Natural Cleaning Week: All My Favorites!

I'm back!  And happy to be!  Hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weekend!  It was sunny, hot, and not humid (for a change) here in Charlotte.  Family tells me the midwest and upper east coast were likewise.  Hope you had some outdoor fun before returning to the regular schedule on Monday morning.  :)

I've got to play catch up around here...  It's a little embarrassing, I never finished off Natural Cleaning Week before my life exploded with busyness.  I'm going to list off the last cleaning and deodorizing recipes all in this final post.  Sound good?  These are the rest of my favorite all-natural ways to freshen the home!  If you have some fun and must-try recipes to share, please do so in the comments section below or on our Facebook page!


Natural Cleaning Solutions (mixed bag of my favorites)

1.)  For hard water stained toilets, if vinegar and baking soda doesn't seem to be enough, add 3 fizzing denture tablets to the bowl before bedtime.  Give it a good scrubbing with a stiff toilet brush in the morning.  Sure beats all that wrist work using pumice stone.

2.)  Fabric and Room Deodorizer: In a clean spray bottle, add 1 cup vodka, 1 1/2 cups filtered water, and 1 Tablespoon of baking soda.  Shake the bottle gently until the baking soda dissolves.  (You can add about 15 drops of your favorite pure essential oil.  I use a therapeutic grade oil, like Thieves blend or Lavender.)  Spray into the air, on your couches, curtains, carpets, and car seats! The vodka will not leave any alcohol smell or stain, but it will help to deodorize the fabrics.

3.) Bathroom Air Freshener:  Fill a Mason jar about 3/4 full with baking soda, 12-15 drops lavender essential oil (or other oil scent you prefer), and dried lavender flowers (optional - added for a pretty look).  Place a square piece of scrap fabric over the top and screw the cap ring around.  Set on counter or back of toilet for natural freshening for months.  Change baking soda a few times a year.

4.)  Greasy Grimy Stove Tops: This works especially well for flat tops.  Sprinkle the baked on grime with baking soda and spritz with a little warm water, just to form a paste.  Let sit about 15 minutes.  Wipe away with a damp rag.  If you have an electric or gas range, you might enjoy this tip -- remove the grates and burners, and vacuum all the crevices before doing a wipe down.  You won't believe the crumbs that find their way under the burners, and it's 1000 times easier to suck them all up than try to catch them with a rag.  I vacuum my stove top a few times a year for maintenance.

5.)  Oven Cleaner:  Moisten the inside of the oven with a light spritzing of water or by using a damp sponge.  Sprinkle all surfaces and sides with baking soda.  Let sit overnight.  Remove with spatula and wipe clean with water.  Rub gently with fine steel wool on tough spots.

6.)  Drain Cleaner: Pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar.  The resulting chemical reaction can break fatty acids down into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain.  After 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue.  Caution: only use this method with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used.  Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener--the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

I hope you have learned something new through this week+ of natural cleaning solutions!  You can now safely clean you home from top to bottom naturally.  We'll be back to food recipes on Thursday!  Come back then!  :)

Natural Cleaning Week: Tub & Tile

We're winding down our week of Natural Cleaning Tips.  I've got to say, the question I get emailed most often when it comes to natural cleaning is how do you do your bathrooms without chemicals??  Okay, I'll share my secrets with you...  And yes, it is completely possible to eliminate soap scum and moldy build up without the use of harsh chemicals!

Now let me shamelessly put in a plug right now for you to switch to all-natural body care products.  If you're not sure if what you're currently using is natural or not, look it up on the EWG's Cosmetic Database.  The majority of soap scum buildup and slimy residue comes from the chemicals left behind from toxic body care products.  You'll find after switching to natural methods of body care, your bathroom will stay cleaner longer, and require less scrubbing maintenance in the future.

For the counters and toilet I use my All-Purpose Spray mix.  For the toilet bowl, I add a few splashes of distilled white vinegar and a good scrub with the toilet brush.  (If you have hard water or lime stains, use 2 cups of vinegar and a few Tablespoons of baking soda and scrub away.)  And for the mirrors, I use my Window Spray mix.

For some bath tubs and tiles, the simple All-Purpose Spray will do the job.  For tougher tubs and tile stains, you'll need a little stronger mix.  Here are my methods:


Stained Bath Tubs

bristle brush
borax
water

1.)  Wet the bathtub and drain out any remaining water, just so that the stains are moistened.  You can use plain water, or spritz with the All-Purpose vinegar spray.

2.)  In a small bowl, add some borax powder.  Judge by the size of your stains how much you may need.  Add water to the borax a few drops at a time, stirring with a metal spoon until a paste forms.

3.)  Apply the paste to the dirty tub.  Let sit for 10-20 minutes.  Scrub with a bristle brush, the stains should dissolve away with little work.

