Many of us assume that we have to purchase specific cleaning products in order to keep our home sparkling clean. This isn’t the case. You can save a few dollars and limit the amount of chemicals you expose your family to by going with some of these homemade cleaning alternatives.
1. Baking Soda
Use this classic baking ingredient to clean and scour. Sprinkle this low-cost solution on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water. It also is a highly effective deodorizer and will eliminate unsettling fridge and garbage odors.
2. White Vinegar
This much-loved household cleaning staple helps to cut grease, remove mildew, and eliminate stains. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and warm water for a quick, all-purpose cleaning spray.
3. Lemons
This favorite acidic fruit also makes a great multipurpose cleaning agent. Use the juice from a lemon to eliminate nasty stains in your blender, wooden cutting boards, and butcher block countertops. Lemon juice kills nasty household bacteria, so you can use it with the knowledge that you are still keeping your space as sanitary as possible.
4. Borax
This oldie but goodie improves the cleanliness, sanitation and shine of surfaces and fabric throughout your home. Simply dissolve ½ cup of Borax into 1 gallon of hot water and put the solution in a spray bottle to make your baseboards, countertops, walls, and pots and pans look like they’re brand new!
5. Cornstarch
This cooking staple has a wide variety of practical uses outside of the kitchen. One especially unexpected use is for window cleaning. Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch, the juice of half a lemon, and equal parts water and vinegar. Spray the mixture on your windows and wipe to produce a shiny, streak-free finish.
6. Powdered Orange Drink
This favorite childhood thirst-quencher also makes an excellent cleaning product because it contains citric acid. Use it to remove rust from inside the walls of your dishwasher. Pour ¼ cup of the crystals into your dishwasher’s detergent cup and then run a regular wash cycle. Repeat if necessary.
7. Olive Oil
This healthy cooking oil also works wonders as a cleaner and a polisher. Mix 1 cup of olive oil with ¼ cup white vinegar to create an effective and economical homemade furniture polish.
8. Toothpaste
The combination of a mild abrasive, detergent and antibacterial agent makes toothpaste an incredibly strong stain fighter. Use it to clean tarnished silverware, piano keys and even scuffed linoleum floors.
9. Table Salt
The granular text of this household fixture makes it perfect for scouring purposes. If your lasagna bubbles over and spills all over the bottom of your oven, pour salt on the spill to soak it up. When the oven is cool, wipe over the spill with a damp sponge and you should see it suddenly disappear!
10.Bar Soap
You can use bar soap for more than just your hands! Use plain white bar soap to pre-treat your toughest laundry stains. Ordinary bar soap has even been shown to work on serious stains like berries, chocolate, and mud.
