Home cleaning can sometimes be a really laborious task but it can also be an enjoyable process of seeing your home from a mess to looking, smelling and feeling neat & tidy.
And having a clean home is good for us but often is not very good for the environment. If you are rethinking of your expensive, toxic, and plastic packaged cleaning products, then trying out these simple DIY cleaners is your head start!
How simple are we talking? Simple, as in, the ingredients in these DIY home cleaners can surely be found in your kitchen pantry so you will not have to look further. Also, the cost for these recipes is just a tiny fraction from your regular cleaning products and won’t cost you much time and effort, too!
Let’s dive right in!
Vinegar and citrus: All-purpose cleaner
Vinegar and citrus fruits are really such marvellous cleaning ingredients. Vinegar is a natural, non-toxic acidic liquid that is more known as a cooking condiment. More than a condiment, it is also an amazing cleaner base. It helps kill several types of bacteria, deodorizes a space, cuts through surface dirt and even cleans fresh produce of soil or pesticide residue.
Citrus fruits are something that are surely lying around everyone’s kitchen- be it lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, etc. It is another versatile ingredient that works wonders in sanitizing surfaces and making our home smelling fruity clean and fresh. That is why this is perfect to combine with vinegar to make an all-purpose eco-friendly home cleaner.
For this simple recipe, you’ll only need 2-4 ingredients and a recycled glass jar or spray bottle. Just mix equal parts of white vinegar and water, then add a few drops of essential oil to lessen the smell of the vinegar.
For a foamy cleaner, you can also squeeze in a tiny amount of castile soap or a concentrated all-purpose soap, perfect to use for floors or ceramic surface.
Tip: If you don’t have essential oils in your home, you can also save some citrus peels and infuse it with vinegar for about a week in a glass container jar. The oils from the citrus peels should lessen, if not eliminate, the sour smell and replace it with a fruity aroma, instead. Then just follow the rest of the recipe, mixing equal parts of water and adding castile soap if required.
Baking Soda + Acid (citrus/ vinegar): The tough dirt buster
Another kitchen wonder is baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). It is a multipurpose cleaning ingredient that works amazing for jobs that require a great deal of scrubbing. It also helps in deodorizing spaces and is a good combination with citrus juices or vinegar.
For a cheap price, you can already buy a bulk of baking soda that often comes in a recycled paper packaging or you bring your own container in a bulk store. To achieve a sparkly clean home using baking soda, here are some easy DIY recipes you can create in just a minute or under.
- For surfaces with tough, solid dirt: Sprinkle baking soda over the surface you want to clean- which can be a kitchen countertop, sink, chopping board, bathtub, inside the oven or refrigerator, or a tiled wall. Using half a lemon or other citrus fruit, scrub over the surface and you will see the baking soda bubble away. For tougher stains or dirt, let sit for a few minutes before rinsing off with water or a damp cloth. Another trick, instead of sprinkling it directly, you can also create a thick paste by mixing the baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice. Then apply the paste on to the area you want to clean and scrub away.
- For drain or toilet cleaning and deodorizing: Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda over the drain or the toilet. Pour over some white vinegar or lemon juice and let it bubble. Rinse off with hot water and enjoy a deodorized drain.
- For deodorizing carpets: In a jar, mix 5 tablespoons (or more, depending on the size of your carpet) and a few drops of essential oil. Shake until the oil and the powder has combined well before sprinkling it on to your carpet. Let sit for 5 minutes then start vacuuming to remove any powdery residue. You can also make a bigger batch of this scented deodorizer to keep in your container and just sprinkle away as needed.
Say never again to expensive, toxic cleaning products! Get creative with these recipes in making your home a more enjoyable, safe and clean space to live in while showing some love to the planet as well!
You’re not alone. Share your experiences, tips, tricks; post your questions or even challenge what we’ve written! Let’s build an eco-conscious community together!
Happy Shifting!