Natural Cleaning Tips (Phoenix, AZ)

 

 

Clean doesn’t have to be mean...to you or the environment. There are many ways to leverage the forces of nature to clean and disinfect your indoor space. Researching, testing and knowing how to effectively clean the non-toxic way isn’t your job- it’s ours. Luckily we like to share, so here are some ideas we’ve compiled to help provide you with some insight on how to tackle some of the most common tasks around your home the non-mean way. Isn’t that nice?Do it Yourself with homemade cleaning agents and put your common household ingredients to good use. Refer to the table below for ideas:Other Valuable Tips to Consider:

NATURAL CLEANING INGREDIENT

POPULAR USES

CAN BE MIXED WITH

Baking Soda

All Purpose cleaner on it’s own is effective on glass, coffee pots, red wine carpet stains. To clear clogged drains, pour 1 cup down the sink followed by 3 cups of boiling water.

When made into a paste with water shines stainless steel and silver, removes tea stains from cups, great for cleaning sinks, counters, toilets and tubs.

Water to form a paste.

Pure castile soap to form a paste.

To make the paste-form more interesting to smell, you can add a drop of essential oil (tea tree or lavender)

Grapefruit-seed extract

Kills mold and mildew when sprayed onto surfaces.

Add just a few drops to a full spray bottle of water.

Lemon juice

A bleaching agent on clothes.

A grease remover for stove-tops and counters.

When mixed with lemon oil and jojoba oil, can be used as furniture polish

Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice to 10 drops of real lemon oil and a few drops jojoba oil to clean and polish wood furniture.

Olive Oil

A Lubricant and polish for wood furniture

Mix 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar; or 2 parts olive oil with 1 part lemon juice.

White Vinegar

A grease cutter

A stain remover

Removes soap scum

Cleans toilets (removes scale)

Cleans linoleum floors and glass (mix with water/castile)

Pour neat down drains weekly for anti-bacterial action.

Mix with water and a small amount of castile for cleaning linoleum and glass surfaces.

Add to water in a spray bottle to kill mold and mildew.

Tea Tree Oil

Antibacterial

Anti-fungal

Kills mold and mildew

Add 50 drops to a bucket of water to clean countertops and tile floors.

Essential oils

Lavender or Tea Tree Oil Anti-bacterial spray for kitchen and bathroom surfaces

Mix lavender or tea tree essential oil drops into a spray bottle of water.

Plain White Toothpaste

Cleans silver

Can remove water stains on wood furniture; (dab on, allow to dry then wipe off)

On its own, neat.

Coarse salt

Cleans copper pans and scours cookware.

Sprinkle onto fresh spills in the oven then wipe off.

Removes rust stains.

Add squeezed lemon or lime over salt and let sit for several hours then wipe clean for the removal of rust stains.

 

 

• When selecting which cleaners to purchase, read the labels and choose ones that appear to disclose all ingredients.
• Beware of the words caution, warning, and danger. Chances are if they have to disclose this on the bottle, it may not be safe.
• Select products made from plant-based material, eg. Oils of citrus, seed, vegetables as these should be biodegradable. – Choose pump spray containers over aerosols. These not only can be harmful to ozone, but also produce a finer mist more readily inhaled.
• Micro fiber cloths/mops are excellent at attracting dirt and bacteria and should not require any cleaning solutions- just water, so they are eco-friendly and economical.
• Use of cloths that can be washed and used again as opposed to disposable wipes is better for the environment as it uses fewer resources. In the long-run, it costs less too!
• Using a HEPA-type filter vacuum traps dust in the vacuum with fewer particles being released back into the air.
• Prevention is the key! Take off shoes when in the home to keep floors as clean as possible. Consider using a squeegee type device to remove excess water after each shower to prevent water spots and scale build-up.

 

Cleaning Tips in Phoenix, AZ