A well-cleaned home is known to improve your home’s overall appeal and the quality of your living as you’ll feel less stressed and more comfortable. A clean house will also prevent dirt or molds from growing indoors, which are known to cause health and respiratory problems. Overall, a clean home will keep you and your family healthy.
However, have you thought about your own health during the home cleaning process? Most of you may be accustomed to using commercial products when cleaning. You reach for chemicals, like ammonia, bleach, and other strong detergents, to make sure germs are easily killed and the whole area is disinfected. This is because many of you believe that a sign of a spotless and well-cleaned home is when you can smell the cleaning chemicals.
While these products can clearly do their jobs well, did you know that they can also affect your health, especially your eyes, airways, and your nervous system? Ironically, these commercial cleaners may also pollute your health and the environment.
Fortunately, there are ways to clean your home without sacrificing your health. Numerous DIY natural cleaning products are just as effective as commercial products. Read on below for some green DIY cleaning tips and how to use them for your home:
The Power Of Baking Soda
Who would have thought this pantry powder had so many uses? Baking soda isn’t only known as an ingredient for baking pastry goodies, but they’re also known as an effective cleaning tool.
As a start, baking soda is handy when it comes to cleaning your smelly carpets and rugs. First, sprinkle a generous amount of this powder in your rug or carpet and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, as you vacuum the powder later on, so do the odors that were trapped in the powder.
Another DIY cleaning usage of baking soda is making your oven spotless. You just have to create a mixture of water and baking soda in a bowl and warm it inside the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. After that, you can remove the bowl and get yourself an old clean cloth or socks. Use this cloth to wipe away the smears and food splatters without any scrubbing needed. That’s because the baking soda loosened up all the hard scraps stuck inside your oven.
Other famous usages of baking soda include cleaning your toilet bowl, which can be done by using vinegar and baking soda mixture. This alternative way of cleaning is guaranteed to be safe and effective.
Grab Some Lemons
While lemons are known to detoxify toxins from your body, they’re also essential for cleaning your home. Lemons are known to have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, making them an excellent alternative for commercial cleaners. There are many ways that you can use lemons for cleaning.
First, prepare half a slice of lemon and rub it on your cutting board to get rid of any attached dirt and germs. Another usage of the lemon slice is by dipping it into salt before using it to scrub your copper pots.
Even lemon peels can also come in handy. Collect all the lemon peels you have and place them in a jar of vinegar and leave it for a few days. After that, strain out the peels or zests, leaving only the vinegar, and there you have it! Now you have an all-purpose cleaner that you can use to clean window glasses, mirrors, and tables.
Make Use Of White Vinegar
White vinegar is known to have disinfectant and antibacterial qualities that you can use to polish your home. Vinegar has already been mentioned to work effectively when mixed with either baking soda or lemons. However, vinegar can also work on its own.
A mixture of vinegar and water can be used to remove any stains on your wooden tables, windows, and toilets. Vinegar is also known to work as a natural odor-eater, so you can use them as a substitute for chemical air fresheners.
Bring In The Borax
Instead of using chemical detergent in doing your laundry, replace it with scoops of borax, and it’ll soften the water and brighten the color of your clothes in no time. The same effect can also be seen if you use it to scrub your bathroom tiles, bathtubs, or get rid of any mold growth around the house.
Houseplants
This is probably the most effortless way you can clean your home. However, houseplants may not be helpful if you’re looking for something to scrub the floor or clean your bathroom. But bringing in houseplants can actually help clean and improve your indoor air quality. Instead of purchasing chemical air fresheners, you can cultivate some houseplants instead and enjoy the benefits of inhaling clean and fresh oxygen.
If you want to add more natural air, simply crack your windows open and let the natural air in.
Wrapping Up
With just a bit of thoughtful planning and DIY efforts, you can now keep your home clean with these green tools without sacrificing your health. Plus, you get to save more money as you don’t have to buy expensive detergents and commercial cleaners in the market.
Now, go and try these tips to keep your home spotless while saving the earth and your body from pollution.