How to Keep Your Home Clean Naturally

Written by Angelle Batten M.A., H.H.C.

Green cleaning doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it can be very inexpensive if you have a few non-toxic products on hand. You can find some of the basics listed below. These are some of the things our great-grandmothers probably used to keep their homes clean for their families.
  • Baking Soda can be used in place of harsh and toxic cleansers. It also deodorizes and softens water. You can use it to clean your oven by sprinkling it on the oven floor, spraying with water until damp and letting sit overnight. Scrub in the morning and you’ve got a clean oven!
  • Castile Soap is great for disinfecting, cutting grease and it is a great all-around cleaner. The term castile tells you that the soap is vegetable, rather than animal-based.
  • Lemon Juice is effective for bleaching, deodorizing, cutting grease and removing stains.
  • Olive Oil is a great furniture polish.
  • White Vinegar actually kills bacteria, as well as deodorizing and cutting grease and wax buildup. It also removes mildew and dissolves hard water lime buildup on the inside of teapots. Just add four ounces of vinegar to a pot of water and boil. Rinse well.
  • Cornstarch will clean windows and pick up spills on your carpet, especially the ones from juice, coffee and wine.
If you would like to create your own safe cleaning solutions, here are some ‘recipes’ for you:

A Safe Softscrub

Mix ½ cup of baking soda with enough vegetable-based liquid soap to create a frosting-like mixture. Use with a sponge to wash your surfaces. Doesn’t leave any grit and rinses easily.
You can make this as you need it, or store it in a covered glass jar with 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin, which will help keep it moist.

Non-Toxic Widow Cleaner

1/4-1/2 teaspoon natural liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Spray bottle
Mix all of the above ingredients in a spray bottle and shake it up. The soap in this recipe cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Oven Cleaner

1 cup or more baking soda
Water
A squirt or two of natural liquid detergent
Wet the bottom of your oven generously and then cover all the grime with baking soda. The surface should be totally white. Spray some more water over the top and let the mixture sit overnight. Wipe up the grease the next morning. When the worst is cleaned up, go ahead and wipe up the rest with a sponge and a little castile soap. Using enough baking soda and water is the key – no skimping.

All-Around Cleaner

1/2 teaspoon washing soda
A dab of natural liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle until the washing soda is dissolved. Spray and clean!

Furniture Polish

1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice 
After mixing the ingredients in a glass jar you can use on a soft rag to wipe onto wood surfaces. Keep covered when not in use and store indefinitely.

Vinegar Deodorizer

Straight 5 percent vinegar in a spray bottle is a great deodorizer to use on your cutting board, on the counters and in the bathroom. You can let the vinegar sit on the cutting board overnight without wiping. The smell will dissipate. It is also great for getting the toilet rim clean.

Mold Cleaner

Combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray on moldy areas. Do not rinse. Vinegar also works well to kill a lot of mold. Just spray at full strength and let sit. 

Both of these homemade products have strong odors, but they dissipate and they are much safer than the majority of mold products on the market.

Source - http://www.nourishmd.com
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Previous Comments

Jenni commented on 24-Jun-2009 08:51 PM2 out of 5 stars
Why not try ENJO products, all that is needed is water and a fibre glove or cloth. I have been using ENJO products throughout my home for cleaning for about 10 years, eliminating the need for chemicals of any kind. My husband suffers less chemical associated headaches, and our house is far better condition than when I used harsh cleaners that pitted shower screens and toilet seats!! Much cleaner than the products you have listed above as well.
PS...I don't sell it, just love it.
Chris commented on 24-Jun-2009 09:08 PM3 out of 5 stars
Ditto the above comment, we use ECOVER products (available in some European countries and hopefully elsewhere) for all our cleaning products. Making your own cleaning products from natural ingredients is great, but for those who don't have the time to "cook" them up, do yourself and the environment a favor and look for eco-friendly products.
ireces commented on 24-Jun-2009 10:28 PM5 out of 5 stars
I have been using neways shower gel shampoos /conditioner/guardian for over 15years and have never had a mold or cleaning problem in my bathrooms or house. I live in tropics, very economical & enviromentaly safe. contact me for more info
Julia commented on 24-Jun-2009 11:07 PM5 out of 5 stars
I use bi carb soda on my underarms as deodorant. Its the best deodorant I have ever used, it allows sweat to come through (which is important) but kills any odors completely. Awesome :-) Simply apply as a powder with a large cosmetic brush no need to put much on at all.
Marian commented on 25-Jun-2009 12:12 AM5 out of 5 stars
I would expand this to yard care as well. For weeds in rock or patio stone areas, I use boiling water - no chemicals involved. If that doesn't work, then use vinegar.
Robert commented on 25-Jun-2009 06:23 AM5 out of 5 stars
For Automatic Dishwasher Soap:

1 part baking soda
1 part borax

Anny commented on 01-Jul-2010 10:09 PM5 out of 5 stars
I wish to remind that in the house it is necessary to do cleaning on a regular basis! Do not regret money and time. The pure house is the mortgage of your health and success!
Maria commented on 24-Jan-2011 08:51 PM5 out of 5 stars
I'm very happy to read your blog. I will keep your article in my idea. Thanks for this great information. I personally like the following solution: mix 1 liter of white vinegar, ¼ c. baking soda and1 tsp. dish detergent. This liquid kills the odor, germs and eliminate grease and dirt. My company provides house cleaning services and use environmentally-safe products.
Sara commented on 11-Nov-2011 03:58 PM5 out of 5 stars
Thank you. Love this. I use Norwex clothes because they work amazing, but i used to use all of the above solutions. Also, peppermint oil to prevent critters from hangin' out in your pantry. And coconut oil mixed with a little baking soda is the best darn
deodorant ever. xo
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