We can’t escape the need to clean the house (at least every once in a while), but I dislike using commercial products. Not only because they may be harmful to my cats and to the environment, but they tend to make my head ache. Instead, I prefer to make my own cleaning products using the natural ingredients that our grandmothers had to hand. Here are some storecupboard standbyes that make great cleaners.
Not just good for your chips! You may have heard that vinegar is good for cleaning windows and thought it sounds daft. Try it! It really does work. Dilute it in a spray bottle and use it to clean the windows, then polish with newspaper. Your windows will shine.
Photo Credit: orangesparrow
If you don’t like the smell of vinegar (although it does soon disappear), lemon juice is another acidic cleaner. It works well for dealing with grease. Leave half a lemon in your fridge and it will freshen and deodorise.
Photo Credit: Martjusha
Is your sink a bit blocked? Try shaking some bicarb down it, followed with vinegar. It will fizz like a chemistry experiment. Leave for a bit to do its work, then rinse with boiling water.
Photo Credit: mrpb27
Most of us have some olive oil in the kitchen. You don’t need best quality extra virgin, any cheap brand will do. Mix it with lemon juice to make a wood polish and rub in with a soft cloth. Yep, polish your furniture with salad dressing and it comes up a treat.
Photo Credit: JRodrigues.
This makes an excellent carpet shampoo and rug cleaner. Just shake it over the carpet, leave for a bit, and then vacuum off. You may also like to add a drop of essential oil for a divine scent.
Photo Credit: Greg Carey
It can also be used to clean copper and brass. My best salt tip? Deal with a red wine spill by quickly pouring salt over the stain, and it will soak up the wine like magic.
Photo Credit: gardawind
No, I haven’t lost my mind. Good old tap water is just the thing to get blood out of clothes. The trick is to soak the garment in cold water, NOT hot, and in a very short time the blood will be history.
Photo Credit: jennifer l.
I hope you’ve been encouraged to investigate natural cleaners. Did granny pass down any natural cleaning recipes? Do you have any great tips?
Top Photo Credit: JRodrigues.