Natural Cleaning

Natural Cleaning:
I hate to clean.  Mostly because I'd much rather be out running.  But, partly because of all the disgusting, unnecessary toxins associated with traditional, store-bought cleaners. 

Since I love to bake, it wasn't surprising to discover that I love making up "recipes" for natural cleaners.  I started by doing research about what natural products have the best properties for making a clean home.  I learned a great deal from the book, “The Naturally Clean Home: 150 Super-Easy Herbal Formulas for Green Cleaning” by Karyn Siegel-Maier

Everyone’s cleaning habits are different, so you may develop your own recipes that you like better – it all depends on your favorite scents and allergies.  But, here are my favorite recipes...not that I use them as often as I should!

Shopping/Gathering List:
Getting started can be overwhelming, so here’s a quick list of items I made sure I had on hand before I switched over…
1.) White Vinegar
2.) Baking Soda
3.) Lemons
4.) Bucket
5.) Funnel
6.) Airtight glass jars (i.e. mason jars or emptied/cleaned tomato sauce jars)
7.) Sprinkling container (i.e. emptied/cleaned parmesan cheese container)
8.) Rags: old t-shirts and towels cut into various sizes for different uses
9.) Essential Oils*
10.) Nutmeg
11.) Cinnamon
12.) Spray bottle
13.) Squeegee
14.) Sea Salts
 *Essential Oils can be found at places like spas, massage therapy centers, Body Shop and the like.  They all have different properties (and scents) – so, research what they do before deciding which ones are best for your home.  Tea Tree is my favorite because it has all the properties you could want BUT it is NOT recommended for people with really bad allergies.  I also am partial to orange, cedarwood and peppermint....lavender is growing on me.

Recipes:
Floor Cleaner:
· 1 cup white vinegar
· 1/4 cup baking soda
· 5-10 drops essential oil(s) of choice
· 1 1/2 gallons hot water
Mix ingredients well, stirring until dissolved.  Mop or scrub floors as usual.

Window Cleaner:
· 3/4 cup white vinegar
· 1 DROP Dawn liquid soap
· Fill remainder of bucket with hot water.
Wash windows with a soft reusable rag.  Squeegee clean.  (Best when done on a grey day).
No Squeegee?  No Problem!  My mother swears by drying the windows with crumpled newspapers. (but, who actually gets the newspaper anymore?)

Perspiration Soak:
Soak extra soiled clothing and bedding in this mixture with cold water for 30-60 minutes prior to a cold-water wash (I use baking soda rather than harsh detergents).
· 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
· 1/2 cup white vinegar
· 10 drops essential oil (I use 7 drops Tea Tree and 3 drops Orange)

Carpet Deodorizer:
· 1 cup baking soda
· 5 drops essential oil(s) of your choice.
Sprinkle over recently vacuumed  carpets/rugs and allow to sit for several hours.  Vacuum.  Sniff. Enjoy!

Kitchen Sink Scrub:
· 1 cup baking soda
· 5 drops essential oil of your choice. (I like cedarwood for this one)
· 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
· 1 teaspoon nutmeg.
Mix ingredients well (make sure there are no clumps).  Place in a container with a sprinkle top (an old parmesan cheese container or toothpick container works well).  After washing dishes, sprinkle sink with this mixture, allow to sit for several minutes, wipe with a damp towel, rinse.  (Added bonus: Throw towel in with a load of laundry and you don’t have to add baking soda to the load).
Note: Some people add a few tablespoons Borax to this recipe.  It’s harsher than baking soda, so be careful when using Borax – make sure your surface can handle it (it’s kind of like using comet).

All-Purpose Spray:
· 1/4 cup lemon juice
· 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
· 10 drops tea tree essential oil
· 5 drops sweet orange essential oil
· 2 cups hot water.
Mix ingredients well.  Use a funnel to place in a spray bottle (I just reuse old containers, but you can buy fancy new spray bottles and make your own labels).  Spray onto surfaces and wipe clean with a soft, reusable towel.

All Purpose Wipes:
Use the All-Purpose Spray recipe (or another natural cleaning recipe of your choice) to soak reusable cloths and store in an airtight container.  Use wipes as needed and wash between uses.
 I also soak larger towels (or, old tshirts) in this and store in a larger container to have on hand for floor scrubbing. I’m much more likely to regularly scrub my floors if I don’t have to fill an entire bucket with a new solution. 
Note: When I’m done using a smaller (non-floor) wipe, I put it on a drying rack under my sink.  Then, when I have recyclables that need to be rinsed, I save water by wiping them down with my already-dirty towel.  Then, I can throw the towel in the laundry (or the top drawer of the dishwasher) and reuse for the next set of all purpose wipes.

Glass Cleaning Tips:
- Do you have a baked-on mess destroying that beautiful Pyrex bakeware?  Grab a piece of aluminum foil (used is fine!), loosely ball it up and scrub the mess clean. 
- To remove soap scum from your shower doors, dip half a lemon in sea salt and scrub away.  Elbow grease is needed.

Bonus tip:
Here's one I snagged from the beloved Pinterest:  For an extra grimey bathtub, mix equal parts warm vinegar and dish soap and spray onto the surface.  Allow to set for 30 minutes or longer (I waited a solid 5 hours), scrub clean (with plenty of water).  Amazing.

Happy cleaning!