Several years ago I quit buying cleaning products at the store. First, they were so expensive and I felt like every month I was stocking up on chemicals, not food. Second, it is better for us to clean with more natural items.
For general cleaning, I prefer to use a mix of vinegar and water. I simply fill a spray bottle with a mixture of half vinegar and half water, put on the spray nozzle and I’m ready to go! This is great for cleaning the kitchen counters and windows.
For cleaning the bathroom, I found that a spray nozzle fits perfectly on a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. We restored a footed bathtub about six or seven years ago and I discovered that peroxide cleans the soap scum and bathtub ring better than anything else. So, after every bath or so, I’ll spray the peroxide over the tub and let it do its thing. A few minutes later I’ll rinse it out after all the bath rings are removed. It’s also great for cleaning the sink and toilet. At $1 per bottle, you can’t go wrong!
For dusting, we make our own dusting solution. After the kids went through a new bottle of Pledge within 15 minutes, I figured that at that rate I would not be able to afford to dust our home. I did some research and discovered that with a few kitchen ingredients, I already have what I need to dust our home:
½ teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup vinegar
Water
¼ teaspoon essential oils (lavender, sweet orange, lemon) – optional
In a quart jar, add the olive oil and vinegar. Fill the remainder of the jar with water. To use: Carefully pour a small amount onto a clean lint free cloth and wipe the wood surface. Remove any excess with a dry cloth.
I typically give the kids two old socks, one for each hand. With one they rub into the dusting oil and with the other they buff it dry. It works wonders and is wonderful for our wallet!
We don’t have carpet now, but when we did, I used baking soda as a natural carpet deodorizer. Simply sprinkle it on the carpet and vacuum it. It rids the carpet of smells and helps deodorize the home – naturally.
I hope these little tips and tricks help. Email me if you have any questions or other suggestions for what you do.