HOUSEHOLD & HEALTH TIPS
Cleaning using natural ingredients is easy when you know how. Below are a few hints and tips for cleaning your home in a more natural and environmentally friendly manner. White Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda are the main two ingredients for cleaning the home in a chemical free way. There are a few companies out there that you can bulk buy from, I use Summer Naturals (lovely people). Vinegar is ideal as an all-purpose cleaner, it acts as a disinfectant and degreaser and has so many uses, and someone wrote a book on it. Many people think that vinegar smells, it does but it one of those smells that you get used to, masking the smell with some carefully selected essential oils not only masks the smell but also offers you greater cleaning and germ killing properties to your cleaner. Applying vinegar using a spray bottle, either bought or even better, a recycled well washed out trigger-cleaning bottle is all you need. You may find that you want to make different cleaning sprays for different areas; simple labels are all that are needed for each bottle.
Experimenting away from the recipe has always been a love of mine, unfortunately the day i tried to make the perfect spray cleaner, using bicarbonate and vinegar was the day i realised that chemistry was not my strong point, the explosion was well worth it though and the entire kitchen was cleaned down easily using a micro cloth. So, although the two ingredients can be used together, mixing them in a bottle and restricting with a lid is not a good idea unless you don't mind cleaning the kitchen in one go and taking a shower at the same time.
To get you started with the most simple and basic of recipes you might like to try:
Basic Vinegar Spray Cleaner
500ml trigger spray bottle
250ml white vinegar
250ml of water
Essential oils optional
Soapy vinegar cleaner
500ml trigger spray bottle
200ml white vinegar
300ml warm water
1 tsp pure soap
10 drops of tea tree essential oil
Greasy surface cleaner
500ml trigger spray bottle
3 tsp soda crystals
3 tsp borax
1 tsp pure soap
300ml of warm water
Floor Cleaner
1 tablespoon of soda crystals
5 drops of tea tree essential oil
1 5 drops of orange essential oil
1 mop bucket of hot water
For the basic vinegar spray cleaner, add the vinegar and water to the bottle and Voila! You have a solution suitable for cleaning glass, tiles and ceramics like the toilet, although for a very dirty toilet using neat vinegar is far better.
For work tops you might want a cleaner that has some antibacterial properties, by adding tea tree essential oil, which is the perfect essential oil for this, to the basic vinegar spray you have just made an antibacterial surface cleaner.
Orange and lemon essential oils both offer antibacterial properties and orange is well known for its strong cleaning properties.
Lavender is another great essential oil used in cleaning; all four oils will mask the smell of vinegar.
Care does need to be taken on painted and varnished surfaces when using essential oils, they can easily damage surfaces and neat essential oils should never be in contact with these or plastic surfaces as damage will be caused.
Cleaning the toilet
To eliminate bleach from your home forever, three simple ingredients are all you need to clean your toilet, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and tea tree essential oil. You can use a trigger bottle containing neat vinegar to get up and under the rim. Sprinkle a handful of bicarbonate around the inside of the toilet and preferably leave over night although you can scrub immediately if you wish. Using a toilet brush, drop up to 20 drops of tea tree essential oil onto the sides of the toilet taking care not to get it onto painted, plastic or varnished toilet seats. Scrub well, the essential oil will act as a germ killer and also clean the toilet brush at the same time.
Cleaning the bathroom
The basic vinegar cleaner can be used for this task with bicarbonate of soda to removed tide marks and soap scum. Simply spray on the vinegar cleaner, you could also add 15 drops of orange essential oil and 15 drops of lavender essential oil to 500ml of solution for extra cleaning properties and a fresher smell. Using bicarbonate on a damp cloth or mixing it with a little water to make a paste acts like a cream cleaner and will easily remove stubborn stains. If you want a very simple degreasing cleaner for speed then use the soapy vinegar or greasy surface cleaner. More soap can be added if you are not happy with the cleaning power, hard water areas can affect the results of your cleaners. Bicarbonate is wonderful for bringing a shine to chrome fittings, simply polish off with a dry cloth.
