A fresh smelling home
Here are just some tips on how to clean and freshen up any home using only eco-friendly products - consisting of household ingredients you probably already have.
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Everyone wants a home that is fresh and clean. Instead of resorting to chemical cleaners and air fresheners - use one of the following eco ingredients for a home that is truly clean and fresh smelling.
Lemons
No other fruit sanitizes, bleaches, cuts through tough grease and smells fresh. That's why so many people are incorporating these citrus gems into their everyday DIY cleaning routines. We look at how you can incorporate these citrus gems into your everyday cleaning routine:
Don't waste your money on air-freshener that is filled with toxins; simply make a potpourri of dried lemon and orange slices and place these in bowls around the home. The fresh, zingy smell of lemons makes them a natural choice to freshen a room.
Make your own air freshener with the strained juice of one lemon, a few drops of lemon essential oil and water in a spray bottle. Great for bathrooms and absolutely non-toxic!
To clean a grimy microwave with ease, in a microwave-safe bowl add 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice in 1 ½ cups of water. Microwave on high for 6 to 8 minutes and then remove. The steam will loosen stubborn grease and dried-on bits of food and you can wipe away with a soft cloth.
Freshen up a smelly indoor rubbish bin by adding a few slices of lemon to the bottom. Simply remove the bag, drop in some sliced lemon, and replace the bag. Another eco alternative is to sprinkle baking soda in the base of the bin to absorb odours. You can also use this method for a smelly vacuum cleaner; or sprinkle a few drops of lemon oil on the fabric or paper filter inside the machine.
Use lemons to polish your furniture to a sheen and leave it fresh. Add 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts grape seed oil. Apply to furniture with a soft cloth, rubbing gently in the direction of the grain. Allow to dry and then buff to a satin sheen.
Lemon is an easy and economical way to wipe down your bathroom for fittings that gleam and a room that smells fresh. Wipe down chrome fittings with a soft cloth and a dab of lemon juice; rinse and dry to a shine. Lemon is also great for removing mildew from bathroom surfaces.
White Spirit Vinegar
Sanitize your bathroom with a spritz of vinegar and a wipe down with a soft cloth to sterilize and clean all surfaces. Regular application on shower doors and inside basins and bathtubs will cut down on hard water stains and mineral deposits. If you already have these stains, spritz with vinegar repeatedly for 10 to 20 minutes and then use kitchen scouring pad to lightly scrub away.
For streak-free windows, use vinegar to clean. Dilute one cup of white spirit vinegar in a litre of water and use a squeegee to wash. Dry with a microfibre cloth.
Regularly deodorise drains and prevent build-up by pouring a cup of baking soda [bicarb] over the top of the drain, followed by a cup of warm vinegar. The fizz will loosen stubborn grease deposits and then you can flush with hot water.
Baking or Bicarbonate of soda
Baking soda [bicarb] is the one product that can be used to deodorise, scrub and clean and you should always have this product in your pantry.
Freshen up dustbins with a cup of baking soda. Sprinkle inside bins and leave overnight. Rinse thoroughly. If you have a smelly fridge, fill a cup with baking soda and leave overnight to deodorise and remove smells.
Baking soda is the safe way to clean and deodorise carpets, upholstered furniture and mattresses. Sprinkle liberally with baking soda, leave overnight and then vacuum clean.
Use baking soda [or vinegar] to remove burnt food and stains in your cookware. Sprinkle with baking soda and add a few cups of water. Bring the solution to a boil, let it cool, then scrub stains away.
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, has a myriad of uses in the home as an all-natural cleaner, disinfectant, pesticide and deodoriser.
Refresh grimy plastic outdoor furniture with dishwashing liquid and borax. Add a teaspoon of borax and a teaspoon of detergent to a litre of warm water and use a soft scourer to remove rust and grime.
Scrub pots and pans with borax to remove baked-on grease. Add a teaspoon to a litre of warm water and lightly scrub away the grease.
Borax is also helpful for keeping bugs away. Sprinkle borax around doors and windows to ward off annoying pests. Sprinkle in drawers and closets to keep fish moths and moths at bay. Can also be used to repel species of cockroach but use with caution, as Borax is considered harmful in large doses.