Natural Cleaning Hacks For The Home

One powerful way to lift your spirits and clear out those mental cobwebs is to literally clean out the cobwebs around you! Whether you’re planning on doing a deep clean and declutter or just a quick clean after dinner, the impact on your mental wellbeing can be profound. Cleaning your home properly can completely change and improve the energy of your space. But sometimes the chemicals in the cleaners we use can cause their own issues. So we’ve put together some powerful natural cleaning hacks to help you make the most of your cleaning time, and take care of the environment.

NATURAL CLEANING TO IMPROVE THE ENERGY OF YOUR SPACE

Natural Cleaning Hacks To Energize the Home

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Have you been feeling down? Do the winter blues have you struggling? Has your mind been foggy? Are you struggling to get motivated and find the energy to tackle the world?

Have you considered it could be that your home needs a good cleansing? Doing a cleaning of your space can completely change the feel of the room, and the way you feel when in the room.

Using natural cleaning methods can aid in providing that special cleansing and uplifted energy to a room. But many people have only ever used commercially purchased cleansers. Today we want to explore the world of natural cleaning hacks for your home.

The Benefits of Natural Cleaning Methods

There are a number of benefits to using natural, DIY cleaning products in your home and life.

Save money – commercial cleaners are expensive! Making your own saves money.
Better for the environment – not only are you reducing the use of chemicals in your home, you are also reducing plastic use as you remove the need for plastic packaging that can’t be recycled.
Better for your health – many cleaners include allergens such as artificial fragrances which can be very triggering for people with allergies. When you are using natural products you can control what goes into your cleaners and hence your home.
Cruelty free – Many commercial cleaners are tested on animals.
Cleaning and cleansing your home with natural products can alter the energy of your space and yourself!

Getting Started

OK, so now I am sure you are wondering, “That’s great but how effective are natural cleaners?” Well the best way to show how well it works is to give it a try!

You might be surprised that a great place to start with natural cleaning products is in your pantry. Ingredients like lemons, vinegar, and table salt are fantastic for cleaning and disinfecting your home.

These all-natural cleaning hacks will help you tackle your whole cleaning list. They are so helpful that you will probably never go back to the old, chemical-filled cleaning methods again.

Caution

Before you start cleaning, no matter if you are using natural or commercial cleaners, it is vital that you understand the materials in your home. If you have granite, marble, hardwood, certain types of tiles, etc., you will need to do your research to ensure you understand what is safe to use on those surfaces. If you are unsure about a product, look up the manufacturer. They will usually provide details on how to preserve and protect the products in your home.

The same applies to our laundry and fabric cleaning hacks. Make sure you understand what materials you have and ensure these methods are safe for your materials.

Reminder: All products and procedures are used at your own risk. It is your responsibility to know and understand what your home is composed of when choosing products.

Natural Cleaners In Your Home

Lemons

Cleaning with lemon is especially useful when mixed with salt, which makes an excellent scouring paste. The acid in lemon juice also helps to remove dirt and rust stains.

Cutting boards: To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the surface, rub. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

Polishing taps and chrome fixtures: Cut a lemon into two halves, squeeze them into a bowl to collect the juice. Using a soft cloth, rub the juice on taps, then wait an hour or more before rinsing off with warm water.

Microwave splatters: Squeeze lemons some into a small bowl of water, don’t forget to add the rinds. Pop in the bowl into the microwave and turn on high for 1 minute to 2 minutes. Then just wipe off the loosened splatters with a clean tea towel.

Countertops: Cut one lemon in half, then dip the lemon’s cut side into baking soda. Scrub in a circular motion and then wipe with a damp cloth and dry. You can also apply a solution of lemon and baking soda with a toothbrush and scrub away the grime for sparking tiles.

Laundry: Brighten your whites by adding 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle for a normal-size load.

Caution: Never use vinegar, lemon, or any other acidic cleaner on marble or granite surfaces; it will damage the protective finish eat into the stone.

Castile Soap

Castiel soap is a gentle plant-based soap that efficiently loosens grime and dirt from surfaces. We love using it to make DIY Foaming Soap.

Hard wood floors: ¼ cup liquid Castile soap and 2 gallons of warm water. Make sure you ring your mop out really well and then clean floors as usual.

Tip: For greasy floors, add ¼ cup distilled white vinegar to the bucket.

Leather upholstery: Add 2 drops of liquid Castile soap to 1-quart warm water. Apply to the leather with a barely damp soft cloth.

Marble countertops: Add 1 tablespoon of liquid Castile soap into 1-quart warm water. Dampen a soft cloth with the solution and wipe the countertops. Rinse with warm water, let dry, then buff with a clean, soft cloth to remove any soap residue.

