My husband says I’m a hippie. I always say I’m just part hippie. But I do like using natural things whenever possible.
The need to find alternative cleaners from things I had in hand came from my bad shopping skills. It would come time to clean the bathroom and I would realize I was out of cleaner. When I would run out I would fail to put it on my grocery list because I would jump to my next task. Overtime I’ve migrated to new cleaning products.
My favorite things to clean with are distilled water, vinegar, and baking soda. Occasionally I throw some bleach in the mix to make sure everything is really disinfected, but that’s mostly just on the toilets. For the most part, though I use those three basic cleaners.
What kind of vinegar is best? There are probably a dozen different kinds of vinegar, one of them is specifically called cleaning vinegar. White vinegar has an acidity of 5, while cleaning vinegar has an acidity of 6. The acidities are close, but the difference in cleaning is 20%, making cleaning vinegar much more effective. I’m sharing this simply so readers can make an informed decision. Because I always buy and have white vinegar, its what I clean with.
Baking soda- baking soda is excellent for making a paste out of, it can decrease in the kitchen, and remove soap scum in the bathroom. I use it on my shower and tub, and flush down the drain with vinegar to help remove any clogs. To really clear the drains follow up with a pot of boiling water.
Vinegar- for my mop water, kitchen sink and counters, and toilets I use vinegar. Additional uses you may not have thought of are descaling coffee makers, deodorizing and removing tough foods from food processors.
Distilled water- I love cleaning with steam. I own a handheld steamer and a steam vacuum mop. The handheld steamer I use to clean my microwave, refrigerator shelves, stovetop, kitchen sink, mirrors, bathroom sinks, toilets, and anything else that I can throughout the house. I have different nozzles and attachments for each room to keep it sanitary. My steam vac is excellent for everyday, and with three messy kids 4 and under some form of maintenance mopping is necessary everyday.
Chemicals are sometimes necessary, but can be hazardous and prolonged use could result in damage to yourself or others. There’s nothing wrong with using store bought cleaners, but it’s always nice to know there are alternatives for those that prefer them.
