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Non-toxic Cleaners You Can Make At Home

We all want clean homes and workspaces for ourselves and our family. There is a large selection of natural and non-toxic cleaning products available at most grocery and drug store. However, with a few simple and relatively safe ingredients, you can make effective cleaning solutions for less than store bought products.

Although these ingredients are safer than the conventional chemical cleaners, ALWAYS keep these ingredients in a secured area, out of reach of children and follow manufacturer instructions and caution when mixing these ingredients.

Basic Non-toxic Cleaning Ingredients

Baking Soda or sodium bicarbonate is mildly alkaline and can serve as an all-purpose cleaning almost any surface in the house, including metals and plastic. It can also absorb odors in refrigerators, drains/disposals, trash cans and even carpet and upholstery. Baking soda is gentle enough to use in baths, toothpaste and body deodorants.

Lemon juice contains citric acid and can be used to clean glass, remove stains or act as mild bleach when combined with sunlight.

Vinegar is another mild acid that can remove grease, waxy buildup as well as clean glass and metals.

Soap, unlike detergent, is made from fats and lye. To make a soapy solution for cleaning, simply dissolve old ends or small remnants of bar soap in warm water.

Mineral Oil from plant seeds can be used in wood and floor polish

Some Simple Homemade Cleaner Recipes

The following is a collection of homemade solutions from friends and well-used favorites passed down from generation to generation.

Air Freshener:

• Mix baking soda into warm water and add some lemon juice and pour into spray bottle to use.
• Pour some vanilla extract into a bowl and leave it in an undisturbed corner.
• Sprinkle baking soda on bottom of laundry hampers, garbage cans and other odor causing containers.
• Open windows and ventilate

All purpose Cleaner:

• Dissolve 4 tbsp of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water for all purpose cleaning solution
• Sprinkle some baking soda on damp sponge or dishcloth and wipe over surface to clean and deodorize
• Different mixture of liquid soap, baking soda and warm water. Use small amount of soap and baking soda for floors and counters and add more for sinks and toilets and any of surface that can be rinsed thoroughly.

Bathroom Cleaners

• In general, undiluted vinegar will remove most dirt and film without scrubbing so it is useful to have when cleaning bathrooms.
• Squirt undiluted vinegar onto tub to remove the mildew film and rub off. Then sprinkle baking soda and scrub with sponge. Rinse off when finished.
• Baking soda paste made with 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water can be applied to grout to remove build-up. Rinse off when finished
• To remove mineral build-up on metal shower heads, remove head and submerge in a mixture of ¼ cup white vinegar and one quart of warm water.
• Sprinkle baking soda into toilet bowl and squirt or spray the sides with vinegar. Scrub with toilet brush and then flush.

Glass Cleaners:

• Mix equal parts vinegar and water and put in spray bottle for easy application
• Spray undiluted vinegar to glass or mirror
• ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp baking soda and 2 cups of warm water (to dissolve the baking soda) for a non-streak cleaner.

Kitchen Cleaners:

• Sprinkle water over bottom of oven and cover with baking soda. Let mixture set overnight, rub off with damp cloth and dry with towel. If you have a self-cleaning oven, please read manufacturer warning and instructions before using any of the cleaners.
• Baking powder and salt are mildly abrasive and can be used on light grease spots. Simply sprinkle the powder or dry salt on the surface, rub with sponge and wipe clean when finished.
• For drains, pour ½ cup of baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar down the drain and wait for mixture to foam. Flush drain with hot water. Grind ½ of a lemon in garbage disposal (if you have one) for extra fresh scent. Do not use this if you have already tried a commercial drain cleaner – this may result in dangerous fumes caused by reaction with vinegar.

Floor Cleaners:

• For greasy (and no wax floors), mix ½ cup washing soda, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 spoonful of liquid soap and 2 gallons of hot water. Mop solution on floor followed by clean water wipe and rinse.
• For vinyl or linoleum, polish with water with a capful of baby oil
• For wood floors, rub in thin coat of equal parts baby oil and vinegar for polish. If floors are painted, mix a spoonful of washing soda or ¼ cup baking soda into 1 gallon of warm water and mop.

 

Disclaimer: By providing this Information, OrganicPicks neither can nor intend to control the method or manner by which you use, handle, store or transport products described herein. You should obtain and review the available material safety information provided by the manufacturer of any product described herein before handling any of the products presented on this website.

In no event shall OrganicPicks be responsible for damages of any nature whatsoever resulting from the use of or reliance upon this Information.

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