Natural Cleaning Tips for A Healthier, Happier Home

You might think that using a store-bought chemical cleaning solution is the quick and simple answer to cleaning your home, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only using natural ingredients in your house cleaning just as quick and easy, but it’s cheaper and safer for everyone in the household, not to mention the planet. Below are some tips for creating a cleaner, healthier and happier home: Let’s begin by listing some cheap, easy to buy and totally natural ingredientsthat can be used to make cleaning solutions from: • White vinegarrn• Natural saltrn• Baking sodarn• Lemonsrn• Castile soaprn• Essential oils A microfiber cloth and an empty spray bottle (ideally made from glass not plastic) or two are also needed. Here are a few cheap and simple natural cleaning recipes: All-purpose cleaner Mix together ½ a cup of vinegar, 2 cups of water, a teaspoon of castile soap and a few drops of essential oil (optional) in an empty spray bottle, shake well and use on multiple surfaces and areas of the home as a multi-purpose cleaning solution. Glass cleaner Vinegar and water combine to make the ideal glass cleaning solution that leaves windows and mirrors glisteningly clean and streak-free. Tile grout cleaner By mixing 1 part water and 3 parts baking soda, you get an effective paste that when applied to grout and left to sit for an hour before scrubbing and rinsing, eliminates mold and grime naturally from the grouting in between tiles. Cookware cleaner Sea salt mixed with lemon juice, or baking soda and water made into a paste, works fantastically well for cleaning all manner of cookware, not to mention stained mugs and cutting boards. Fabric softener Add a ¼ cup of a solution made from 1 part vinegar mixed with 2 parts water to the final rinse cycle, for soft clothes and towels. Toilet cleaner Simply take some undiluted white vinegar and pour it all around the top of the toilet bowl, before scrubbing at any stained areas. You can also pour a cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it sit there for an hour at least, before pouring in a cup of white vinegar, leaving it to work for 5 minutes, and then flushing for a squeaky clean toilet bowl. Oven cleaner Make a simple paste from baking soda and water, apply it to the affected areas of the oven (which may well be everywhere!), and leave it for a few hours to work its magic before you wipe it off to reveal a shiny, hygienically clean oven. Scouring powder Soap scum often builds up in bathrooms on tubs and showers, but with a simple scouring powder made from 2 parts baking soda, 1 part salt and 1 part borax, you’ll be able to cut through even the grimiest, stubbornest of scum stains! Natural shower head cleaning tip Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and pop the shower head inside, before tying it securely and leaving it overnight, or for at least 10 hours. Make sure the shower head is completely immersed in the vinegar, and when you come to remove it, all hard water residue should have disappeared, leaving the head clean and debris free. Many professional cleaning companies use natural solutions and purposely avoid chemicals, meaning that if you want someone else to clean your home without it affecting your health or that of the environment, you can still achieve this by hiring a maid service.