Wouldn’t it be wonderful if having a clean home didn’t come at the cost of the environment? Many of the ingredients used in typical cleaning products — like ammonia and Detergents — are less than kind to Mother Earth . And if you’ve got small children or pets spending time on the floors you just cleaned, you may be particularly concerned about what may be lingering behind after the mop’s been put away.
Here is our list of the 15 Best Natural Cleaning Tips You Can Try At Home
Chill Out
To de-grime nonstick cookware, put the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes after it has cooled; the burned-on mess should come off easily.
Powerful Cleaning Naturally
Naturally De-odor the garbage disposal by grinding up ice cubes with lemon or grapefruit seeds.
Make Tea For Tools
To scour rusty garden tools, brew a few pots of strong black tea. When cool, pour into a bucket. Soak the tools for a few hours. Wipe each one with a cloth. (Wear rubber gloves or your hands will be stained.)
Draw The Line
Take advantage of the warm spring breeze and hang laundry out on the line in the fresh air instead of using your electricity-sucking dryer.
Sprinkle Salt Liberally
If that casserole bubbles over as you take it out of the oven, pour salt on the spill to soak it up. When the oven is cool, wipe with a damp sponge.
Keep Your Hairbrush Cleaner
Prevent gunk from settling into your hairbrush by pushing a swatch of hosiery fabric over the bristles, so it rests on the base. When the brush needs cleaning, remove the swatch, and hair and product buildup will go with it.
Deodorize Your Clothes
Spritz musty-smelling garments with a small amount of vodka (spot-test first). Straight vodka kills bacteria, but it doesn’t leave a scent. Hang clothes to dry in a well-ventilated area.
Do The Windows
Mix 2 ounces water and 10 drops lavender or lemongrass oil to wipe grime off windows. Bonus: These oils may repel flies.
Dust Off Your Feet
To clean salt-stained leather and suede shoes, make a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Dab it onto a cotton rag (or a nylon-bristle brush if you’re cleaning suede), rub gently over the entire shoe, then let dry.
Pick Up After Your Pet
To pick up cat hair, put on a wet rubber dishwashing glove and wipe your hand over surfaces. The hair will stick right to it.
Making your own green cleaning products is good for the environment as well as the health of your family
Daily All-Purpose Cleaner
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup seltzer water
- 8 drops of tea tree oil
- 1/8 cup hydrogen peroxide
Scented Vinegar Rinse
Adding a splash of vinegar to your wash is a great alternative to fabric softener. However, if you miss the scent of softener, you can get the eco-friendly benefits without the harsh chemicals by making a scented vinegar rinse.
Clean Tarnished Cookie Sheets
Give your sad, tarnished cookie sheets new life easily instead of going out and buying new ones. Just add hydrogen peroxide to baking soda to make a paste, and spread it on your pan. Give it a couple hours and then wipe away — no scrubbing!
Black Tea Window Cleaner
Black tea is a great morning beverage, but it turns out that it’s also an excellent way to clean your windows. The tannic acid in the tea helps dissolve dirt and grease on the windows.
Drain Unclogger
Have a sluggish drain? Think about grade-school science projects: the baking soda and vinegar that made your homemade volcano fizz can also unclog your drain. Besides cleaning, this mixture can be used to disinfect surface areas in your home. Hydrogen peroxide eventually turns to water, so make sure to add more each time you use the solution.
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