It’s spring cleaning time. What could be better than a sparkling, fresh-smelling home? You feel relaxed and invigorated at the same time when your surroundings are spruced up. It’s important, though, not to defile the environment in your quest for a clean home.
Some commercial cleaning Sydney supplies are harsh and dangerous, and others produce really nasty by-products. So how do you scrub your home and keep your family, pets, and the environment safe? Use homemade cleaning supplies concocted from common groceries you already have in your home. Most of the following solutions are safe enough to ingest, so you know they’re not poisoning you. (Just because they’re safe to ingest doesn’t mean you should, though!)
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Vinegar
Vinegar is a wonderful product with almost endless uses. It is a deodorizer and a cleaner. It can remove water stains and kill mold and mildew. To use for general cleaning areas, mix one-part vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle. All you need is a clean cloth to begin freshening your home. Use this mixture on countertops, bathroom fixtures, and laminate floors. Vinegar and water work especially well on faux wood floors, as it dries quickly (you can watch it evaporate). Plain water or soapy water will leave streaks, smudges, and water spots on floors. As if you mix water and vinegar and also use a little elbow grease then your floors will dry instantly and be shiny. Undiluted vinegar removes mold and watermarks. Pour full-strength vinegar directly on mold or mildew to kill it. To clean your coffee maker, pour straight vinegar in the chamber and turn it on as you would if you were making coffee. (Leave the coffee out, but use a filter.)
Baking soda
Baking soda is another completely safe product that can be used in a variety of ways. If your sink’s drain is clogged or just dirty and smelly, sprinkle a box of baking soda all over the inside of the sink, and into the drain. Wait a bit to allow the soda to deodorize the area. Then pour undiluted vinegar into the sink and drain and watch the reaction. This is a great project to allow your kids to do. They won’t even know that they’re cleaning the house. For stovetops, make a thick paste of baking soda to gently scrub the surface. Pour your baking soda into a bowl and slowly add small amounts of water until all the soda is damp, but hasn’t dissolved. Then use a plastic scrubby to apply to the stovetop. This works great to remove grease and grime without scratching. Of course, everyone knows the trick of setting a small dish of baking soda in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odors. When the soda has been in the fridge for about a month, dump it in your drains to deodorize them and set a new dish in the fridge.
Lemons and lemon juice
Those folks at the furniture polish company know what they’re doing when they add lemon scent to their products. Lemon perks up the whole house and makes everyone feel happy. To use lemon without buying commercial products, cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on it. Use the lemon half to scrub countertops, dishes, and chrome surfaces. It’ll leave your kitchen shiny and smelling great. For wood furniture or leather, mix 2 parts olive oil with one part lemon juice. Apply a small amount to a clean rag and rub vigorously to shine and dust.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is a little gritty and contains cleaning agents, so it can be used to gently remove stains on some household surfaces. Water rings on wooden furniture can be removed or lightened by rubbing toothpaste onto the spot with a clean rag. The residue left from glue, as when you peel off a price tag, for instance, can also be removed with toothpaste. Try toothpaste on a plastic scrubby for cleaning any slightly textured surface.
Hydrogen peroxide
Make a paste of hydrogen peroxide and cream of tartar to remove stubborn stains in your bathroom. Use an old toothbrush to scrub, then rinse well and your bathroom should be sparkly. It’s amazing to watch hydrogen peroxide remove blood stains from clothing. Just pour a little directly onto the blood spot. It will bubble for a bit. When it’s done bubbling, pour a tiny bit more onto the spot. Keep doing this until it doesn’t bubble anymore, then wash the item in cold water. Fresh bloodstains should completely disappear, and even old stains will be significantly lighter. Before using this product, make sure to do a little spot test in a hidden area, as hydrogen peroxide may lighten the material.
Follow the tips above, and you will have a naturally clean, deodorized home, without endangering any living thing. Be sure to try all products in a hidden area first, to test for colorfastness, and use common sense when mixing products. Cleaning Services Sydney Company offers various home cleaning services.