Read these 9 Cleaning Agents Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Cleaning tips and hundreds of other topics.
One great use for baking soda is to make a sachet by pouring some into a coffee filter and stapling it closed. This can then be placed in a closet, hamper, drawer, etc. to help eliminate odor. Once a week, change the sachet and pour the old baking soda down the drain to help freshen it.
Partly fill the bathroom sink with warm water, and mix a squirt of cheap hair shampoo. Add the clips and let them soak awhile. Use an old toothbrush or scrub brush and gently scrub the gunk off.
In order to remove those hard, ugly stains from coffee mugs, simply make a paste of baking soda, salt and water. Apply the paste to a sponge and scrub the mess away! Your cups and mugs will be sparkling-clean, just waiting for a fresh cup of coffee!
Lemons: they're not just a good way to season dishes and add flavor. If you are looking for a quick, organic way to clean up your kitchen on the cheap, here are some ways a couple of lemons can clean your entire eating space!
Using lemons to cleanse the sink gets rid of tons of germs you might not even think of. The antibacterial properties clean out the inside of your sink, while you can polish the brass and silver fixtures with lemon and water.
If you are dealing with mineral deposits in your appliances, lemon and salt can also clean off limescale and other sticky situations, making your coffee makers and water faucets work like new.
Tackling food odors in the fridge, garbage, or disposal? Lemon acts like baking soda to neutralize, without the clunky box space.
If your dishwasher is not running at optimal conditions, you can run an empty cycle with lemon juice to degrease and unclog any unhappy blockages that keep your plates from sparkling.
Unlike water, lemon juice does not quickly conduct electricity, making it a safer alternative for cleaning oven and stovetop spills.
As an organic Windex, lemon juice cleans windows without the chemically smell.
The best natural cleaning recipes are the ones you make yourself and are generally derived from five main ingredients including baking soda, borax, soap (homemade and/or organic soap) washing soda, and white vinegar or lemon juice.
Many department stores carry "green" or "organic" products but buyer beware....labels can be deceiving. Hidden cancer-causing petrochemicals are among the top toxic ingredient found in many personal and house-cleaning products. Foaming cleansers in particular have been found to contain 1,4-Dioxane, a cancer-causing petrochemical. Avoid that toxic trap and try making these easy, inexpensive, all natural cleaners:
Fresh Furniture Polish Recipe:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice for fragrance.
Combine these ingredients and shake well. Dip a clean, dry cloth into the polish and rub wood in the direction of the grain.
TIP: Adding essential oils to furniture polish could damage wood surfaces. To fill the air with the heady scent of natural oils, simply dap some on a cloth and drape over a lightbulb or purchase an oil diffuser for the room.
Easy All Purpose Cleaner:
2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water.
Add 20 to 30 drops of lemon or lavender oil (optional)
TIP: The smell of vinegar can be strong but will dissipate quickly.
Many homeowners prefer to use non toxic all natural cleaners as safe alternatives to the harsh chemicals that are found in commercial cleaning products. Household cleaners with chemicals can cause ongoing health problems for those who suffer from sinusitis, allergies, bronchitis, or asthma. Due to their manufacturing process and methods of disposal, these types of cleaning products are not environmentally friendly.
Natural housecleaning solutions can easily be made from products that are safe for the environment and your family's health. Many household items are used to make effective, chemical free cleaning products. Some examples of homemade cleaning solutions include baking soda to clean and scour surfaces, deodorize a room, and soften water. The strong acid in lemons destroys many types of household bacteria, and white vinegar removes stains, wax build-up, mildew, and grease.
Natural cleaning recipes are simple formulas that you can use to reduce or eliminate harmful toxins and chemicals from your home. For an all purpose cleaning solution, mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda with one half cup of white vinegar. Dilute the mixture with one half gallon of water. Cleans bathroom mirrors and chrome fixtures, panels in shower stalls, and windows.
For an all natural chemical free air freshener, simmer a small amount of cinnamon and spices throughout the day. To remove mold from the bathroom, mix two parts of water with one part of hydrogen peroxide. Spray the area and avoid showering or rinsing for one hour. Baking soda and a wet scrub brush will remove grease and oil stains.
More homeowners are using green products or looking for natural house cleaning solutions without toxins or harsh chemicals. Those who are seeking alternatives to store bought cleaners should consider the advantages and benefits of using common household items to keep their home clean and refreshed. Natural cleaning recipes are simple to make, easy to use, economical, and environmentally friendly. The following list includes recipes for all natural cleaners and their uses.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: Add a quarter of a cup of baking soda to one half cup of white vinegar with at least two gallons of water. Cleans water stains and deposits from shower walls, chrome faucets and fixtures, mirrors, and windows. Two teaspoons of Borax may be used in place of the baking soda.
Hydrogen Peroxide: A solution made from one part hydrogen peroxide and two parts of water can be used to clean the bathroom and remove mold from tile and shower stalls.
Lemon Juice: To clean and disinfect the kitchen chopping block, rub sliced lemons across the surface of the chopping block to keep it fresh and free from stains. Resistant stains can be removed by directly applying lemon juice to the spot and wiping clean after ten minutes.
Salt and Lime Juice: Rust can be effectively removed by sprinkling salt on the area and saturating the salt with lime juice. Let the mixture sit for at least three hours before rinsing. Use the rind of the lime to remove
any leftover residue.
Toothpaste: Use a small amount on a damp cloth to remove water rings from wooden countertops or tables.
Baking soda is a great odor neutralizer. Charcoal - either plain barbecue briquettes or activated charcoal is also great for neutralizing odors. Clay-type cat-box filler is a wonderful absorbent.
During cold and flu season, in order to prevent the spread of disease, sterilizing things such as our toothbrushes, and if we eat in a restaurant, dishes, silverware, cups and glasses is crucial. Punch a small hole in the aluminum seal on a bottle of alcohol (at least 91 percent) to create a spray bottle with a small stream. Spray alcohol on your toothbrush and the area where it is stored. Also, when you go to a restaurant carry a small bottle of the 91 percent alcohol with you and sterilize the silverware and rims of glasses.
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