Create natural cleaning products from everyday items

We all like to keep our homes as natural as possible, and keeping the chemicals we use to clean it to a minimum is a great way to do this.

The thought of making your own cleaning products can seem a bit overwhelming, but the good news is that it’s extremely easy, and there are plenty of everyday items you can use to keep your home gleaming. As an added bonus, the ingredients to make simple homemade cleaning products are easy to come by and often fraction of the price of chemical-laden sprays.

Making natural cleaning products is easy when you have these basic ingredients:

Lemons/lemon juice: one of the strongest food-acids out there, it is effective against most household bacteria.

Baking soda: it cleans, it softens, it deodorises, it scours – is there anything this cheap-as-chips powder can’t do?

Vinegar: great against odours, grease, mildew and many stains.

A natural all-purpose cleaner

A handy all-purpose cleaner and deodoriser can be made in seconds with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda mixed into about a litre of lukewarm water. Shake it up and you’re ready to go.

Another all-purpose option is half a cup of vinegar, two teaspoons of baking soda and a few drops of lavender or lemon essential oils which both have disinfectant properties in addition to lovely smells! You could also enhance the scent by adding a sprig of fresh rosemary or lavender.

Lemon-powered cleaning

You can clean and sanitise kitchen counter tops by simply dipping half a lemon into baking soda and scouring, then wiping with a wet cloth. A lovely fresh citrus smell in your kitchen is an added bonus.

Lemon juice makes a great heavy-duty scouring paste when mixed with a little salt for those caked in bits of grime around the cooker.

A microwave can be freshened up in less than ten minutes by popping two halves of lemon in a bowl and cooking on high for three minutes. Let sit for another five minutes (the steam will loosen up any stubborn gunk), then remove the bowl and wipe down the inside of the microwave with a cloth.

Natural bathroom cleaners

Natural cleaners are great for tackling the bathroom too. Clear a shower head of crusty limescale by putting a dash of vinegar in some water in a plastic bag and soak the shower head overnight. A slow moving drain can be pepped up by pouring a pot of boiling water down it, followed by about half a cup of baking soda, then a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water (it will fizz when it encounters the baking soda – it’s supposed to!). Flush again with hot water, and watch your next bath drain perfectly away like magic.

Freshen the air – naturally

When you’re finished cleaning, you can even freshen up the air with a mixture of ¾ a cup of water, with two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol or vodka – then just add whatever essential oils you like! A combination of orange and peppermint makes a lovely energising smell, while you might like to try lavender and chamomile to spritz on pillows for a restful night’s sleep.

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