Want in on a dirty little secret?
Well, cleaning your home doesn’t mean using harsh cleansers that contain dozens of chemicals and other ingredients even a college professor would have a hard time pronouncing.
You can feel good about cleaning because you are using natural ingredients that are safe for the kiddos, pets, and the environment.
Plus, an added bonus is that these ingredients can come from whatever you have in your cabinets and pantry.
Read on to learn about how you can whip up some cleaning materials and use them to get your stuff squeaky clean, sans the chemicals!
1. Newspaper – the Super Window Wiper
One thing I swear by (I’ve literally been doing this for years) is using old newspapers to clean my windows.
One day, being the busy new mom that I am; I didn’t realize I was completely out of paper towels.
My in-laws were due for a visit within the hour (and I couldn’t greet them with streaky, baby finger-slobber windows) so I grabbed a few newspaper pieces from my recycling bin.
With a little elbow grease and an organic cleanser (see number two!), I quickly eliminated the streaks and did some touch ups all over the house with the newspaper.
Talk about recycling!
To this day, I use up my newspaper before I dip into my paper towels.
2. Vinegar, the New All Purpose Cleanser
Before I had a child, I must admit; I was not the most eco-conscious person.
I could care less what I wiped the counters down with, mopped with, or even cleaned the tub with.
All of that changed once I became responsible for a little life!
His health and safety is what mattered to me the most, and I certainly didn’t want to have toxic cleansers sitting around.
I also didn’t want to expose his little body to unnecessary items that he could easily come in contact with when playing and exploring (or more importantly, when eating!).
So, I decided to whip up my own home made all purpose cleanser with a little help from Pinterest.
Simply take a cup of hot water, and add a half cup of white vinegar to it.
Then, add a dash of rubbing alcohol, a teaspoon of dish soap (I like Sonnet Dish Washing Up Liquid), and 3 drops of tea tree oil to awaken your senses (and simply make it all smell much better!).
I mixed all of these ingredients well and poured them into a simple spray bottle that I picked up at my local dollar store.
During the days when my infant napped more than he was awake (and when I was bored out of my mind) I made a pretty little label to slap on the outside of the bottle.
And, voila! I had a homemade, inexpensive, and totally safe bottle of cleanser that I enjoyed using (maybe a little too much).
3. Vinegar Part II – It Cleans Pretty Much Everything
After my dentist asked me how often I clean my electric toothbrush head (I obviously had to pause and think about it), I decided it was time to get down to business.
Yes, I understand that you can totally toss the head after a few months or so, but think about it.
You are using that brush multiple times a day.
If it’s not clean, how are you removing plaque and other build up from your teeth?
My doctor recommended using mouthwash frequently to diminish the dirty stuff that builds up on the bristles.
But, I dabbled with a nifty, vinegar soak instead.
White vinegar is a natural cleaner, so I now dip my brush head into a cup full for about a half an hour every Sunday.
After making it part of my fast weekly cleaning routine, I noticed a difference in the way that not only my mouth and teeth felt, but how the brush functioned overall.
It isn’t as gunked up with toothpaste (or as stinky), and it is quick, easy, and cheap to try!
Completely obsessed with how well the vinegar cleaned the brush, I looked up some more uses for this bad boy, and began to buy it in bulk!
On snowy weekends that I was trapped in the house, I busted open the vinegar and began cleaning pretty much everything!
I dipped a Q-tip in it and swiped the keys on my laptop.
I dipped my scissors in it because they were becoming sticky and grimy.
I even deodorized my lunch box by soaking a slice of white bread in white vinegar and leaving it in my bag overnight.
And, behold! My lunch bag has never smelled better.
I became so invested in vinegar; I found dozens of sites that boast vinegar uses around the house.
I even made my own home made solution to spray.
Simply mix half a cup of water with half a cup of vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle.
I like to even add essential oil to it (my favorite is tangerine) to give it a little something extra (and less of that vinegar smell).
4. Lavender Leather Cleaner
I don’t know about you, but I love leather!
I love wearing it and I love it in my home (and in my car).
So, I wanted to treat this fine fabric right, but also use something on it that is ok for the environment and the leather itself.
I learned that I can whip up leather cleaner that is not only effective, but that smells heavenly.
To make lavender leather cleaner, mix together a quarter cup of vinegar, a quarter cup of olive oil, and a few drops of lavender oil.
After mixing them in a bowl, pour the solution into a spray bottle and clean away!
I loved how my car not only looked spotless, but smelled so soothing (the scent was really what I needed on my long drive to and from work).
5. Shower Curtain Savior
How gross does your shower curtain liner get?
Mine got really yucky once I started bathing my pugs indoors during the winter, and after my son began toddling around the bathroom splashing who knows what on the liner when his sippy cup was in hand.
So I learned that it could be thrown in the washing machine, rather than tossed (which is of course is what I did in my single, carefree, large budget days).
I began to use an all-natural, homemade laundry detergent to help me clean this bad boy.
Simply take down the curtain, toss it in the washing machine and add a splash from a bottle that contains shavings from an Ivory bar soap, a cup of borax, and a cup of baking soda.
I have found that blending all these ingredients together in a blender really helps create a cohesive mixture and makes it easier to pour out of a bottle.
I have never seen a cleaner shower liner after using this organic mix, and have even taken the extra step and have begun washing all my clothes with this all natural cleanser as well!
Now that I’ve let you in on a few of my dirty little secrets, you are sure to look at house cleaning in a new light.
Hopefully you will learn that you can easily mix up your own concoctions and that they can be just as effective when it comes to cleaning anything and everything in your home; and be extra safe for those you love around you.