Ever notice how common household cleaners come with warning labels such as keep out of reach of children, avoid direct contact with skin, and do not inhale? Us too.
Even if you wear gloves while cleaning, residue is left behind and that means you are still breathing in toxic chemicals and they still get absorbed by your skin when you touch the surface after the fact. It’s probably no surprise that we at Nature’s Aid prefer more natural solutions to keep the home clean. And we want to share our favourite products with you. These products don’t require special ordering or trips to various stores either, actually, we bet you have all of them in your home already.
1. Baking Soda
What doesn’t baking soda do? It cleans and scours sinks, bathtubs, showers and stainless steel without scratching. All you need to do is sprinkle some on a sponge and scrub. To remove smells and stains from carpet, mattresses and upholstered furniture, sprinkle baking soda over the target area and let sit for anywhere between a few minutes to an hour and then vacuum it up. If you have hard water, baking soda can be used to soften it.
2. Cornstarch
A wonderful all-purpose product, cornstarch should always be kept on hand. For grease stains on clothes, carpet and upholstery, sprinkle cornstarch over it and let sit overnight. The grease will be pulled up and you can wipe it away in the morning. For holidays and dinner parties, mix cornstarch with water and naturally clean your silverware. Naturally abrasive and superfine, add cornstarch to your window cleaner for an easier job with streak-free windows.
3. Lemons
One of the strongest food-acids, most household bacteria are no match for the power of the lemon. Use a lemon wedge to clean around faucets, use freshly squeezed lemon juice to wipe counters, or add the juice to white vinegar, water and soap for an all-purpose cleaning solution. To make the home smell great, don’t waste money on artificial air fresheners, simply boil lemon slices on the stove for about ten minutes.
4. Unscented Soap
Whether in liquid, flake or powdered form, unscented soap will clean just about anything and as an added bonus, it is biodegradable. When it comes to cleaning, we feel that nothing is better for the home or skin than good old fashioned soap and water.
5. White Vinegar
Although vinegar has a potent smell, it actually eliminates odours. If you are cooking foods that leave a lasting odour such as fish or broccoli, try simmering a pot of 1 Tbsp vinegar with 1 cup water on the stove while you cook, this will counter-act the smell. It can also be used to remove mildew, stains, wax build-up, and grease. Mix white vinegar with lemon juice, unscented soap and water for a great all-purpose cleaner.
The only thing better than a freshly cleaned home is an aired out one. Don’t forget to open those windows and let some fresh air in! It has been found that the air in the home is more polluted than outside and as our homes become more tightly sealed to prevent air leakage and reduce energy costs, opening those windows is more important than ever. Airing out the home clears out smells and leaves an overall fresh feeling. That’s why we open ours year-round, even in the dead of winter. Five minutes is all it takes to get a house full of fresh air while still retaining heat.
Using these items for your cleaning needs will save time (they do a great job with less arm-work from you) and money as you don’t need much to garner great results. We promise you will still get a deep clean and your home will feel and smell fresh. Best of all, they get rid of bacteria without irritating your skin, without you having to breathe in toxic chemicals and without leaving dangerous residues that could impact your children and pets.
