10 All-Natural Cleaning Recipes
What you will need:
Cleaning agents:
- Vinegar
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
- Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
- Stain removing salt (sodium percarbonate)
- Alcohol
Natural care for wooden floors and furniture:
- Beeswax
Accessories:
- Brushes with natural bristles, eco sponges and cleaning cloth
- Old clothes that are not suitable for wearing anymore
- Old toothbrushes for the grouts and corners
- Old newspapers for polishing windows
Note that you don’t have to have all of these to start cleaning without harmful chemicals. These materials can substitute each other in a lot of cases! For example you can swap vinegar for citric acid dissolved in water, and baking soda and washing soda are compatible for most tasks. Don’t panic, just experiment! Natural cleaning usually starts with trying out the easiest recipes and after being awed by the results, trying out more and more. My personal starting point was when I realized how simple pure vinegar descales everything in the bathroom much easier than any other fancy chemical from the shops. I soon started to use it for more tasks, and it worked all the time! So let’s start with that one:
1. All-purpose cleaner and descaling liquid
· Mix 1 part 10% vinegar with 1 part water in a spraying bottle, and add any antimicrobial essential oil of your choice, like lemon, tea tree or lavender!
· If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, use citric acid: 4 dl water, 2 tablespoons of citric acid and essential oils.
· Spray on any surface: tap, sink, bathtub or metal accessories will be scale free and clean! It can also remove mold from the shower curtains!
2. Clean grouts
· Mix 2 tbsp. of stain removing salt (sodium percarbonat) in 0.5 liter spraying bottle with warm water!
· Spray it on the grouts and let it work for a few minutes! If it is really awful, try brushing it with and old toothbrush.
· Wipe them down, and mop up with the next recipe!
3. Mopping up
· Pour 1 dl of vinegar into 5 liters of water.
· You can boost the antimicrobial effect with essential oils like tea tree or lavender, or make the house smell beautiful with a few drops of laundry perfume.
4. Toilet cleaner spray
· Mix 1 tbsp. of washing soda or baking soda in a 5 liter bottle filled with water and add 7 drops of tea tree oil. This is also great for sterilizing in the kitchen!
5. Window cleaner
· Mix 1 dl 20% vinegar, 1 tbsp. of 70% alcohol in a 0.5 l spraying bottle, then fill the rest with water!
· Spray it on the windows or mirrors and polish them with matt newspaper!
· The mix should be made directly before applying otherwise the vinegar will react with the alcohol, and it will become vinegar too.
6. Wooden surfaces
· Dust the wooden furniture with a damp cloth, and let it dry completely!
· Make your own furniture polish by melting ½ cup of beeswax with 1 ½ cups of olive or jojoba oil over hot water.
· Add an essential oil like lemon oil after it cooled down, store it in a jar.
· Apply it gently in a circular motion. The wood will look as good as new!
· Vegetable oil is also great for wooden floors! Add 0.5 dl vegetable oil to your mopping up liquid when you are cleaning wooden floors!
· To remove scratches on wooden surfaces, scrub them with walnuts! Use hazelnuts for lighter colors!
7. Cleaning carpets
· For stains pour 2 dl water into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of washing soda and mix it together! Scrub the stain with this solution! Always make a test on a small surface first! If there is any white residue after it dried, wipe it with vinegar or citric acid dissolved in water.
· If you want to clean the whole carpet, get a sieve to spread baking soda evenly on it. Leave it there for 30-40 minutes, and then vacuum thoroughly! You can also clean the couch the same way!
8. Unclog your drains
· Pour a pot of boiling hot water down your drain.
· Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the drain. Let that sit for a few minutes.
· Then, pour ½ cup vinegar on it. Cover it with a drain plug to keep the reaction below the surface.
· Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and flush one more time with a pot of boiling water.
· The only exception is if you have plastic pipes, because you shouldn’t pour boiling hot water down then, just use very warm water.
9. Oven and stovetop cleaner
· The easiest way to remove dirt from the stovetop, is to remove it fresh, that way simple warm water with a little dish soap will do the trick
· If the spots are old, you should soak them in hot water. After it soaked a little, scrub it with baking soda! Then wipe it dry!
· The oven is easiest to clean when it’s hot! Make a thick paste with baking soda and water, and apply it with a wooden handled, natural bristle brush (so it won’t melt, like plastic) on the surface of the hot oven. Let it dry, and then scrub it off with a wet brush. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth!
10. DIY Air Freshener Spray Formula
· Mix 3/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons vodka, and add a combination of your favourite essential oils.
· For a citrusy kick combine sweet orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit, 5 drops each. For relaxation at night use 7 drops lavender and 7 drops lemon balm. In the season of winter illnesses, mix tea tree and eucalyptus or peppermint 5 drops each!
·Combine in a spray bottle, shake well, and spray as needed!