Stovetop and vent hood: Add a few squirts of liquid Castile soap to 2 cups hot water. Using a soft cloth, apply the solution to the stovetop, the burners, and the vent hood. Allow to sit for a few minutes, then wipe with a clean damp cloth.

If there is a soap residue, use a clean, soft cloth and buff.

White Vinegar

Among natural cleaners, white vinegar is the clear champ. Distilled white vinegar creates an environment that inhibits mold, mildew, and some bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella.

Window Glass Cleaner: Add 1/2 cup white or cider vinegar to 2 cups of water and 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol (70% concentration).

Optional: 1 to 2 drops of your favorite essential oil for smell.

Pour all the solution into a spray bottle and spray onto glass, then whip with a clean, soft cloth. Did you know your newspaper can make an effective mirror polisher? Simply scrunch up a page or two and rub the mirror or glass to get rid of smears and marks.

Bonus: for the outside of your windows, if you add 10 drops of lavender or lemongrass oil into the solution, it can help repel flies.

Shower Doors and Fixtures: Mix 1 cup of White Vinegar and 2 tablespoons of blue Dawn dish soap. Using a sponge, get the solution onto the shower doors. Let the solution sit on the shower doors for a few minutes. Then take the showerhead or a bucket of water and rinse the shower doors off. Tip: a bathroom squeegee is a handy bathroom tool to remove the cleaning solution from the shower doors or clean up water on the floor. To help keep your glass doors clear of soap grim – Add a few drops of lemon oil to a cloth and wipe the shower doors at least twice a month to help prevent grime buildup.

Coffeemaker: Pour equal parts vinegar and water into the machine’s water chamber, then switch on the brew cycle. Halfway through, turn off the coffeemaker and let the solution sit for about an hour. Turn it on again to complete the process. It is recommended to run several cycles with clean water to ensure all the vinegar has been flushed through.

Dishwasher: Pour ½ cup vinegar into the reservoir and run an empty cycle to help remove build up in your dishwasher.

Tile floors: Fill a bucket with one gallon of water and one-half cup of white vinegar. Make sure you ring your mop out really well and then clean floors as usual.

Laundry: Add one-half cup to one full cup of cleaning vinegar to your washing machine during the final rinse cycle to help deodorize your clothes. Alternatively, you can add it to the fabric softener container before starting your wash. Tip: Vinegar is also a natural alternative to bleach for brightening up whites, like socks, towels, and rags.

Baking Soda

Using baking soda when cleaning bathrooms, kitchen counters, appliances, with help scrub away soap scum and is a powerful deodorizer on soft surfaces.

Toilet Cleaner: Pour half a cup of baking soda into the toilet, then pour half a white vinegar cup into the toilet. Mix it around with your toilet bowl brush, and then wait a few hours. Do one last scrub with the brush and then flush to remove stains.

Soft surfaces deodorizer: Pour baking soda straight from the box and into your drain or garbage disposal to remove odors.

Trash can deodorizer: Sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into the trash can once a week to help absorb odors.

Stovetop Cleaner: Pour baking soda directly onto grimy surface. Let sit for about 5 minutes and then gently scrub with a damp cloth and then wipe clean with soft cloth.

Shine and remove spots from stainless steel: Make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply it with a soft, damp cloth and rub gently in the metal’s grain direction. Rinse and buff dry.

Tip: If you don’t have baking soda on hand, cornstarch can be a great alterative. Cornstarch is a very fine natural abrasive that helps work away grime and leave behind a streak-free shine. Cornstarch also comes in handy to tackle smelly odors like area rugs, your pet’s bed and your kids’ sports equipment.

Mattress Deodorizer: This is one of the most powerful natural cleaning techniques I use as a Mum to teenage boys to keep their room smelling fresh! Strip all the sheets and put them in the wash. If the mattress needs it, give it a quick vacuum first.

I like to power up this by putting my baking soda in a small container and adding a few drops of essential oil (lemon grass or lavender is wonderful for the mattress), place a lid on the container and shake to mix it thoroughly. Then sprinkle the baking soda mix on the mattress. Alternatively, you can use just plain baking soda.

Let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes, then vacuum thoroughly.

Olive Oil

Plant-based oils, such as olive and sunflower, dislodge dirt, diminish scratches and imperfections, and hydrate wood that has aged or dried out from exposure to the sun.

Wood furniture: Add a few drops of olive oil to a soft cloth and rub it into the wood.

Eliminate fingerprints on stainless steel: Add a few olive oil drops on a soft cloth or paper towel. Buff the oil in—going with the stainless grain—and wipe off any excess to shine stainless steel. This trick is magic!