/4 cup of Castile soap with one gallon of water to clean linoleum floors, counter tops. and other surfaces.
- Also cleans grease from stove top.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch is 100% pure! It is a great on everything from fabrics to silverware!
Cornstarch is 100% pure! It is a great on everything from fabrics to silverware!
- If you have any grease stains, sprinkle cornstarch over the spots, let sit for 30-40 minutes and vacuum it up.
- For grease stains on clothing, sprinkle cornstarch on the stain and then wash the article of clothing in the washing machine.
- To polish your silver, make a paste with cornstarch and water, rub it on the silver and then polish with a soft cloth.
I hope you have found some useful tips that you can use in your spring cleaning. Your home will be clean and you will feel good using the products that you did. BRING ON SPRING! Clean on!
