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Giving your home a proper scrub down and watching it sparkle is a feeling like no other. Every Indian home goes through a rigourous cleanse before the festivities arrive, and that means some serious furniture rearrangement, discarding and donating, and scrubbing. Out come the mops, vaccuum cleaners and of course, the cleaning agents.
Store bought cleaning solutions are aplenty, but they're often loaded with chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and chlorine, which are all said to have adverse effects on our health. Even inhaling the fumes from bleach can lead to respiratory problems in the long term. At times like these, ingredients from your kitchen can come in handy. And what's more, they're easy on the pocket too.
Making your own cleaning liquids is easy. There's a handful of ingredients that can do most of the jobs for you, and the best part is they're all-natural, organic products that you'd consider fit to consume. So you know it's definitely good for your home! Try your hand at these 'recipes' for homemade cleaning agents, which are safe for kids and the elderly to use, and will leave your home feeling flushed and fresh.
Store bought cleaning solutions are aplenty, but they're often loaded with chemicals like ammonia, formaldehyde and chlorine, which are all said to have adverse effects on our health. Even inhaling the fumes from bleach can lead to respiratory problems in the long term. At times like these, ingredients from your kitchen can come in handy. And what's more, they're easy on the pocket too.
Making your own cleaning liquids is easy. There's a handful of ingredients that can do most of the jobs for you, and the best part is they're all-natural, organic products that you'd consider fit to consume. So you know it's definitely good for your home! Try your hand at these 'recipes' for homemade cleaning agents, which are safe for kids and the elderly to use, and will leave your home feeling flushed and fresh.
Homemade cleaning agents are safe, easy to make and really do work!
Note: Keep in mind body allergies and reactions when making these solutions. Use ingredients you are familiar with, and wear gloves when mixing and using, just to avoid any adverse reactions.
All-Purpose Cleaner:
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda
2 cups water
This solution works well for bathroom stalls, drains and fixtures, on glass windows and metals. Avoid using on stone counters like granite, as it can wear it down. If you want a scented solution, put some lemon rind or essential oil into the mix. The acid from the lemon will speed up stain removal too.
All-Purpose Cleaner:
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp baking soda
2 cups water
This solution works well for bathroom stalls, drains and fixtures, on glass windows and metals. Avoid using on stone counters like granite, as it can wear it down. If you want a scented solution, put some lemon rind or essential oil into the mix. The acid from the lemon will speed up stain removal too.
An all-purpose mix of vinegar and water works well in most areas of your home. Image courtesy: Diana Grytsku
Natural Air Freshener:
You can try a couple of different options here, depending on the kind of scent you like. Dot the room with these or leave them in a corner to absorb odours and infuse the air with their natural scent:
Toilet Cleaner:
3/4 cup baking soda
3/4 cup vinegar
A few drops of lavendar or tea tree essential oil
This solution can clean the dirtiest of toilet bowls, and it smells great too!
Stone Cleaner:
1/2 cup baking soda
2 cups water
As all-encompassing as vinegar is when it comes to home cleaning, there are some areas that it can't work on, like natural stone for instance. For granite or marble countertops or floors, use this mixture of baking soda and water and give it a good scrub down.
Carpet Cleaner:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch
Put the vinegar and water mixture into a spray bottle and sprinkle liberally onto the carpet. Leave it for a few minutes and then vaccum over. If the stain is greasy, you can sprinkle some cornstarch after the vinegar, and then vaccum. As a refresher, a few drops of any essential oil work too.
You can try a couple of different options here, depending on the kind of scent you like. Dot the room with these or leave them in a corner to absorb odours and infuse the air with their natural scent:
- A bowl of fresh coffee grounds
- Pot pourri or a mix of fresh herbs and flowers
- Ground lemon
- A dish of baking soda and lemon juice
Toilet Cleaner:
3/4 cup baking soda
3/4 cup vinegar
A few drops of lavendar or tea tree essential oil
This solution can clean the dirtiest of toilet bowls, and it smells great too!
Stone Cleaner:
1/2 cup baking soda
2 cups water
As all-encompassing as vinegar is when it comes to home cleaning, there are some areas that it can't work on, like natural stone for instance. For granite or marble countertops or floors, use this mixture of baking soda and water and give it a good scrub down.
Carpet Cleaner:
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp cornstarch
Put the vinegar and water mixture into a spray bottle and sprinkle liberally onto the carpet. Leave it for a few minutes and then vaccum over. If the stain is greasy, you can sprinkle some cornstarch after the vinegar, and then vaccum. As a refresher, a few drops of any essential oil work too.
Home carpets may need frequent cleaning, but a quick natural refresher will work just as well. Image courtesy: gpointstudio
Microwave Cleaner:
1 cup vinegar
A few drops of lemon juice
The microwave is probably the dirtiest appliance in the kitchen, and what's worse, you can only see how dirty it is when you actually get down to cleaning it. Every few weeks, put a small cup of vinegar and lemon juice in the microwave and let it run regularly for 2-3 minutes. Once done, wipe down the inside.
Thumbnail credit: whatwolf
Also Read: 4 Easy Eco-Friendly Cleaning Hacks To Try
1 cup vinegar
A few drops of lemon juice
The microwave is probably the dirtiest appliance in the kitchen, and what's worse, you can only see how dirty it is when you actually get down to cleaning it. Every few weeks, put a small cup of vinegar and lemon juice in the microwave and let it run regularly for 2-3 minutes. Once done, wipe down the inside.
Thumbnail credit: whatwolf
Also Read: 4 Easy Eco-Friendly Cleaning Hacks To Try
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