Back in the day who knew about Mr. Muscle or Flash?  People used natural products to clean their homes.  These products were inexpensive, they were used for multi-purposes and honestly, in my own opinion many of these products clean much better than the newer products that cover the shelves in the grocery store.

In addition, natural cleaning products offer environmentally sound, cost-efficient alternatives to the poisonous and potentially lethal house cleaning products used in many homes today. Use of these natural options is especially critical as most traditional cleaning products eventually contact the air, water, and/or soil, where they can cause major and permanent harm to animals, plants, drinking water, and food supplies.

So what should you consider using?

Vinegar

Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on a not easily seen area.

It is safe to use on most surfaces and best of all its incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Do not worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries and if you want, you could always spray the relaxing scent of lavender to rid the smell. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house.

Places to use vinegar in your home…

1.    Bathroom – Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the flour in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.

2.    Kitchen – Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.

3.    Laundry Room – Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)

When you choose to use natural cleaning products like vinegar, you help keep our global home a bit cleaner and safer for this generation and those to come.