Non-Toxic Cleaning

Today’s blog was inspired by my neighbor Shelby who has just stepped away from a large house cleaning company and setting a new and positive path of being her own boss.

Always wanting to encourage people to live healthy in all parts of their lives I asked if she was using environmentally safe Eco-friendly products and offered some tips on making her own if she was not.

Making your own cleaning kit is not hard, not to time consuming and is very cost effective, they also really work. They are better for your health, not just because of being chemical free; they are also good if you are susceptible to depression. 

Have you ever noticed spraying furniture polish and shortly afterwards noticing a change in your mood, or a slightly thick headed feeling. The petroleum distillates and solvents in commercial furniture polish are highly neurotoxic. Replacing commercial furniture polish with a homemade formula is at the top of the list of priorities for establishing a healthier home, along with oven cleaner and pesticides. 

Furniture Polish

1/4 cup vinegar plus a few drops of oil—makes for a much better wood cleaner and polish. The vinegar pulls the dirt out of the wood, and the few drops of oil lubricate the wood so that it doesn’t dry out. The best oils to use are the ones that have the longest shelf life; I like olive oil and always readily available in my kitchen.

I also like to use noncommercial linseed oil, mixing a little treacle to it can help the tone of the wood. More you use the darker the wood, add a little alcohol also makes it spread easily.

Window Cleaner
1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle

Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Oven Cleaner
1 cup or more baking soda
Water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set while you take on another task. You can easily wipe up the grease because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t work for you it is probably because you didn’t use enough baking soda and/or water.

All Purpose Spray Cleaner
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Vinegar Deodorizer
Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom and use them for cleaning. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off. Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours.

Mold and Mildew Cleaner
In my opinion nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I’ve used it successfully on moldy tents, a moldy shower curtain, and bathroom tile. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days. Tea Tree oil is a great astringent and antiseptic. The Australian army used to put it in their soldiers first aid kits.

2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water

Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. This makes two cups.

Creamy Soft Scrum

Pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.

Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time.

Clear drains.

Pour ½ cup of baking soda down a clogged drain then follow with a ½ cup of vinegar. Cover the drain to keep fizzing action inside. After the fizzing subsides, follow with a liter or two of boiling water. For very clogged drains, you may need to follow the boiling water by “snaking” the drain with a piece of wire or a straightened wire hanger. If you don’t achieve success the first time, repeat the entire process.

Remove stains from clothing. Combine ½ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda and 3 cups water in a spray bottle for a pre-wash natural laundry stain remover. Spray the solution on stained clothing then wash as normal.