- Vinegar- distilled white: kills bacteria, mold, and viruses. Used for disinfecting, deodorizing, and cutting grease and wax build-up, stains on carpet, countertops, pots, pans, and cofeepots.
- Baking Soda- Effective at removing stains and odors. Also a mild scouring tool for pots/pans and kitchen.
- Lemon Juice- Cut through grease so works well in kitchen.
- Soap- Biodegradable, dye free, and non-petroleum based. Castile or plant based is best.
- Olive Oil- good for moisturizing and conditioning.
- Borax- Effective at cleaning, softening water, deodorizing, and disinfecting.
- Hydrogen peroxide- Gentler than chlorine bleach and can be used for sterilizing and disinfecting home and body.
- Tea Tree Oil- Natural fungicide, germicide, antibacterial, and antiseptic. Fights fungi and bacteria that causes acne and athlete's foot.
- Essential Oils- Make your own scents
- Spices- Used for cooking, deterring rodents, and room fragrances.
Cleaner Recipes/Ideas
' =p' = equal parts
Vinegar
*All Purpose Cleaner: Fill an empty spray bottle with =p water and vinegar. Use on countertops, glass, chrome, and tile.
*Toilet Bowl: Pour 2-3c of vinegar into toilet. Let sit for a few hours then scrub and flush.
*Windows: Fill a spray bottle with water and 1/4c vinegar. Use newspapers instead of paper towels.
*Wood Floors: 1/4c vinegar to a pail of water.
*Washing Machine: 1/4c vinegar to machine rise cycle.
Baking Soda
*Laundry: 1/4c baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabrics.
*Kitchen/Bathroom: Mix small amount with castile soap for countertops, sinks, and tubs. Add essential oils for fragrance.
*Carpet: Sprinkle before vacuuming to release odors.
*Oven: Mix 3p baking soda with 1p salt and 1p water. Spread and sit for 8 hours. Scrape and wipe clean.
*Drain: 1/2c baking soda down the drain followed by 1/2c vinegar. Flush with hot water.
*Toilet: 1p baking soda and 4p vinegar. Sit for 15 mins, scrub, and flush.
Lemon Juice
*Air Fresher: 1/2q hot water with =p baking soda and lemon juice. (1tsp each)
*Laundry: Brighten whites with small amount in rinse cycle
*Dish Soap: mild soap and lemon juice. (not on silver)
*Windows: Spray bottle with water and 1/4c lemon juice
Soap
*Wood Floors: warm water and drop of soap. (use damp not wet rag/mop)
Olive Oil
*Furniture Polish: 2p EVOO and 1p lemon juice
*Brass: rub with cloth dampened with EVOO
*Stainless Steel: Rub to remove streaks and prints
*Shoe Polish: 1/4c EVOO and drops of lemon juice. use rag, wipe on, buff out.
Borax
*Disinfectant: 4Tbs vinegar and 2tsp borax and 3c hot water. A few drips of soap could be added
*Carpets: spot treatment. =p borax, salt, and vinegar. apply paste to stain then dry. vacuum up the paste.
*Heirloom and china: dissolve in hot water
*Rodents: Sprinkle at the point of entry
Hydrogen Peroxide
*Tile: Moldy grout. Fill spray bottle with 1/2c hydrogen peroxide and 1c water. spray, sit for hour, rinse off.
*Disinfectant: Spray bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. Spray bottle of Vinegar. For veggies and surfaces. Spray with one then the other and wipe clean. Good for cutting boards as well.
*Mouthwash: Hydrogen Peroxide
Tea Tree Oil
*Mold/Mildew: 5-10 drops to 1c water in spray bottle
*Shower: tea tree oil and water
*Rodents: Wipe pantry doors and cupboards with towel damp with tea tree oil.
*Laundry: 2tsps to washing machine
*Vacuum: Dap a few drops on a tissue and put in vacuum bag to kill dust mites.
*Bath: 25 drops to hot water
Essential Oils
*Air Purifier: Mix oils in spray bottle and spritz in rooms. (Eucalyptus, lemon, thyme)
*Defog mirror: Rub with eucalyptus oil
*Stains: Eucalyptus oil and steel wool. On a rag- sticky residues.
Spices
*Moths/Rodents: Mix =p cloves, rosemary, thyme in cloth pouch or tea bag. Hang in closets and clothes in storage. Dried lemon peels also work.
*Air Freshener: Simmer cloves and cinnamon in water. Add orange for fragrance.
Snow, Sara.
Sara Snow's fresh living: the essential room-by-room guide to a greener, healthier family, and home.. New York, N.Y.: Bantam Dell, 2009. Print.
