In the US, one in every three people suffers from asthma or allergy, and some of the common triggers for these allergies are found in home cleaners.
Take for example ammonia, it is famous for causing breathing problems, and it is a skin irritant, but it is quite common in most cleaners.
Quats, on the other hand, which are prominent in fabric softeners are known asthma triggers.
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To exacerbate the issue, the government does not require manufacturers to list the ingredients used to make the products.
But there is a silver lining in that none of these cleaners are necessary to keep your home clean. Below are several natural home-cleaning recipes. If you don’t mind home cleaning with essential oils, this article is for you.
Table of Contents
Natural Home Cleaning with Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is commonly used in health and beauty products, but it is remarkable when it comes to concocting cleaners. Thanks to its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antiseptic properties, it makes for an ideal replacement for most cleansers.
Tea tree oil makes for an excellent all-purpose cleaner, deodorizer, air purifier, and even laundry cleaning booster. However, you have to mix with different products and in different portions.
All-Purpose Cleaner
What you will need:
- Ten drops of tea tree oil
- 2 cups of water (hot)
- ½ to 1 cup of vinegar
Add to a glass spray bottle and mix well. You can use this on most surfaces other than granite or marble as vinegar might etch at the stone.
Laundry Cleaning Booster
Tea tree oil laundry cleaning booster is as simple as adding a teaspoon of the oil to the washing machine. You can also add a scented oil such as lavender to give it a flowery smell.
Bathroom Scrub
What you will need:
- Ten drops of tea tree oil
- Hot water (2 cups)
- Castile soap
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
Mix and stir until you eliminate all the lumps then pour into a glass spray bottle. The tea tree oil will not only kill bacteria, but it boosts the cleaning power of vinegar.
Natural Metal Cleaning Recipes
Seeing as metal rarely gets the attention it deserves, it slowly becomes dirty and tarnished. However, metal does not need a cleaner to restore the shine, but you need to apply the chemicals well, depending on the metal you are cleaning.
Silver
One of the best ways to restore silver is through a tarnish dip.
- Fill a sink with hot water
- Two tablespoons of baking soda
- Two tablespoons of soda
- Aluminum foil
Mix the salt and baking soda before adding it to the boiling water, then place an aluminum file at the bottom of the sink. The resulting ionization will restore the silver to its initial shine.
Brass
Brass tarnishes, and I recommend you get a sealant after cleaning to keep them from tarnishing again.
To prepare a brass scrub, mix one cup of vinegar with one or two teaspoons of salt, and scrub the brass using a cloth. You can also use ketchup, but I recommend the salt and vinegar mixture.
If these recipes don’t work for you, try some of the best stainless steel cleaners.
Natural Healthy Cleaning for Your Laundry Using Soap Nuts
Though they are famous for their use in laundry, you can use them to clean anything in the house.
Soap nuts are not nuts, but instead berries that grow on trees native to the Nepalese region. It is also known as soapberry, as it produces a natural soap that dissolves in the water giving a cleaning solution.
The berries are harvested from wild trees, where they have not come into contact with pesticides, and are a great alternative to modern cleaning solutions.
You can use soap nuts in one of two ways.
Use the whole nut
As soap nuts retail with a muslin bag, you can fill the bag with five nuts and drop it in the washer together with the clothes. Let it agitate the clothes to remove the dirt. You don’t have to remove it before rinsing, as soap nuts do not leave a residue.
Remove the bag and reuse it to clean the next load. You can use each bag to clean about ten loads before the nuts lose their effects.
As a liquid concentrate
A liquid concentrate of soap nuts is excellent as an all-purpose cleaner.
– 10 to 20 soap nuts.
– 2 or 3 cups of water.
– Drops of any essential oil.
Boil the soaps in a pot and let it simmer for about 1-hr under low heat. Strain the liquid after it has cooled down, and then add essential oils.
Natural Home Cleaning on a Budget
Budgets are getting tighter and tighter, but we still have to keep our homes in pristine conditions. Well, I will have you know that some of the household items sitting on your shelves will leave your house sparkling.
You can even make a wide variety of cleaners, with a bit of knowledge about combining ingredients. Also, don’t forget to make a cleaning household checklist for better results.
If you are on a budget, and on the hunt for a house cleaner, I will let you know that vinegar is a remarkable cleaner. You can mix equal parts of water and vinegar to restore the shine on most surfaces. The same mixture will help prevent molds from occurring in the bathroom.
For a floor cleaner, mix one teaspoon vinegar, one quart of warm water, one teaspoon vegetable oil, and a few drops of essential oil. Mix well before mopping. And speaking of mops, here are the best mops for hard floors.
Baking soda is also a great alternative to expensive cleaners, and its abrasive properties will eliminate most stains.
Where to Find Natural Cleaning Ingredients
Though the natural cleaning wave is catching on, getting these ingredients is still a bit difficult. However, the online space can help you with your search. Here are some terms you can use:
- Natural cleaning ingredient shops near me
- Natural cleaning ingredient shops in my location
- Natural cleaning ingredient shops in (enter your location)
You can customize these terms to suit your needs. Also, check the online reviews for a better understanding of the place.
