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3 Homemade Natural Cleaning Products

Did You Know:  
That lemons, vinegar, and baking soda are natural cleaning products? 

Vinegar

Uses:

Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area.

Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house:

1. Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
   
2. Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
   
3. Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)

Lemon Juice

Uses:

Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.

My favorite use for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.

Baking Soda

Uses:

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. Try these three kitchen ingredients as natural cleaning products in your home.

Mix together in a clean new spray bottle. 
To use, remember to shake before each application. 
Apply a small portion to your cleaning cloth. 
Spread the polish over the furniture, trying to polish evenly. 
Use another clean cloth to polish the surface dry.

Using isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with national brands. This can also be used to give a nice shine to hard tiles, chrome, and other surfaces.

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water

Mix together in a spray bottle 
This is a multi-purpose cleaner, Ideal uses: in the bathroom and kitchen on surfaces.

 Do not use abrasive cleaners that will scratch the surface: Depending on the surface finish of your stainless steel, abrasive cleaners can cause scratching. Duller finishes probably won’t show scratching as much as mirror or highly polished finishes. When in doubt, test in a hidden spot, and also work from the least risky type of cleaning, (ie water) to the heavy duty stuff.

 Do not forget to rinse: Gritty or dirty water, or residue from cleaning solutions left on a stainless steel surface can stain or damage the finish.

 Do not use steel wool or steel brushes: These products leave little particles in the surface of the steel and inevitably these particles begin rusting and staining the surface of the steel  Do not use cleaners containing chlorine

Do not assume it's the cleaner: If you do have some spotting or staining, and you've followed all of the rules, it may not be the cleaner. Water, especially hard water, can leave spotting and staining on stainless steel surfaces. Towel dry after rinsing can end the problem.

Do not use cleaners containing chlorine: While it may be second nature to bleach everything, stainless steel and chlorine don’t mix. Stay away from the bleach when you clean stainless steel.