Laundry
Borax, white vinegar, lemon juice, soda crystals and bicarbonate can all help with laundry. Bicarbonate of soda is a deodorizer, sprinkled into the nappy bucket, it can help to reduce the smell of ammonia, a few drops of tea tree oil can also help to neutralise harmful bacteria whilst the nappies are in to soak. Borax is often used as a water softener and to boost the power of your detergent or Soapnuts. White vinegar added to the conditioner drawer is the perfect alternative to fabric conditioner and leaves clothes soft and manageable. Lemon juice can be used on some white fabrics to remove stains, particularly good for cloth nappies.
White Vinegar
Pour neat white vinegar onto paves and areas that have become green and slimy over the winter. We tried this, we didn't even have to rinse the vinegar or use a brush to scrub, the vinegar was simply poured on neat and within a few days the slime was gone and the path was no longer slippery and dangerous. White Vinegar is particularly excellent for those living in a hard water area. Vinegar can be added to laundry to soften clothes; it will also keep lime scale build up in the machine to a minimum. White vinegar is an excellent weed killer, simply spray it onto the weeds and wait for them to die. Make sure that you don’t get the neat vinegar onto other plants. Wipe windscreen wipers with neat vinegar on a cloth to keep them clean and more effective.
Bicarbonate of Soda
Unless you buy organic fruit and vegetables, (and of course i'm sure you do) there is a strong possibility that fruit and veg is covered with insecticides and pesticides. Use Bicarbonate of Soda in warm water to wash your fruit and veg. Add a small container of bicarbonate of soda to your fridge to soak up fridge smells. Bicarbonate of soda can also be sprinkled in the bottom of your bins to stop nasty whiffs. Use bicarbonate of soda to clean burned pans, this can be added to a wet pan and left for an hour to soak beforehand.
Soapnuts
Soapnuts are usually used for laundry - simply add 4 to 8 half soapnut shells to your washing machine in a secure bag and wash as normal, no need for fabric conditioner. Soapnuts can also be used to make shampoo, hand wash and spray cleaner. They are also suitable for cleaning pets and fruit and vegetables.
There are a number of natural remedies that have been used for generations to solve issues that many people today simply reach for chemicals or medicines to answer. But using a new remedy below should be done with caution and if any doubt exists in your mind, do get a professional opinion, especially for use on the very young, pregnant or infirm.
Water stains on wood - Remove horrible hazy water spots with a couple of great remedies, 1) mix baking soda and mayonnaise to a thick paste, gently rub a small amount into the wood, leave for five minutes, buff the surface with a clean cloth. or 2) Rub the mark with half a fresh walnut (works better on darker woods).
Fight flu - A refreshing brew of elderflowers and peppermint will help lower a fever and decongest the airways, just pour boiling water over the leaves and cover, add honey if desired, you can drink up to four cups per day.
Detox your liver – young dandelion leaves can be washed and eaten raw in salads or made into tea, for a natural detoxifier of the liver
Say ‘allo to Aloe Vera – keep this plant to hand and use on burns or cuts; simply break off a piece of the plant and rub the gel on any wound – it contains Aloectin B which stimulates the immune system and reduces the risk of infection
Call time on mouth ulcers – infuse a handful of thyme in boiling water
Onions might make your eyes water – but they can also make your ear-ache better; bake half an onion until it’s soft, wrap in a clean tea towel and hold to your ear; onion juice contains anti-septic, anti-inflammatory and pain killing properties
Gone with the wind? Get windy tummies gone with peppermint tea; peppermint contains an anti-spasmodic that relaxes muscles to ease the release of trapped wind
Tired eyes? Get rid of puffy eyes with a slice of cucumber or a cold, used teabag on each eye for 10-15 minutes
Want to avoid headlice? Add tea tree oil to your existing shampoo and conditioner
There are many, many more simple things that the natural world provides for everyday remedies. If you’ve got something you swear by, why not drop us a line and we’ll update it here.