https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=converting+your+cleaners+to+all+natural&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-001You can make cleaning solutions for most household applications with water and a few ingredients: castile soap, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, washing soda and borax. You also can use lemon juice, salt, tea tree oil, club soda and rubbing alcohol, depending on the stain or item you want to clean.
To learn more about the right proportions to use when making your own cleaners (and appropriate uses for each solution) read Recipes for Safer Cleaners from the Children's Health Environmental Coalition. Greener Cleaners by Annie Berthold-Bond, an expert on the subject, includes recipes for toothpaste, lotion, shampoo and more. You’ll need a few more ingredients for some of those recipes.
Of course, even simple ingredients can cause skin irritation, so wear gloves when using them — especially washing soda and borax. And borax, though found in nature, can be toxic if ingested. Keep all cleaners safely away from children.
You may need to be a bit more patient when using natural cleaners. They’re not as potent as many commercial chemicals. For tough stains, leave the solution in place and let it work for you. Then apply a little “elbow grease.” You may not be able to simply wipe away the stain without scrubbing.
Share your own recipes, suggestions and experiences with homemade cleaners in the comments section below.
Conventional cleaning products may seem
like a great convenience, but here’s a little secret: cleaning with
common nontoxic household staples is cheaper, simpler, and a whole lot
safer. Here are five natural housekeeping necessities that can clean
almost anything:
- White distilled vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner that disinfects, deodorizes, pulls dirt from wood, and dissolves hard water scale, gummy residues, and tarnish. It also works wonders on windows. Put 1/4 cup in your laundry rinse cycle to remove detergent completely from clothes and to eliminate that scratchy feel. What can’t it do?
- Lemon juice can be used as a cleaner to cut grease, polish metal, and lighten stains. For a laundry brightener, add 1/2 cup of strained juice to the rinse cycle. To remove tarnish, rub sliced lemons sprinkled with baking soda on brass, copper, bronze and aluminum.
- Baking soda neutralizes odors and makes a good sink, tub, oven and countertop scourer. Sprinkle it on carpets before vacuuming. Line litter boxes with a cup before adding litter. To de-grease and deodorize drains, pour in 1/2 cup of baking soda followed by 1 cup of vinegar; let bubble for 15 minutes and rinse with hot water. For a “soft scrub,” mix together baking soda and liquid soap in single-use amounts. As a cleaner, baking soda is a work horse and no home is complete with out a box.
- Washing soda is baking soda’s stronger cousin. It requires the use of gloves and more rinsing, so save this cleaner for extra-stubborn stains. To clean ovens, apply a paste of 1 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup of washing soda, plus water, and soak overnight. Add 1/2 cup washing soda to laundry as a detergent booster.
- Borax is a good mold and mildew solution.
This alkaline mineral is found in the laundry aisle and can also be
used in place of washing soda as a cleaner. For an extra-strength toilet
bowl cleaner, pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet before going to bed
and scrub and flush next morning. One note: borax can be toxic when
swallowed, so take extra care when using and storing it.
DIY Natural Cleaners
All Purpose
Orange Infused Vinegar – Whistle Pig Hollow
All-Purpose Cleaner – Mommypotamus
“Better Than Lysol” Disinfectant Spray – Real Food RN
Homemade Cleaning Wipes – Little House Living
Kitchen
All-Natural Dishwasher Detergent – Hollywood Homestead
Homemade Dishwasher Detergent without Borax – Real Food RN
Liquid Dish Soap – Mommypotamus
Abrasive Cleaning Powder – Real Food RN
DIY Oven Cleaner – Martha Stewart
Burnt Pan DIY Cleaner – Honest To Goodness Living
Stove Top Grease/Gunk Remover – Frugal Tired Mom
Glass Top Stove Cleaner – So Not Betty
Homemade Granite Cleaner – 320 Sycamore Blog
Laundry
Non-Toxic Laundry Detergent – Naturally Mindful
Homemade Laundry Detergent – Mommypotamus
DIY Washing Soda – Holly the Homemaker
Natural Stain Removers – Naturally Mindful
Natural Grease Stain Remover – Creative Christian Mama
DIY Dryer Sheets – DIY Natural
DIY Wool Dryer Balls – One Good Thing by Jillee
Homemade Fabric Softener – Growing Up Herbal
DIY Washing Machine Cleaner – DIY Natural
DIY Linen Spray – DIY Natural
Bathroom
Natural Shower Cleaner – Whole Green Love
Bathtub Soft Scrub – Too Many Jars In My Kitchen
DIY Tub & Shower Cleaner – Growing Up Herbal
Non-Toxic Glass Cleaner – Real Food RN
All-Natural Homemade Draino – Thank Your Body
Tile & Grout Cleaner – Happiest Mom on the Blog
Easy Disinfecting Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Growing Up Herbal
Furniture
Lemon Oil Wood Polish – Mommypotamus
Microfiber Couch Cleaner – 551 East Design
DIY Lemon Dust Cloths – Growing Home
Natural Wooden Scuff Remover – Lily & Thistle
Floors/Carpets
Homemade Floor Cleaner – Hollywood Homestead
Carpet Spot Cleaner – Whole Green Love
DIY Carpet Deodorizer – DIY & Crafts
All-Natural Laminate Floor Cleaner – Mamatron
Deep Clean Carpet Cleaner – Apartment Therapy
Air Fresheners
DIY Air Freshener Spray – The Earthy Mama
Homemade Reed Diffusers – Apartment Therapy
Baking Soda Air Freshener – Thank Your Body
Natural Cleaning Books
The Naturally Clean Home
DIY Natural
Toxic Free
Natural Cleaning Ingredients
- borax
- baking soda
- washing soda
- white vinegar
- citric acid
- soap – bar, liquid
- essential oils – lemon, orange, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus
- vodka
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