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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Forget the dangerous commercial chemical cleaners. When it comes down to it, do-it-yourself non-toxic cleaning using tried-and-true kitchen cupboard ingredients is still the best green practice. Simple, successful, non-toxic and natural. Here we have some homemade cleaning options. Including some stronger mixtures for those who are making a progressive transition to natural housekeeping.

To save time and money, make your cleaners in advance and buy the ingredients in bulk for cost savings and to avoid excess packaging. Store in reusable airtight containers and spray bottles. Using a pretty spray bottle or container makes cleaning days more fun and pleasant. Add your favorite essential oils or herbs.

Label all of your ingredients and keep them out of reach of children and pets. While most natural do-it-yourself cleaners are not poisonous, some can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by children or pets.

Baking soda (aka bicarb) ..An all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. Cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics.
One of the most useful inexpensive for bathroom scouring powder, water softener,chrome polisher, bicarb and a damp cloth for all the kitchen cleaning - fridge, oven, hot plates, china, crockery. Absorbs odors - cupboards, rugs, refrigerators.

Scrub

This superstar formula is as good for cleaning the bathtub as it is for stainless steel appliances and shower stalls.

1/2 cup baking soda
Enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree oil, or rosemary (optional)

Pour the baking soda in a bowl, slowly pour in the liquid soap or detergent, stirring all the while, until the consistency reaches that of frosting. Scoop the creamy mixture onto a sponge, wash the surface, and rinse.

Strong All-purpose Cleaner

Do not use on fibreglass or aluminium.

1/2 cup washing soda crystals + 9 1/2 pt (4.5 litres) warm water

Mix the ingredients together. To use, wipe on surfaces with a soft cloth and  rinse with clean water.

BORAX (sodium borate) .. A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria. An alternative to bleach, it deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. Use sparingly as an abrasive cleaner. Please note safety precautions at the bottom of this page.

Scouring Cleaner

1 teaspoon borax + 2 tablespoons white vinegar + 2 cups hot water

Combine the ingredients and pour the mixture into a spraybottle.

Disinfectant

1 teaspoon borax + 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar + 1/4 cup liquid soap + 2 cups hot water

Mix the ingredients together. To use, store in a spraybottle and spray on, then rinse and allow to dry.

Disinfecting Floor Cleaner

1/2 cup borax + 6 1/2 pint (3 litres) hot water

Mix the borax and hot water together. Use the cleaner with a cloth or mop.

A cotton mop will last longer than a synthetic refillable sponge.

CASTILE and VEGETABLE OIL BASED SOAPS.. Gently cleans everything.

Dishwashing Liquid

1 3/4 oz (50g) castile soap + 10 1/2 pt (5 litres) cold water + 1/2 cup washing soda crystals + 1 1/2 teaspoons eucalyptus oil or tea tree oil + 1/2 cup white vinegar + a few drops lemon or lavender pure essential oil for fragrance + 9 1/2 pt (4.5 litres) hot water or herb tea, like lemon grass.

Grate the soap into a large suacepan and cover with 4 cups of the cold water. Bring to the boil, add the washing soda and stir until it is dissolved. Stir in the eucalypts oil, vinegar and essential oil. Pour into a bucket, add the hot water or tea, then stir in the remaining cold water. When cool, transfer to smaller containers and label.

To use: add 1 teaspoon to 10 1/2 pt (5 litres) water when washing up. Or use 1 cup per load in dishwasher. Note : It does not remove coffee and tea stains.
 
CORNSTARCH.. Starches clothes, absorbs oil and grease.
 
HERBS and ESSENTIAL OILS.. For disinfecting and fragrance.
 
LEMON JUICE.. Cuts through grease and removes perspiration and other stains from clothing. A bleach alternative.Rub on wooden / bamboo chopping board and dry in sun / mix with sea salt to remove mould and a degreaser ...lemon juice and bicarb is great for removing mould .

SALT (sodium chloride)..An abrasive. Salt is useful for clearing drains and scouring kitchen utensils.
 
WHITE VINEGAR (acetic acid)..Cuts grease, removes stains and is an excellent water softener.This moderately strong acid can remove bathroom scum and hard water deposits as well as discoloration from metals such as aluminium, brass and copper. It can also remove rust stains and rust of iron. White vinegar makes an ideal cleaner for the bathroom.

All-Purpose Cleaner

2 heaped tablespoons baking soda + 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Mix the baking soda and white vinegar together and store the cleaner in a airtight container.To use.. wipe surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in the solution. Rinse with clean water.

Toilet Cleaner + Deodorizer ... strong solution of vinegar.
Vinegar is astonishing as an acidic cleaning powerhouse. Heinz references studies that say vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of old, and 80 percent of germs.

5 percent straight white distilled vinegar

Pour the vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray directly onto areas to be cleaned or deodorized. Don’t rinse! 

Drain Cleaner...Pour 1/2 cup baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down sink, put plug in for a few minutes, run hot water down
 
WASHING SODA (sodium carbonate).. Cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. Increases the cleaning power of soap.

Ban the furniture polish and make up very similar to a salad dressing, a mixture of one part lemon juice with 2 parts olive oil, rub on furniture with a soft cloth for a beautiful shine and fragrance (try adding a few drops of lavender essential oil).

Air Freshener.. the best source is of course, fresh air, pot-pourrie are nice made from dried flower petals, spices and natural oils or try a few drops of aromatic oil on the light bulb, the heat will diffuce the fragrance. Plants especially spider plants are said to have a tonic effect on the air. Oil burners with essential/fragrance oils.

Window, Glass + Tile Cleaner..50/50 mixture of vinegar and water in spray bottle.

Nothing works as well as this formula for windows, so why look further? Besides, once it is made you can double it up as a great degreaser, especially handy in the kitchen.

1/4 cup vinegar (distilled, white, 5%)
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups of water

Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend.

We create more rubbish than ever before in history, in textiles, paper, glass, plastic, metal and kitchen waste every year. Each of us doing one small change can only help our precious Earth..Check out local recycling programmes, return kitchen waste back to the soil by compost, personal products be aware, spare the chemical soaps and not only save the water supply but our health, too.