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Natural Cleaning products are just as effective as popular chemical brands. The upside is that natural cleaning products don’t leave harmful fumes or residue, and so you are left not only with a clean home, but a safe one, too.
Chemical brands have the tendency to kill all bacteria – both good and bad. What we don’t realize is that we need good bacteria in our micro ecosystem for a healthy environment. Even worse, of the chemicals used in cleaners that have been studied, many are linked to sicknesses like asthma, skin diseases and cancer.
Commercial household products are very big business. Store shelves are filled with hundreds of specialized formulas which promise to solve every imaginable problem, but they are expensive, chemical-based, and needlessly expose families and our environment to highly dangerous and toxic ingredients.
Vinegar:
This can be used in any room in the house, and the bonus is that it leaves no smell once it has dried, unlike harsh chemical cleaners that promise that `clean citrus or pine forest smell.`
To use vinegar throughout the house for cleaning, mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water, and use as you would normally use any other cleaning product. Use it on floors, work surfaces, mirrors, bathtubs, basins and in toilets. When cleaning the toilet, the vinegar can be used undiluted. After flushing, pour it into the toilet bowl and scrub as normal. Always be sure to test it on a small area first to ensure that it will not damage any of the surfaces you intend cleaning. On this note, avoid using vinegar on marble surfaces and tile grouting.
Vinegar also makes an excellent natural fabric softener. This is ideal for people who are allergic to chemical based fabric softeners. Simply add half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of fabric softener. An added advantage is that vinegar also helps to break down laundry detergent or washing powder, making it excellent for people who are allergic to the smallest amount of chemical residue on their skin. Always be sure to use white vinegar when dealing with clothing or light coloured surfaces, as brown vinegar can discolour certain fabrics and surfaces.
Baking Soda:
Baking soda has many uses. It acts as a deodorizer and is excellent for cleaning stubborn dirt such as that found on stove tops. When combined with vinegar, it can be used as an all-natural drain cleaner. Simply put around three quarters of a cup of baking soda down the drain and then pour half a cup of vinegar down the drain. Place the drain plug in the drain hole for 30 minutes. After that, pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain and you should find that the drain is unclogged. Placing an open box of baking soda inside a fridge or freezer can help absorb unpleasant odours.
To deodorize carpets, baking soda can be sprinkled on them and vacuumed up after 15 minutes. When mixed with equal parts of water, it can be used as a gently abrasive cleaner (be sure to test on a small, out-of-the-way area of the product you intend cleaning first).
Lemons:
Lemons also have many uses when it comes to cleaning. They are excellent for removing tarnish stains on silver and hard water deposits. Lemon or lime juice can be used to remove surface rust on items. Sprinkle some salt on the item and put the lime or lemon juice over it. Leave it on for a few hours and scrub the affected item. Place lemon peels into garbage disposal units to deodorize them. Lemon juice is able to dissolve soap scum in bathrooms. Sprinkle baking soda on a cut lemon to scrub surfaces and dishes. Mix half a cup of lemon juice with 1 cup olive oil for a natural furniture polish.
Baking Soda
Sodium bicarbonate, a naturally occurring mineral
Best uses:
Borax
Sodium borate, a naturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen and water
Best uses:
Essential Oil
A concentrated, fragranced oil extracted from a single plant, most often used with a vegetable-based carrier oil
Best uses:
Caution:
The original “oxy” cleaner, usually available in a 3% strength
Best uses:
Lemon Juice
Nature’s perfect “green cleaning” citrus fruit
Best uses:
Microfiber Cloths and Dusters
Microfiber cloths and dusters are made from nylon/polyester blended fibers that are microscopically split and woven together to create a fabric that traps and removes dirt very effectively
Best uses:
Caution:
Washing soda
Sodium carbonate, in the same family as baking soda. It has a higher pH level of 11, which makes it slightly more caustic
Best uses:
Caution:
Where to buy:
White vinegar
Acetic acid
Best uses:
Zeolite
A naturally occurring crystallized volcanic mineral
Best uses:
Sources:
http://housekeeping.about.com/cs/en…
http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/11…
http://www.cncahealth.com/health-in…
http://www.greenparenthood.com/blog…
http://www.back-to-basics-cleaning.com
http://www.naturalnews.com