17 Tips for Successful Natural Cleaning
Thanks to the many cleaning mistakes and successes I’ve done as a homeowner, I’ve learned something about natural cleaning and DIY cleaning recipes over the years.
Furthermore, I’ve listed some of my best tips for successful natural cleaning, so you can skip the learning curve. Please, share your cleaning tips and tricks in the comments.
Clean your oven with baking soda
A paste of water and baking soda makes cleaning ovens a breeze. The best part? It provides fast results. Just create a solution on the bottom of the unit, leave for a couple of hours. Then, wipe off for a chemical-free and shiny oven.
Don’t spend money on magic erases
Save money by purchasing the melamine sponge in bulk instead of spending your hard-earned money on brand magic erases.
Switch to microfiber
I was utilizing cheap homemade cleaners before I switched to microfiber. However, since the switch, I’ve saved money.
I have a set of microfiber anti-bacterial cloths and a microfiber mop set. I can clean my whole home with only water thanks to this set.
To avoid confusion, separate your microfiber clothes by color. For every room, I have differently colored microfiber cloths.
Create scouring powder
For soap scum on showers and tubs, create scouring powder with 1 part salt, 2 parts baking soda, and 1 part borax. This solution will cut through even the toughest mess.
Citrus peels and undiluted white vinegar
Put citrus peels in a jar and apply undiluted white vinegar. Leave the mix for a few days or weeks before you utilize the solution as a natural cleaner.
It works for mopping floors, cleaning windows (dilute with water), and disinfecting different surfaces around the home.
Follow a checklist
Utilize a checklist for each room, so you can clean your home efficiently. Or you can assign tasks to your kids or partner and know that they will be done properly.
Remove stains naturally
Stain treaters and laundry soaps contain toxic chemicals. Therefore, it’s better to remove stains naturally. You can choose from different natural solutions for different types of stains.
Clean your dishwasher
Fill a jar or bowl with two cups of vinegar and place it on the top rack of your dishwasher. This is one of the most popular natural ways to clean your dishwasher successfully.
Opt for a small glass container and set your machine on a hot cycle without other dishes inside. This natural cleaner will clean your machine while removing unpleasant odors.
Clean your garbage cans
Garbage cans sometimes get a bad odor. To get rid of this odor, you can cut a lemon in half, put it in the garbage cans and scrub with water running for a couple of seconds.
You can also freeze orange and lemon peels in ice cube trays with water and vinegar. Put them inside the garbage cans and scrub for a few seconds.
Vinegar and baking soda recipes can also help you remove the unpleasant smell. Mix ½ cup of baking soda with a cup of distilled white vinegar and let the solution sit for 15 minutes before running the water and rinsing the garbage cans thoroughly.
Natural air freshener
Make air freshener with natural ingredients and water. Take a medium saucepan and pick some of the following combinations.
2 tablespoons rosemary, 1 sliced lemon, and a dash of vanilla is one of my favorite combos but I also like 2 pieces of chopped ginger root and 1 sliced lime.
You can also mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 sliced orange, and a dash of cloves and nutmeg. Or 1 sliced lime and 2 tablespoons thyme.
DIY laundry soap
You can save a lot of money by creating your laundry soap. You will need gloves, a measuring cup, and a box grater.
Necessary ingredients include borax, washing soda, pure bar soap, and a container with a secure lid. Grate the pure bar soap and mix the ingredients.
You can make as much as you would like at once. Utilize up to three level tablespoons of this DIY laundry soap per wash load.
If you have a high-efficiency washing machine, utilize 1 tablespoon. Keep the laundry soap out of the reach of pets and kids.
Remove urine stains
Utilize baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap to remove urine smells and stains in the mattresses. Mix 8 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and 1 drop of liquid hand dishwashing soap. The recipe only works if applied immediately.
Clean your shower head
Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar. Tie the bag around your dirty showerhead. Leave on for up to 12 hours and take off carefully. Your showerheads will be free of hard water residue.
Automobile upholstery stains
Upholstery stains can be cleaned with club soda, baking soda, and Dawn dish soap. Mix the ingredients in a heavy-duty spray bottle. Shake lightly before use and let the mix sit for about 5-10 minutes. Scrub over the stains and watch the stubborn stains slowly disappear.
Clean toiler
Baking soda can work wonders for your toilet. Just apply a cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it sit for 60 minutes. Then, apply a cup of white vinegar, let it sit for 5 minutes, and flush.
Use glass spray bottles
I’m don’t like plastic spray bottles, especially those that have substances that can break down the plastic. Glass spray bottles make a better choice for preparing cleaning recipes. They’re eco-friendly, reusable, and easy to clean, unlike plastic spray bottles that pollute.
Microfiber for windows
Once you go microfiber for window cleaning, you never go back! Microfiber cleans with water and without chemicals. It’s easy to utilize and doesn’t leave lint or streaks.
Conclusion
Natural home cleaning recipes are effective and cheap. Baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils work wonders for homes. They’re super-versatile and cost-effective.
Why spending your hard-earned money on commercial cleaning products that have chemicals when you can make cleaning recipes with ingredients from your kitchen?
I recommend natural cleaning products not only because they are cheap but also for the health benefits. That’s it, but feel free to leave a question or thought in the comments below.