Many people are concerned these days about caustic ingredients in household cleaning products. If you want to stop using commercial products for cleaning, that doesn't mean your house has to look and smell dirty. There are a number of common natural ingredients you can use to keep your home clean and fresh-smelling (while saving money!), and several of the best may already be in your cupboard or refrigerator.
White distilled vinegar is a natural antibacterial and odor neutralizer. Mixed with water, it makes a great all-purpose cleaner for kitchen and bathroom walls, floors, and countertops. Used full strength, vinegar effectively cleans mirrors and windows and is a good toilet-bowl cleaner. Add 1/2 cup to your washers rinse cycle as a natural fabric softener.
Baking soda works well as a deodorizer in the refrigerator, freezer, and other places you want to neutralize odors. It's also a safe and effective natural cleaning product you can use to scrub dirty or greasy surfaces as you would with commercial abrasive cleansers, leaving a clean surface and a fresh smell. Use a thick paste of vinegar and baking soda to wipe away soap scum in the bathtub or shower.
Adding lemon juice to a paste of vinegar and baking soda will enhance its cleaning ability and add citrusy freshness to the smell. Or use lemon juice by itself to dissolve soap scum and mineral deposits, or shine brass and copper. You can also cut a lemon in half, sprinkle baking soda on it, and scrub dishes, sinks, and countertops. When you're done, run the lemon peel through the garbage disposal to freshen the drain.
Do you have any tips on keeping your house clean with natural products? Share them. Just go to the review section for this article and add your thoughts there.
