The new year has you in the mood to deep clean the carpets and banish sticky floors, but you’d rather not keel over from the chemicals. Try these products, and you won’t even need to open the windows for air.
You’ve finally put away the last of the holiday decorations, and the house is just empty enough to make it the perfect time to do a winter deep cleaning. The worst part about cleaning in the winter is that, depending on where you live, opening the windows to keep out the smell of those chemical-filled cleaning supplies might not be possible. Try some of these natural cleaning staples to keep your home chemical-free through the winter and all year long.
White vinegar
White vinegar may just be the miracle cleaning ingredient. You can use it to clean almost anything in your home.
- Mix about a half cup with a bucket of hot water to clean floors (add a dash of lemon juice if you don’t like the smell).
- Fill a spray bottle with three parts water, one part white vinegar to use as a general cleaner around the house.
- To remove deep stains in carpet, drench affected spot with vinegar then apply a towel over it. Blot, do not rub, area with the towel, soaking up the stain into the towel.
Baking soda
Baking soda is a great bathroom and kitchen cleaner. Make your own baking soda paste with water and baking soda, mixing the two until your paste is the consistency of glue and then grab a toothbrush to scrub away at those nasty bathroom mildew stains. Your paste can also be used to clean sinks and help to remove the urine smell from bathroom floors.
Olive oil
Believe it or not, olive oil is one of the best things you can use for dusting and polishing wood furniture. If you plan to use it for dusting, just mix a teaspoon or so of olive oil with a spray bottle full of warm water and add about a tablespoon of white vinegar as well. For deeper polishing, just mix equal parts olive oil and hot water and wipe clean with a damp towel.
Dish soap
Not all dish soaps are necessarily chemical-free, but they are much gentler on your respiratory system than the harsh ingredients in most cleaners. Look for an organic or fragrance-free dish soap for best results. Dish soap can be used for a variety of things.
- Presoak clothing with deep stains before washing by covering the stain with dish soap and soaking in cold water
- Clean mirrors and windows with a spray bottle containing three parts water to one part vinegar and a tablespoon of dish soap.
- Add a half cup of dish soap to hot water to clean wood and tile floors.
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