Eco-friendly Household Cleaning

White Vinegar

This stuff is my number one household cleanser. Use it neat on glass and diluted 1:4 in water for a general purpose spray for wiping surfaces. A glug in the rinse aid drawer of the washing machine does wonders for your laundry, and you can use it to clean toilets and bathrooms as well.

Lemon juice

The mild bleaching action of lemon juice, with it fresh deodorizing smell makes it handy to rub over wooden chopping boards.

Baking powder

A safe mild abrasive for cleaning metalwork or anywhere you need to scrub. Sprinkle over carpets, leave overnight and vacuum up to revive them and absorb dirt, fill a lemon rind with baking powder and put in a fridge to deodorize it, use on a cloth to clean refrigerator racks as well

Washing soda

For really tough jobs this is useful. It will dissolve grease and can be used to clean ovens, wash floors and unblock drains. A little in the wash will sort out the most stubborn grime.

Soap

Ordinary household soap is fab stuff, grate it for use in the laundry, use it to keep hands clean and reduce the risk of germ transfer. If in doubt, scrub surfaces with soap before wiping down with vinegar.

Essential Oils

Careful use of essential oils freshen the home beautifully. Each one has its strengths and its cautions so read up on them first, but orange oil is cheap and degreases well if a few drops are added to soapy water to vinegar, a drop of lemon or pine or eucalyptus oil in the toilet bowl at bedtime will leave a fresh smelling loo in the morning. A few drops of any scent you like in a tub of baking powder gives a fragranced carpet reviver.