Dirty Tile Grout

hydrogen peroxide (3%)
baking soda
clean rag or old toothbrush

1.)  First, remove any surface dirt/scum with a good wipe down with the All-Purpose spray.  In a small bowl, add some baking soda.  Judge by the size of your grout/tiles how much you may need.  Add hydrogen peroxide a few drops at a time, stirring with a metal spoon until a paste forms.

2.)  Apply the past to the dirty tile grout.  Let sit for 30 minutes.  Wipe away with a dampened rag, or for tougher stains, scrub with an old toothbrush.  Finish with a rinse of the entire wall/floor of tile.

Natural Cleaning Week: Carpets & Stains

We're talking carpets and stains today, as part of the 22 Day Spring Clean Challenge.  I am almost finished with my 22 Days...just two more left!  Where are you at???  I challenge you to take a read through the list and start your own countdown to a spring clean home NATURALLY!  And that's what this week is all about, after all.  I am sharing my personal all natural recipes and methods to get your home squeaky clean.

It's good habit to give your carpeting a good washing once a year.  This will get the deep down dirt and dust that has built up over the year out.  AND it will eliminate bacteria, allergens, mold, and dust mites, all known to make our indoor air (and us) sick!  You will need a personal carpet cleaning wet vac or you can rent one and use natural ingredients instead of the commercial detergents (which are toxic!).

If you have stains or spots on your carpet, maybe left by pets or wine, you will also need a carpet brush or, to stay green, use an old toothbrush.

Natural Carpet Cleaning

STAINS
carpet brush
about 2 tsp baking soda (more/less depending on size of stain)
1/2 tsp castile soap
1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide

CARPET
distilled white vinegar
distilled water
essential oil, optional  (I use Thieves)

1.)  First, pretreat noticeable/tough stains:  Vacuum the entire carpet thoroughly.  Sprinkle a light layer of baking soda over the stain, make sure all edges are covered.  In a small bowl, mix 1/2 tsp of castile soap with 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide.  Pour the mixture over the baking soda.  Gently push the paste that forms down into the stain with the brush, being careful not to scrub it or split the carpet strands.  Blot with a clean dry towel to remove any standing liquid, then let dry (about 24 hours).

2.)   Fill the carpet cleaning vac with 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts distilled water.  Run the cleaner across the carpet, following manufacturer's instructions.  Follow up with a rinse of only distilled water (and a few drops of essential oil if you wish), especially over the baking soda spot pretreatments.  Let carpet dry fully for 24 hours.  Finish with a thorough vacuuming to pick up any fibers or dirt particles left from the cleaning.

And it's as simple as that, folks!  Your carpet will be refreshed and sanitized, and last longer from great maintenance!  And soft -- did I forget to mention your carpet feels softer after it dries?  Your feet will thank you.  :)

Natural Cleaning Week: All Purpose & Floors

It's still Natural Cleaning Week, where I am sharing my personal all-natural cleaning methods and recipes with you in response to the 22 Day Spring Clean Challenge.  Today I'll be sharing my two all-purpose cleaning sprays and floor cleaning solutions.  I've even got a great regimen for hardwood floors, so stick around and read on!

All Purpose Cleaning Spray

My regular all-purpose cleaning spray is the following recipe.  Simple to mix up and very affective.  I choose to add a few drops of Young Living Thieves oil for added sanitation, but vinegar alone has been shown to kill germs on contact.  Before I found Thieves oil blend, I used to use Wyndmere's Bacteria Fighter.  It worked great at sanitizing, too, and smells so fresh!

All Purpose Cleaner

1 part distilled white vinegar
1 part filtered water
a few drops of Thieves oil  or Bacteria Fighter (OPTIONAL)
(you may also like to try your own blend of oils, such as lemongrass, tea tree, lavender, clove, orange, mint, eucalyptus)

Add all ingredients to a clean spray bottle (order spray bottles in bulk to save money).  Shake to mix, and ready to use.  Safe to use on just about anything, even stainless steel!

If you've got to clean up a mess that is extra greasy, like my kitchen the other night after I made fried salmon cakes and splattered oil all over my walls and counter....  You'll need a little added grease-cutting boost to your cleaner.  Here's what I do:

Degreasing Cleaner

1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 cup filtered water
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 tsp castile soap
5 drops tea tree oil  (OPTIONAL)

Add all ingredients to spray bottle and shake to combine.  Ready for use!  (And it is normal for the baking soda to foam a bit when added to the bottle.)

FLOORS

For tile/vinyl/linoleum/painted wood/stone floors, I use these same solutions, simply in a 3 gallon bucket.  Dunk mop in the All Purpose solution and wring as dry as possible (I prefer to use a cotton string mop or strip mop.  Strip mops are easier to wring out.).  You can let your floors air dry.  For really dirty floors, with mud or caked on food, the degreasing cleaner is fabulous!  Spray any big stains or dirt spots to pretreat for about 15 minutes -- this will cut down on your scrub time and effort.

