Tiffany Raiford
Thereâs something about cleaning that people either love or hate, but rarely both. Actually, sometimes we love to clean because itâs a great stress relief. Other times we hate to clean because itâs, well, gross. Cleaning in the form of straightening up as you go isnât so bad in the grand scheme of life. Putting that coffee mug in the dishwasher, after all, takes a half a second and no effort whatsoever. Toilets, on the other hand, are really gross. Cleaning isnât something we always have enough time for, and sometimes we feel weâve let it go a bit too long. Sometimes we wonder if we are cleaning too much. And then your mother-in-law has to open her mouth and ask you if you feel confident that the cleaner you use on your wood floors is safe for your babies.
What?!
Of course itâs safe; they sell it in the stores. That means itâs safe, right? They wouldnât sell me something dangerous would they? Oh wait, all my cleaners say âDo not ingestâ âKeep away from childrenâ on the back. Crap. Am I killing my kids? This is ALL going to go through your mind in about three seconds flat, but you shouldnât worry. Itâs not too late for you to get into a more natural cleaning habit by using cleaning products you already have lying around the house. Donât think you can do this? Let us help you determine what you already have at home that will help you in the cleaning process.
Vinegar
When mixed with water, you can use this to clean your floors, your counters and just about everything else. Vinegar might not smell like the worldâs most amazing thing, but that doesnât make it any less effective. Our advice is that you go ahead and open those windows and doors when itâs time to clean with vinegar. You can use it in any room, and it will not â despite that smell â harm your kids or pets if they crawl over it.
Tea
Add two bags of tea to hot water and mop your floors. Itâs a proven effective manner to help you rid your wood floors of dirt and grime that your traditional cleaners might miss. Itâs also something that will not affect your kids if they crawl over it while itâs still wet or if they drop food on the floor and manage to get it into their mouths long before you are able to stop them from doing this. Itâs going to leave you feel more comfortable at home, trust me.
White Wine
If you like to drink red wine, youâre going to want to have white at home. Since most people do have white wine at home, you are in for a treat. Itâs a great way of getting stains out of fabric, so you can use it in the laundry or on your furniture or carpets. This is a foolproof way of cleaning up spills and stains that might otherwise seem permanent.
Toothpaste
Itâs already a natural cleaner you use for your teeth, but itâs really good at removing water stains. It can remove them from solid surfaces and even fabrics, which is something thatâs not always that simple to accomplish. This is something everyone has at home; if you donât, you have much bigger issues.
Baking Soda
This is a wonderful natural cleaner. It does something that most people need more often than they care to admit; it unclogs drains. And it does it without adding any chemicals to your pipes that may or may not cause further damage down the road. All you have to do is pour equal parts vinegar, hot water and baking soda down drains and toilets and let it sit for a few minutes until clogs are unclogged. Itâs simple, and itâs very effective.
Borax
You already have this at home, but you donât know how to use it as a natural cleaner. Itâs very simple, just a few tablespoons and two cups of hot water will make a wonderful disinfectant you can use on counter tops, toilets, and anything in between. Additionally, this is also a great odor neutralizer you can use in the bottom of your trash can or in your bathrooms to help absorb smells so you donât suffer through them.
Salt
Itâs a rough agent that helps to remove hard to remove stains. Many people love to use salt mixed with water to clean things that are set in, such as hard water stains in the shower and even stains on silver. It can help get the stains out and make things look shinier and newer in a matter of just minutes, which is always welcome.
Cornstarch
This is a wonderful window and glass cleaner. We recommend you add Âź cup vinegar, two cups of hot water and a few tablespoons of cornstarch to a water bottle and shake it up very well. Then go around the house and spray it on your windows and mirrors for a clean shine thatâs beyond awesome. You wonât leave any streaks and you will find that your glass looks cleaner and less cloudy than ever before.
Lemon
Who doesnât have a lemon in the kitchen? And if you donât, itâs not like you canât pick up three for $1 at the supermarket. And if you donât have a whole lemon, Iâm willing to bet you have at least a container of lemon juice in your fridge. This is a great natural cleaner for killing germs and also making things cleaner. You can use this on cutting boards and on your tough stains such as faucets and sinks.
Club Soda
Like white wine, club soda is a really simple product most people have at home that helps them keep things clean. Great for stains and for things of that look as if you might have to stare at them forever, club soda is great for breaking up dirt, wine and other oily products out of fabric.
Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
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