House cleaning products are expensive.  I can go into a supermarket and spend a hundred pounds on cleaning products alone.  Now modern research tells us that many of the products we use and spend so much money for carry toxins.  They are also telling us that these cleaning products can be hazardous to our health in the long run.

Therefore, I decided to do my own research and I came up with many ways to clean your home inexpensively.  The mixtures I came up with are cleaning recipes to create natural cleaning products that you can easily make using the products you already have in your home.  These cleaning mixtures are safe and not hazardous to your health and in the long-run will save you lots of money.

Now with the holidays coming up I am sure you need to save every possible penny.  So, let us begin.  Below is a list of cleaning recipes for all areas in your home.

Glass:

• To wash your windows use 2 to 3 tablespoons of vinegar to three liters of warm water. Dry with rutted newspaper for sparkling results.
• Do you have dirty vases in your home? Put in 1 tablespoon of vinegar and fill with warm water. Leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Rub the vases with a soft cloth then rinse.

Wood Floors:

• Mix one part olive oil with one part lemon juice. Rub on furniture or apply with a spray bottle, then polish the wood with a dry cloth. Use this mix to make wood floors gleam.

Vinyl, Laminate or Ceramic Floors:

• Mop vinyl, laminate or ceramic tiled floors with 8 tablespoons of vinegar watered down in 3 liters of hot water.
• For pet odors and stains in carpets, mix equal parts of vinegar and water. Apply to affected areas. Use the mixture with kitchen paper towels, until moisture is absorbed. You may need to repeat the process one or two times.

Stainless Steel:

• Clean and shine any stainless steel surface with a paste of soda and water. Apply freely with a damp cloth. Leave for about 5 minutes, then wipe.

Microwaves and Ovens:

• Clean with a cloth dampened in equal parts of vinegar and water.
• To remove microwave odors, place some lemon slices in a bowl of water. Then put on high for a few minutes.

Baths, shower doors, tiles and grout:

• To get rid of body oils and soap scum use two parts soda to one part vinegar or lemon juice. This will create a thick paste.  Use the thick paste with a damp cloth. Leave for 10 minutes then rub with a brush or sponge. As you rinse it off, drains will be kept fresh too. Use this mix on shower doors, sinks, tiles and grout. If cleaning grout, rub with a toothbrush.

Mildew and mold:

• To get rid of black spots use one part vinegar or lemon juice to one part baking powder. Apply and leave for one or two hours. Rinse off. It may need to be reapplied or left longer, depending on how severe your mold or mildew is.

Air Freshener:

• Baking soda eliminates odors. Mix 8 tablespoons with three drops of your favorite essential oil. Place in a decorative bowl or vase.
• Soda in the bottom of ashtrays absorbs smoke smells. It is also like sand for stubbing out cigarettes.
• Put some essential oil on a light bulb. When on, the heat will diffuse the fragrance.

Toilet:

• Keep the toilet clean and fresh - put eight tablespoons of soda in the bowl. Leave overnight.
• Sprinkle soda onto a damp cloth to clean toilet seat and tank, then wipe with a wet cloth.

Drain cleaner:

• Use one part soda, with four parts hot vinegar. Leave overnight if possible.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 22:16 and is filed under Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.