For hardwood floors, you can use the general All Purpose Cleaning recipe above.  Make sure mop is wrung out until almost dry, and always follow up your wood floor mopping with a dry mop or towel to soak up any leftover moisture that can warp or damage the wood.  About four times a year, you can mop your floors with a hydrating and shine treatment:

Hardwood Floor Hydration & Shine Treatment
Use no more than 4 times per year to prevent oil buildup

2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 cups olive oil

Add ingredients to a bucket and use a whisk to combine.  Dip clean mop in and wring it out as well as possible, until it's barely damp.  Mop hardwood floors like normal.  Follow up with a dry mop or towel buff to soak up any left behind moisture.  Your floors will shine like new, and will appreciate the renewed hydration!

Natural Cleaning Week: Wood Furniture Polish

In my home growing up, we used lemon scented spray like Pledge or Endust to clean and shine our wooden furniture.  I know now that those cans of cleaner are toxic.  These types of spray furniture cleaners contain petroleum, silicone, paraffin and kerosene which are used to make it seem like they are cleaning and shining your wood, however they instead coat the wood and leave behind a thin oily finish.  These types of carcinogenic ingredients are also harmful to human health, well known to disrupt the endocrine system, linked to arthritis and fibromyalgia, and even cause cancer.

After learning that, how could you go on using commercial wood cleaners??  It is really simple to clean your wood at home using a few simple ingredients.  The first time you are making the switch, you will have to use the Wood Furniture Polish recipe below.  The lemon juice will help to break down the waxy/oily toxic finish left behind from your old cleaners (in some cases this can be years of buildup!).  You may find you need to treat your wood with the polish multiple times in a row to break down the buildup.  Once you break through the toxic oily finish, you can simply use a slightly dampened rag of water and vinegar to wipe down your wood (I use a soft cut up t-shirt).  Follow up with a Wood Furniture Polish a few times a year to draw out any grease that collected over time.  Your wood will shine like new and for much longer between cleanings following this natural regimen!

Wood Furniture Polish
use a few times a year
 
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil

In a small bowl or clean spray bottle, mix the lemon juice and olive oil thoroughly.  Spray a few spritzes onto a dry, clean, soft rag (I use a cut up t-shirt) and buff onto the wooden furniture.  The lemon juice breaks down the dust and grease from the wood, and the olive oil refreshes and hydrates it.

Maintenance Wood Cleaner
use on a regular basis

1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1 gallon filtered water

Mix ingredients together.  Dip in a soft clean rag, wring out as much as you can.  Rag should be just slightly damp.  Wipe furniture down, rinsing rag often.

Natural Cleaning Week: Windows / Mirrors / Glass

In response to last week's Spring Cleaning Challenge, I would like to share my frugal and effective methods for cleaning my home naturally.  I'm titling it Natural Cleaning Week as it will take me about a week to share all my favorite recipes with you.  Come back every day for a new natural cleaning method!

You'll notice I will use distilled white vinegar in many of the cleaning recipes to follow.  A few reasons for that, 1) because it works so well at cleaning/degreasing/sanitizing, 2) it is an affordable (buy it in 1.32 gallon bottles from Costco for $2.89) and pure natural resource (and gluten-free for those who are Celiac!), and 3) I quite honestly enjoy the scent of vinegar while cleaning.  If you're one of those folks who's going to email me saying you hate the smell of vinegar, is there anything else you can use?, will yes, you can use fresh lemon juice instead for most of the recipes (except the window cleaner!).

Let's dive right in!  Today's natural cleaning recipe is for windows and mirrors.  You'll need a clean spray bottle for this (I get ours at the Dollar Tree or local hardware store).  Also my trick to streak free sparkling glass and mirrors is to wipe down wit a crumpled up piece of newspaper!  I learned that trick after working in housekeeping at a bed & breakfast in my high school years.  Best tip I ever learned!  Here's the recipes:

How to Naturally Clean Windows / Mirrors / Glass:

First time using natural vinegar -  If you are cleaning your windows with vinegar for the first time, you need to add an extra degreaser to help remove the residue left over from commercial products.  For your first time going natural, use:

2 cups filtered water
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap

Add to a clean spray bottle, shake, spray and wipe dry with crumpled newspaper.

Regular Cleaning - After removing any waxy residue with the liquid soap formula above, you can use a diluted white vinegar solution for normal dirt/routine cleanings.

1 part white distilled vinegar
1 part filtered water

Add to a clean spray bottle, shake, spray and wipe dry with a crumpled newspaper.

Extra dirty or greasy - For extra dirty windows or mirrors (e.g. caked on pollen, hard water spots, grease or paint splatter):  use full strength distilled white vinegar applied directly to the window.  For really caked on stubborn dirt,  you may need to warm the vinegar on the stove top to as hot as you can stand to touch (wear gloves to be safe), dip a rag in it, and hold over the grim on the window to break it down.