Ignore all those annoying household cleaning ads. To make cleaning products that will keep your house sparkling and germ free, all you need are a few ordinary household items.
For inexpensive, environmentally friendly cleaners, you will need:
Baking soda for cleaning and deoderising,
Any type of unscented
soap (such as soap flakes, liquid soap, bar soap),
A
liquid detergent,
Lemon juice kills nearly all household bacterias,
Borax, also known as sodium borate, is a potent powder that cleans and disinfects, and
White vinegar cuts through grease and soap scum and also kills mould.
All purpose cleaner
For a liquid that you can use on most household surfaces, mix half a cup of vinegar with two teaspoons of Borax and two litres of water. This mixture can be stored in a cool environment for up to six months.
Tiles
Pour about a half a cup of baking soda into a bowl and mix with detergent until the mixture resembles cupcake icing. Use this mixture to clean the tiles and bathtub. You can either add one teaspoon of glycerin if you would like to store the mixture, or simply make it up each time you need it.
Toilet cleaner
Drop three
vitamin C tablets into the bowl and leave to dissolve for about an hour. Scrub the mixture around the bowl and flush. For heavy stains, mix lemon juic with enough Borax to create a thick paste. Rub the paste onto the stain, leave for fifteen minutes, then scrub away. Use gloves at all times as Borax is a very stong powder.
Mirrors and windows
Mix a drop of liquid detergent with two cups of water. Add three teaspoons of vinegar. The detergent will clean your surfaces while the vinegar will cut through the soapy scum. Shake the mixture together. Use old newspaper instead of a sponge for a streak free clean.
Drains
Pour equal parts baking soda, and then vinegar, down your drain.
Oven cleaner
Mix equal parts baking soda and water to form a thick paste. Spread this paste around the inside of your oven evenly and leave for several hours. Remove with a scouring pad. To remove strong smells, you can bake orange peels for about ten minutes in a moderate oven (180 degrees Celcius).
Wood polish
For wooden floors, mix together a litre of warm water and a quarter of a cup of vinegar or lemon juice. Add about half a dozen teabags and mix well. Always use a soft mop on wooden floors to prevent scratching. For wooden furniture, combine about a quarter of a cup of vinegar with half a teaspoon of olive oil. Mix together in a glass jar and use a soft rag to dab the mixture onto your surface.
