Friday, September 10, 2010

Natural cleaning recipes

What do baking soda, lemon, and vinegar have in common? They are all effective, natural, $cheap$ cleaning ingredients. These common household items work just as well as most of the expensive, noxious cleaning agents on the market…without the health risk and hazard of unnecessary and harmful chemicals.




Baking soda is a non-abrasive cleaner that can be used as a deodorizer, softener, scouring agent, laundry additive. Lemon juice neutralizes hard water deposits, dissolves buildup, and removes tarnish. Vinegar cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, and stains.



All Purpose Surface Cleaner: Mix equal parts white vinegar and salt. Scrub surfaces with a natural cleaning cloth.

All-Purpose Cleaner #2: 2 TBS borax, ¼ cup lemon juice, and 2 cups hot water.



Furniture Polish: Mix 1 cup lemon juice with 1 TBS olive oil and 1 TBS water; lightly apply to furniture using a soft cloth. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then buff.



Glass Cleaner: Combine ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 TBS cornstarch, and 1 qt warm water. Wipe dry with a sheet of crumpled newspaper or a coffee filter.



Tile and Grout Paste: 1 cup water and 3 cups baking soda mixed into a paste. Use a toothbrush to scrub the paste into the grout.



Mold and mildew: 2 tsp tea tree oil and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.

Mold #2: Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide and two parts water in a spray bottle.



Chopping block cleaner: Rub a slice of lemon across to disinfect the surface.



Drain Cleaner: Pour ½ cup baking soda down drain, then ½ cup vinegar. After 15 minutes, pour boiling water to clear the residue. Do not use boiling water with plastic pipes. Do not use after trying a commercial drain opener.



Dishwasher Soap: Mix equal parts of borax and washing soda.



Laundry Detergent: Mix 1 cup Ivory soap (or Fels Naptha soap), ½ cup washing soda, and ½ cup borax. Use 1-2 TBS.



Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour into basin and let it set for a few minutes. Scrub with brush and rinse.



I could take 5 pages to list all of the possible natural cleaning recipes. If these don’t work for you or if you want more just Google natural cleaning recipes. I found 2 pages of just recipes for vinegar alone. I have found that vinegar and baking soda are really all that I need. I still use a commercial natural dish soap, dish detergent, and laundry detergent. There are so many options available to get rid of all of your commercial products, though. Forget worrying about harmful cleaners. These really do work!

 
 
 
 
 
 
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