With spring cleaning season already in full spring, a lot of homeowners are wondering how they can make their cleaning routine more sustainable. With the climate change issues we are facing every day, any little step we can take towards a healthier environment goes a long way.
Chemical cleaners are not only extremely costly; they can cause many health issues especially for the fragile population like the kids or the elderly. Moreover, the way most of these products is produced directly harms the environment, both in the manufacturing and disposal process.
If you want your spring cleaning to be greener this year, the experts at Eco Mama have a few tips that can make all the difference. Here are some useful natural cleaning alternatives you can try.
Lemon Can Make Everything Shine
Lemon is a powerful natural cleaning product. Lemons are both antibacterial and antiseptic and serve as a green deodorizer since they are rich in acid. You can use lemons for various cleaning tasks such as:
Clean Old Copper Pans
Mix in half a lemon with baking powder or salt to scrub old copper pans back to their old shine.
Cleaning Plastic Containers
You can use baking soda and lemon to clean out any stains in plastic containers or muffin molds.
All-Purpose Cleaner
Mix white vinegar with lemon peel in a jar. Let them sit for a few days. Strain out the peel and use the vinegar as an all-purpose cleaner.
Deodorant And Disinfectant
Use vinegar and lemon juice in a small dish to absorb any unpleasant smells. Finally, use a slice of lemon on items such as cutting boards to disinfect them.
Have You Tried Baking Soda?
Baking soda is another powerful household item you can use as a multipurpose cleaning product. Sodium bicarbonate, as it is also called, is a gentle abrasive substance that can also act as a deodorant due to it being mildly alkaline.
You can use baking soda with water to remove any rust on metallic surfaces. If you dilute it further you can use it as a cleaning product highly effective when dealing with grease.
Easy And Green Oven Cleaning
Use a thick baking soda paste with water to clean the bottom of the oven. Let the solution sit for a couple of hours then scrape it off. Wipe the bottom of the oven with a damp cloth to finish cleaning it.
Make Your Toilet Clean And Shiny
Use a cup of baking soda on your toilet. Let it sit there for over an hour then add a cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for a couple of minutes more, then flush and scrub the toilet back to its shiny state.
The Power Of White Vinegar
We already mentioned it before, but white vinegar is the third and final powerhouse when it comes to green cleaning solutions. It is a weak acetic acid you can use throughout the home as it is antibacterial.
You can dilute the vinegar in water to remove any stains from different materials such as textile. It can also work as a deodorizer which, when mixed with lemon, can help you get rid of unpleasant smells. You can use it on your stove to absorb any cooking smells when preparing onion, garlic and fish.
Freshen Up Your Dishwasher
If your dishwasher smells nasty, you can use white vinegar instead of expensive chemical tablets to remove the residual odors. Simply fill a bowl with two cups of white vinegar and place it on the top dishwasher rack. Make sure the dishwasher is empty and let it run for a cycle. This should remove any odors.
Descale The Cattle
If the inside of your cattle is full of mineral residue from hard water, you can use a mix of water and white vinegar to descale it. Simply let it boil and rinse it out once the solution cools down.
Great For Glass Surfaces
Again, a half-half mixture of water and white vinegar can help get the shine back to your windows. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the glass surfaces in your home, such as windows and mirrors.
