Grandma managed to keep her home clean long before there was an aisle in the grocery store devoted to perfumed products that promised to make her job easier. Rather than a bargain, it’s easy to wonder if we aren’t spending a lot for high-priced toxic chemical goo.
The good news is that you can keep more of your hard-earned money AND get your house clean without lots of toxic chemicals. You can use the following four formulas in a multitude of cleaning applications.
POWDERED CLEANSER
This is a nice, non-abrasive cleaner that can be used by applying it to a wet sponge and rubbing in a circular motion. You can use Baking Soda alone, but for extra water softening and germ-fighting I use 1 part Borax, 2 parts Baking Soda and ½ part salt. It works as well as commercial cleaners in my opinion. For storage and convenience, I keep mine in a shaker container with a tight-fitting lid.
ALL PURPOSE SPRAY/RINSE
This liquid, used in combination with homemade scouring powder, will make a foamy cleaner. Mix equal parts water and vinegar together. Keep this in a sprayer with a pistol grip for ease of application and storage. Spray surfaces you’ve used the scouring powder on, wipe with a damp sponge and rinse. This really shines ceramic surfaces. Vinegar discourages bacteria and cuts through oil. By itself, this is also useful to wipe down tables, counter tops and clean glass and windows. After a shower or bath, your spray can be used on walls, and fixtures to discourage mold growth.
GLASS, METAL & HARD SURFACE CLEANER/DISINFECTANT
Equal parts water and rubbing alcohol is a good solution for wiping down surfaces you want free of streaks and germs. For every 2 cups of this solution add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. I like to use this to wipe down metal surfaces as it quickly dries without leaving spots. This is good for use on light switch plates and knobs that see a lot of ‘hand traffic.’
SPRAY TREATMENT FOR MOLD & SOAP SCUM
Hard water can lead to a problem with soap scum and mold. Two parts water mixed with one part Hydrogen Peroxide is a good pre-treatment for these stains. Store in a spray bottle that you use to mist affected surfaces. Allow the solution to sit undisturbed for an hour and follow with scouring powder.
This article is for the information of the reader. Utilize these methods at your own risk and using your own discretion. {Discover more tips about organic cleaners that you can make yourself at http://learnandlivewell.blogspot.com/}
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