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A cleaner and more natural home
More and more of us are turning away from traditional cleaning products and are opting for non-toxic and eco-friendly alternatives that are often very expensive. The good news is that you can save on both harmful chemicals and costs by making your own cleaning supplies with products you likely already have in your pantry.
Many kitchen utensils also serve as grease cutters, abrasives, surfactants, disinfectants or air fresheners. For example, acidic products like lemon juice, vinegar, and tomato sauce can penetrate grease, whether it's on the windows or in the oven. Abrasives like baking soda, salt, and even coffee grounds can remove dirt from the bottom of a pan or the inside of the tub. Coconut oil is just one example of a surfactant, which is a substance that lowers the surface tension between liquids or liquids and solids. In other words, it sticks to dirt molecules and makes them slippery, allowing them to slide off surfaces. Baking soda is a natural deodorant, and home remedies like hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and tea tree oil are common ingredients in household disinfectants. To learn more about how to keep your home fresh and clean without harmful chemicals, check out this collection of our 13 pantry favorites.
1. Salt
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Salt is abrasive and absorbent, and it also has disinfecting properties! Harness its benefits by sprinkling salt on oven-fresh grease stains. When the oven has cooled down, wipe it with a soft cloth. It's also great for removing sticky food from delicate cast-iron pans - just add a cup or two of kosher salt and some warm water to the pan and rub lightly. Dry immediately and completely.
2 lemons
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The fresh scent and tart properties of lemons can work wonders throughout the home. Clean wooden cutting boards by rubbing them with half a freshly cut lemon; Add a little coarse salt for a more abrasive and thorough cleaning. The lemon and salt trick also works well to get rid of soap scum on shower doors: Sprinkle half a lemon with coarse salt, rub onto the shower door, leave for 5-10 minutes, rub, then rinse. When you're done, throw the lemon zest in the trash so it smells fresh.
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3. Tartar
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Cream of tartar, another helpful acid, is great for removing stains on tablecloths or clothing: Mix 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with 2 drops of peppermint, eucalyptus, or lemon essential oil. Add enough water to make a paste. Spread the paste on the stain and let it dry before washing it off. Cream of tartar is also useful for removing coffee stains from cups, carafes, and other containers. Put a tablespoon or more of cream of tartar in a cup, add a little water to make a paste, let sit, then rinse.
4. Tomato sauce
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Since tomatoes and vinegar are the main ingredients in ketchup, it's no surprise that this hot spice is slightly acidic, a property that makes ketchup effective at removing tarnish from copper and brass. Simply mix 1/2 cup of ketchup with 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar. Spread on copper and let sit for about 15 minutes (up to an hour if heavily tarnished). Rinse first with soapy water and then with plain water. Dry well. Ketchup is also effective in removing tarnish from cast iron.
5. Aluminum Foil
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Aluminum foil has many uses aside from wrapping up last night's leftovers. For starters, removing tarnish from silver easily will help. Place cutlery in a sink or pot filled with water. Add 2 tablespoons cream of tartar or baking soda along with a few strips of aluminum foil. Let the silver soak for an hour or until it stops tarnishing. Rinse well and dry completely with a soft cloth.
6. Vanilla Extract
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Bring the beautiful, clean scent of vanilla into the kitchen. For a nice-smelling fridge , pour 2 ounces of vanilla extract (mimic is good) into a small, shallow saucer or bowl. Place the vanilla on a lower shelf and let it sit for a few days. Likewise, you can deodorize your microwave by adding 4 teaspoons of vanilla and 2 cups of water to a microwave-safe bowl and heating in the microwave. Once the water is boiling, turn off the microwave, leave the bowl for 30 minutes, and then remove it. Finally, clean the inside of the microwave .
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7. Olive oil
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The same olive oil that brightens up salad dressings and marinades can also energize surfaces around the home. To keep terracotta pots clean and new, coat them inside and out with a light coat of olive oil. To add shine to leather, rub in some olive oil, leave on and then wipe off the excess.
8. Sliced bread
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The next time you deal with a broken glass , save the larger pieces and grab a slice of bread. Use the bread to clean up any remaining shards and bits of dust that the broom missed, then carefully dispose of the bread. In addition, stale bread can be used to remove stains and fingerprints from painted and wallpapered walls. Remove the crust, roll the bread into a tight ball, and then apply to the problematic stain.
9. Mayonnaise
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Everyone's favorite spice really shines, literally, when it's cleaned. Remove water stains from finished wood by applying mayonnaise to the stain and letting it sit for a few hours. Wipe it with a clean cloth and then dry it. And when your houseplants are dull and dusty , apply a little mayonnaise to the leaves and wipe clean to give your plants a healthy glow.
10. Rice
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Rice is absorbent, so restaurants often put a few grains in their salt shakers to keep the salt from clumping. This absorbency also makes rice a good candidate for cleaning the coffee grinder . Pour 1 or 2 tablespoons of rice, grind and then pour. The rice will have trapped some of the oils and residue, making the mill a lot cleaner. Rice is also good for cleaning vases and other odd-shaped glass and ceramic items. Pour some uncooked rice into a dirty vase. Add water and some washing-up liquid, then stir. The rice will help scrub the inside of the vase and get into hard-to-reach places. When finished, empty the rice and water, rinse the vase and let it dry.
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11. Cornstarch
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To clean windows streak-free , add cornstarch to your homemade vinegar and water cleaning solution (1 tablespoon cornstarch to 3 cups liquid). Also, cornstarch can do more than just clean windows. A solution of 1 part cornstarch and 2 parts water makes a mildly abrasive scrub for dirty pots and pans or sinks and tubs (though it's a good idea to check the manufacturer's care instructions for these items first).
Here's a tip for stuffed animal lovers: when it comes time to freshen up and deodorize your collection of non-washable stuffed animals, vacuum and wipe them first, then place in a large bag with 1 or 2 cups of cornstarch. Close the bag, shake well to coat the toy well and let sit for a few hours. Take stuffed animals out of the pouch and shake or suck them before putting them back in the toy box .
12. Baking soda
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This cleaning power pack unfolds its effect in every room of the house. It is a mild abrasive that absorbs odors and mixes with water to loosen dirt. Freshen up carpets by sprinkling with baking soda , leaving for a few hours, then vacuuming. To clean bathroom grout , make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to dirty grout, then spray with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water. Wait a few minutes, scrub with a brush and then rinse.
13. Vinegar
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Vinegar is perhaps the most versatile cleaning and disinfecting agent on the market. Among other things, coffee pots are descaled, joints are cleaned, windows are polished and cutting boards and worktops are disinfected. You can even use it to clean your oven . To deal with hardened residue, first preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Then place the vinegar, water and baking soda in a large, deep saucepan and place in the preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes, adding hot water as the water level drops. Let the oven cool down a bit and then clean the interior.
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