Past week, we talked about why it’s important to change our cleaning habits to become environmentally-friendly, and how changing to natural cleaning products you use is a great step to reduce our ecological footprint.
However, if you don’t have access to biodegradable and sustainable products –or are still figuring out which brands are really trustworthy– it may feel impossible to change our products. The good news is: it isn’t.
There are plenty of natural cleaning products you can DIY and use at home to have the greatest cleaning efficacy while protecting the world. It’s important to avoid mixing random products, since you could find a dangerous chemical reaction: for this reason, we share with you 5 DIY products you need to start using now.
Basic natural cleaning products you need at home. However, you should know that if you hire residential cleaning services, the cleaning staff will advise you on what’s best.
All-purposed cleaner
Ingredients: One-part white vinegar + one-part water + lemon rind + scented herbs (i.e. rosemary sprigs).
How to prepare:
- Combine all the ingredients.
- Pour them into a spray bottle.
- Mix them by shaking the bottle.
- Let the mixture infuse for a week.
Use: This product is very versatile and can be used for traditional cleaning, such as removing hard water stains, cleaning trash cans, wiping away wall smudges, etc. Do not use it on granite, however. Acidic cleaners can etch the stone, so keep this product away from your counters.
Kitchen cleaner and deodorizer
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons of baking soda + 1 quart of warm water.
How to prepare:
- For deodorizing surfaces: Mix a solution of the ingredients in a spray bottle.
- For cleaning and polishing stainless metal: Make a past of baking soda and water (use less water).
Use: This is a very versatile solution, since it can be used to clean the kitchen counter, appliances, and the inside of your refrigerator. It’s safe for use in granite, and it both cleans, cuts the grease and deodorizes the spaces.
For cleaning and/or deodorizing surfaces, use the solution mentioned above.
For deodorizing spaces (such as the drain or garbage disposal), just pour baking soda directly into the space.
If you want to polish your stainless steel and remove spots, apply the past with a damp cloth and rub gently. Make sure to follow the direction of the metal’s grain. When you’re done, rinse it and dry it with a clean cloth.
Drain cleaner
Ingredients: Bicarbonate of soda + white vinegar.
Use: Pour both products down the drain (in case you’re curious, this will produce a chemical reaction that will break down the dirt, grime and grease clogging up the drain. This is why you have to pour them directly instead of mixing them beforehand).
Leave it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, and finish by pouring hot water into the drain to clear everything out. If you’ve a metal pipe instead of a plastic pipe, you can use boiling hot water for greater effectivity.
Toilet cleaner
Ingredients: White vinegar + bicarbonate of soda + 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional).
How to prepare: Pour the products into a bottle and shake it to mix them.
Use: Pour the mixture into the toilet and leave it sit for a few minutes so it can act. Then scrub it with a toilet brush and once it’s clean, flush the toilet. If you want to clean the seat, you’ll only need an all-purposed cleaner.
Glass cleaner
Ingredients: 2 cups water + ½ cup white or cider vinegar + ¼ cup rubbing alcohol 70% concentration + 1 to 2 drops of orange essential oil (optional).
How to prepare: Combine the ingredients and pour them in a spray bottle. Feel free to change the orange essential oil for any essential oil of your choice: this will only affect the fragrance.
Use: Spray the product into the window and clean it as usual. Make sure to avoid sunny days, however– this solution evaporates quickly under heat and can leave streaks. If it’s summer, you can clean before the noon so it’s not too hot already.
It can also be used to clean mirrors. For this, spray the solution on a paper towel or –ideally– a soft cloth and then wipe the surface.
Metal polisher
Polishing metals can be tough. However, there are some natural cleaning products you can use to restore their original aspect.
How to polish brass and copper
- For brass: Damp a sponge with white vinegar or lemon juice.
For copper: Pour ketchup on a cloth.
- Sprinkle table salt above.
- Clean the metal in question by lightly rubbing (avoid being too aggressive!).
- Rinse it thoroughly with water.
- Dry immediately with a clean soft cloth.
Silver cleaner
- Mix water and baking soda on a recipient until it’s a paste.
- Put the paste on a cloth.
- Clean the metal (lightly rubbing is key).
- Rinse it thoroughly with water.
- Dry immediately with a clean soft cloth.
As you can see, all these products are easy to make and easy to use, and additionally, don’t require fetching strange ingredients you had never heard about. If you’ve never used them, give it a try– you’ll be greatly surprised by the natural cleaning products. Also, in case you want to avoid all the hassle, consider hiring the best maid service in Los Angeles.
