With this blog, I’m officially “outing” myself as an Öko: one of those people who wears Birkenstocks, grows organic vegetables, bakes her own bread, cloth diapers, and uses natural cleaning products. Yes, I’m one of those annoying, preachy, eco-types that everyone’s trying to avoid. But keep an open mind about this because this stuff really works, it leaves no poisonous fumes, and it’s dirt-cheap.
For cleaning my house I have these products:
- lemons
- salt
- baking soda
- distilled vinegar
- dish soap (NOT the antibacterial kind!)
- olive oil
- OxiClean
- Microfiber cloths
- A commercial mold removal product
The anti-mold spray isn’t very healthy but I keep it around for emergency mold removal. Sometimes it’s a necessary evil but if I use it once a year, that’s a lot. Keep it out of reach of children. Avoid mixed ammonia and bleach because it creates toxic fumes.
The other 8 items I use on a regular basis.
- I mix olive oil and lemon juice for furniture polish. I mix it up fresh every time as it doesn’t store well.
- For cleaning the bathroom, I simply dust everything with baking soda (as a scouring powder), spray it with a mixture of vinegar with a bit of dish soap, wipe with a sponge (or a toilet brush for the toilet), and rinse (flush).
- I use half a lemon dipped in salt to shine my sink and pots (and it makes the kitchen smell good).
- For smelly drains I just pour a cup of baking soda down it, follow it with a cup of vinegar, wait for a few moments while it foams, and then rinse it down with boiling hot water.
- I use the OxiClean for stubborn stains.
- I use baking soda for cleaning my oven.
- I clean my windows using my microfiber cloths and plain tap water. Yes, that really works. But if you’ve been using commercial products in the past you’ll first have to clean the windows off with vinegar to remove the chemical layer they leave behind. Then you can proceed with water-only.
If you want to know more about that stuff, just google “natural cleaning products”. You’ll be overwhelmed by the amount of information out there.
Posted by Herneith on November 7, 2009 at 17:16
Thanks for the tips. That baking soda is surely a panacea for so many things! I’ve used it for an upset stomach.
Posted by butterflysquash on November 7, 2009 at 20:08
I buy baking soda in bulk.
I’ve heard of putting it in bath water, as well, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Posted by soul on November 8, 2009 at 16:01
oh butterflysquash.. I’m soo glad that there is at least one topic where we have the same outlook (smile).
I use baking soda once every 2 weeks to clarify my hair.. I use it to clean the cooker and it puts a brilliant shine on the kitchen sink.
I also sometimes just cut thin slices of lemons and put them in the corners of the room (whilst I’m cleaning the house) it leaves a very clean smell in the air.
I adore old school remedies, largely because they ain’t broke, so why fix them. They are cost effective and don’t irritate my skin or leave that horrible chemically/alcohol type smell.
But then i also burn incense lol and I think financial responsibility is sexy as all get out lol. The advent of google and blogs has made the world a better place re: natural remedies and such. Its amazing what we can do with stuff that just exists in nature without any further tampering.
Posted by butterflysquash on November 8, 2009 at 16:42
Three cheers for baking soda!
Posted by islandgirl on November 9, 2009 at 00:24
I love natural anything! Cleaning products included. You’ve given some great suggestions regarding baking soda. However, I am hesistant with vinegar because of the smell.
Have you ever tried the Seventh Generation products? I prefer them because I don’t have the patience to mix my own everytime.
Also, what do you use for your laundry?
Posted by butterflysquash on November 9, 2009 at 10:50
I have a front-loader so I use a HE detergent. I use the OxiClean to spot-clean beforehand.
Vinegar does smell a bit. The smell dissipates when it dries, though. Some people substitute citric acid for the vinegar and that works just as well.
I’ve tried the 7th Gen stuff but I find it isn’t as effective as the original solutions. And it’s crazy expensive. But it does smell nice.
Posted by Herneith on November 12, 2009 at 13:29
@Soul:
I use baking soda once every 2 weeks to clarify my hair.
I’ve been searching for a natural hair clarifier. How do you use it? Thanks