Can You Eat Your Cleaning Products? How to:

Nature provides simple, effective materials that clean and disinfect naturally, leaving your home clean and safe.   The negatives of ordinary household cleaners are many: harsh on our own systems proven to cause everything from mild irritation, to asthma, cancer and poisoning.

The best and time-honored solution is to just open up your cupboards–I use these simple and non-toxic items to handle all of my household cleaning.  You can also check out:  “The Baking Soda Book,” and can find it on Amazon for thousands of other ways to clean your home, car, office naturally and effectively.

LEMONS– Lemons are natural disinfectants because of their antibacterial properties and the scent is cleansing and invigorating.

Kitchen – Cut a lemon in half and use it to clean wooden chopping boards or to help remove stains from countertops. Let the lemon juice sit for a while, then wipe clean. Avoid marble and granite surfaces because the acid can be corrosive (Try club soda instead)
Laundry – Lemons are natural bleaching agents that can help brighten white linens and clothing. Add ½ cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle to brighten whites and give them a fresh citrus smell.SALT- Good old-fashioned table salt can be used as an abrasive cleaner.  Better yet, use Sea Salt for an extra ‘energy’ clearing.All-Purpose – Abrasive coarse salt can help remove stains, caked-on food or mildew on stovetops and in bathtubs, or anywhere scratching is not a concern. Mix baking soda with salt to whiten while scrubbing away grime.Kitchen – Salt works well on pots and pans with caked-on food. Soak pots and pans with 3 Tablespoons of salt in a couple inches of water. The mess should come off with ease. Scrubbing cast iron pans with salt cleans the pan without removing the seasoned finish.

Laundry — SeaSalt is a great energy purifier, I place a small handful into each of my laundry loads to shift the energy of our clothing and linens.

VINEGAR- Powerful and economical, distilled white vinegar is one of nature’s most versatile cleaners. Its odor can be overwhelming, but the smell dissipates as it dries. If you find the smell is too pungent, try adding lemon juice to neutralize it.  Of course, we now have another book by Vicky Lansky that I recommend:  Vinegar All-Purpose – In a reusable spray bottle, mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar for an effective all-purpose cleaner that disinfects and deodorizes. Use this solution to clean countertops, sinks, appliances and floors, but avoid granite or marble because vinegar’s acid can damage them.Bathroom – The all-purpose vinegar cleaning solution above can remove soap scum and hard water stains, and clean tile grout. To remove mildew, directly apply pure white vinegar and let sit for a minimum of 30 minutes before rinsing with warm water.Conventional toilet bowl cleaners are among the most toxic cleaning products. To get a sparkling, odor-free toilet, pour 1 cup vinegar into the toilet and let it sit for several hours to help deodorize and kill germs. Use a toilet brush to easily remove toilet rings, and flush.Laundry – Many people have heightened sensitivities to the perfumes and chemicals in fabric softeners. Vinegar naturally breaks down laundry detergent, so adding ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle will give you softer sheets, towels and clothes.

ESSENTIAL OILS:

LAVENDER – Use this as an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-critter; especially French Lavender will deter insects from hanging around.  I keep a vial of Lavender near my stove and place it immediately on burns and avoid blistering and pain…don’t use on open skin.

EUCALYPTUS – I use to wipe down the inside of my front-loading washer. Mold and mildew grows between the bin and the seals and leave clothes with a moldy smell that is sometimes covered by heavily perfumed laundry detergents.  This mold decreases immunity and is the cause in many illness.  I also use a few drops of this on the toilet brush holder in my bathroom, just to keep it clean.

TEA TREE OIL- Australian tea tree oil (as many other natural ‘essential oils”) has antibacterial and antifungal properties of this ancient remedy are useful in the household.  It has a powerful odor, but the cleaning capability is worth it.  You can also use Eucalyptus Oil for a similar affect.

All-Purpose – In a reusable spray bottle, mix 15 drops of tea tree oil with 1 quart warm water for a multipurpose cleaner. For a more powerful antiseptic spray for areas that need specific attention – such as toilets – use 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water. The more potent mixture also works well on mold; just spray on the moldy area and don’t rinse. Although discoloration might not disappear, the mold will be killed.

Laundry – To disinfect heavily soiled laundry such as cloth diapers, add 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to each load of laundry. This will help prevent bacterial and fungal infections.  Wipe the inside of front loaders with a soft cloth dowsed in either Tea Tree or Eucalyptus oil to remove the mold and mildew that accumulates.  Leave the door open between loads to allow the moisture to dissipate so as to not harbor growth of mold and mildew that gets translated into your clothing.  (don’t forget the soap dispenser area too.)

BAKING SODA– Baking soda absorb odors, but it can also dissolve dirt and grease in water. Like vinegar, baking soda has a wide variety of uses.  I love Vicky Lansky’s The Baking Soda Book

Use baking soda anywhere you need deodorizing action – especially in the refrigerator or cupboards. You can also control garbage-can odors by sprinkling baking soda in the bottom of the can and into each new garbage bag.

All-Purpose – To remove scuff marks from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and wipe clean with a warm, damp cloth. You can also use this multipurpose cleaner to remove odors from carpet. Simply sprinkle baking soda on the floor, wait 10 minutes, and vacuum.When mixed with water, baking soda turns into a scouring paste you can use to remove substances from tubs, sinks, countertops and dishes. Mix 1 part with 3 parts baking soda to scrub away unwanted stains and messes.Kitchen –  As solution of distilled white vinegar and baking soda will soak off burnt-on food on your pots and even grill grates; soak for a few hours to loosen the food. Keep a box of baking soda close to your stove; it puts out grease fires.  Also, keep a bottle of lavender, in case you get any burns–apply immediately and often and you won’t blister.  (don’t use on open skin)