By: Elna Botes van Schalkwyk
(With thanks to Jessica Kellner)
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Baking Soda: scrubbing, whitenin
Use
baking soda to eliminate odors and to whiten. A paste of baking soda and water
can help whiten sinks and bathtubs, and a box of baking soda in the fridge,
bathroom or cupboard helps absorb odors.
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Beeswax: polishing wood
You can
forego oily wood polish in favor of all-natural beeswax. Find a local beekeeper,
and you support your local economy in the process!
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Cornstarch and Club Soda (or any unflavored fizzy
water): lifting
stains
For a
quick treatment to stains on carpets or drapes, cover the stain with absorbent
cornstarch. Let it sit for about 20 minutes, then pour fizzy club soda to lift
the stain. Also try cornstarch on oil dripped on clothing.
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Hydrogen Peroxide: disinfecting, removing
stains
Hydrogen
peroxide is a powerful disinfectant. To kill mildew, combine baking soda and
hydrogen peroxide to create a paste, put on mildew and allow to sit for a few
minutes before wiping away.
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Lemon: removing
stains and odors
Lemons
are a great all-purpose odor remover in the kitchen. Run half a lemon over a
dirty cutting board to help remove odors such as onion or fish. Put half a
lemon (chop it up if your disposal has trouble with large objects) down the
disposal and grind it to remove odors from the kitchen sink. Lemon juice adds
cleaning power to all-purpose solutions.
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Liquid Castile Soap: cleaning power
Liquid
castile soap is an all-natural, olive oil-based soap great for all-natural
dishsoap, floor cleaner and more. For a floor or wall cleaner, combine a cup of
vinegar with a gallon of hot water and a few drops of soap.
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Olive Oil: polishing
wood
Olive
oil can naturally condition wood, as well as skin and hair!
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Pine Oil: cleaning soft wood floors
Pine
oil is naturally conditions wood floors, and it smells fresh.
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Plant Essential Oils: chemical-free fragrance
Although
they are chemical-free, pure essential oils are strong. Always do a sniff test
before buying to make sure you’re not sensitive to the fumes, and use caution
when handling pure essential oils. A few drops of essential oil can add
antibacterial and antifungal power to a cleaning solution. Most important? They
leave behind a fresh scent. Look for pure, undiluted essential oils in dark brown
or blue bottles. Store away from sunlight.
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Salt: scrubbing
Thick
kosher salt gives power to your elbow grease. To clean stubborn soap scum,
combine baking soda and kosher salt and scrub.
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Washing Soda (sodium carbonate): scrubbing, removing
stains and cutting grease
Washing
soda is a powerful cleaning ingredient that acts much like baking soda but
stronger. Use washing soda to clean toilets, or mix with water for a powerful
all-purpose cleaner. Many natural cleaners recommend borax, but recent studies
by the Environmental Working Group have found that it’s overly harsh. You can
replace borax with slightly milder washing soda in nearly any recipe.
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White Vinegar: disinfecting,
removing stains
White
vinegar is a powerhouse of cleaning. Disinfecting and deodorizing, vinegar is a
go-to product for germ-ridden spots such as countertops, door handles and
telephones.
