Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular essential oils for using in natural cleaning products and in general. This is because lavender smells delicious and “clean”, and because it has aromatherapeutic and disinfectant properties. Just think of all those commercial cleaners loaded with artificial lavender scent (which smell nothing like the [...]
Designers, turn green! In this writer’s opinion, few things are as sensual as the organic curves seen in natural woodgrain, and when I build my dream home, it’s going to be filled with lots and lots of natural wood furniture. I’m starting my collection now.
And before that dream home arrives, I’m [...]
If you’re at all interested in natural cleaning methods and sustainable living in general, you probably know lots of the usual uses of vinegar. You know – mixing it with salt to clean copper and brass, using vinegar to remove limescale from taps and kettles, unblocking drains and adding a bit of flavour to [...]
1. The multi-purpose spray. This is made from water and white vinegar in about 50:50 proportions, plus about 10 or more drops of tea tree essential oil. This spray gets used all the time for all sorts of cleaning jobs. I use it for cleaning kitchen surfaces, cleaning glass and mirrors, cleaning [...]
Natural fibres and natural cleaning methods. It sounds like the perfect cleaning combination. But as each natural fibre needs a slightly different cleaning method when it comes to washing day, what needs to be done for what?
Cotton: The most common natural fibre and one of the easiest to wash – assuming that [...]
I’ve told you a hundred times not to do that (or to do that, depending on exactly what we’re talking about). Why? Why? Because I said so, that’s why! Oh, all right. Here’s the reason why. So don’t go asking me why again! Do you hear me?
For those of [...]
For cleaning marble surfaces (e.g. chopping boards or ornaments) DON’T use vinegar, as this will damage the material. However, DO use plain water, with the possible addition of baking soda, as this can clean marble without scratching the surface.
For cleaning a blocked drain, DON’T use ferocious chemicals based on caustic soda if [...]
Floors come in three basic varieties: soft (i.e. carpet), hard (tile, lino, flags, marble) and wooden (self-explanatory). And you can clean all types of floors using natural methods.
As an everyday measure, the natural cleaning products you will be using for your floors will be the broom and the vacuum cleaner. Or just [...]
Sometimes, one of the hardest parts of switching to using natural cleaning methods for your house is to persuade the other members of your household that this is the right idea. If you don’t, you are left with the options of (a) cleaning the house yourself, (b) putting up with their chemical gunk on [...]
Cleaning ovens really needs to be split into three parts. In order of ease, they are (1) cleaning the top of a conventional stove (you know –the bit with the elements), (b) cleaning a microwave oven and (c) cleaning the inside of a conventional oven. However, for all three, baking soda is your [...]
