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For everyday house clean most of us use expensive commercial cleaners and we don’t realise that the most efficient, safe and inexpensive cleaners are in our cupboards like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Commercial cleaning products contain a lot of chemicals that can harm us and our family and that are not adequately tasted, controlled or regulated. Every year occur millions of household poisons and most of them are caused by household cleaners. Using your homemade cleaners will protect your family from chemicals and also save money.

Some chemicals are restricted by the governments while others, quite dangerous aren’t. For example exposure to Hydrofluoric acid can produce harmful health effects that may not be immediately apparent. Inhalation of this acid is extremely dangerous to the respiratory tract. It may cause sore throat, coughing, labored breathing and lung congestion/inflammation. The liquid may burn eyes, skin and cause bone damage. Often it is a component in drycleaners because of its ability to remove rust stains. Other cleaning products such as furniture polish, oven cleaners, drain cleaners, even air fresheners, are considered unsafe for animals and humans.

Below you will find some hints and advices how to make and use homemade cleanings that are not toxic and won’t harm your family’s health.

For house cleaning you may use the following ingredients alone or combined:

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Toothpaste

• Borax

• Distilled white vinegar

• Hydrogen Peroxide

• Lemons

• Olive oil

• Vegetable based (liquid castile) soap

• Cornstarch

• Washing soda

• Herbs and essential oils

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an inexpensive, natural and all-purpose cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, removes stains and softens fabrics. It reacts with water, vinegar or lemon by fizzing, which speeds up cleaning times.

Salt (sodium chloride) is a perfect abrasive for different surfaces.

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive.

Borax

Distilled white vinegar is a clean agent that sterilized and breaks up dirt. For most of that purposes dilution with water is recommended for safety, because it reduces the risk of damaging certain surfaces. It is especially useful for cleaning mineral deposits on glass, inside a coffee maker, or other smooth surfaces.

Hydrogen Peroxide is a weak acid but it has strong oxidizing properties and is therefore a powerful bleaching agent. It is used as a disinfectant, an oxidizer and as an antiseptic.

Lemon is cut grease, removes perspiration and other stains from cloth. It is also bleach alternative and combined with baking soda eliminates the bacterial odors.

Olive oil removes dirt and polishes wood. For cleaning purpose, use less expansive grades that will work perfect.

Castile and vegetable oil based soaps are non-petroleum all-purpose cleaner. Castile soap is a 100% based olive oil and is very gentile.

Cornstarch starches clothes and absorbs oil and grease.

Washing soda cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and disinfects. It increases the cleaning power of soap.

Herbs and essential oils are used for disinfecting and fragrance.

For hardwood furniture polish mix 1 cup of olive oil and ½ cup lemon juice or 1/3 cup vinegar. It does just a perfect job. For metal polish use salt and white vinegar. The salt should be added until a paste is formed. Optionally you may add flour to reduce the abrasiveness.

A good windows and glass cleaner is the mix of ¼ vinegar or 1 tbs. lemon juice and 2 cups water. Fill a spray bottle with this solution and use a rag for cleaning and than dry.

In the kitchen, for stovetops, appliances, countertops and floor cleaning mix 1 part water and 1 part vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle and you have a universal cleaning solution. You may also use lemon juice to clean the house. It is a perfect solution to clean and shine. Mix lemon juice with vinegar, baking soda to make cleaning paste and use them for sinks, countertops, floors, bathtub, etc. cut a lemon in half and on the section pour some baking soda to scrub dishes, stains and surfaces.

For marble surfaces mix 1 tbs. castile soap and 1 liter of warm water. Rinse well and dry with a warm cloth.

Microwaves may be cleaned with baking soda. Spread some in the oven and spray than with water, let it overnight and rinse with water afterwards.

Placing a box of baking soda in the refrigerator and freezer for 2-3 months will help to absorb the odors inside them. For food stains, rust residue and rough odors wash them with a baking soda paste that works as a mild abrasive and then rinse well.

To eliminate odors from the bathrooms use the same method as for the refrigerator, by placing a box of soda in the room. If the smell is very strong try cleaning the uncarpeted floor with a solution of 4 liter of warm water, half cup of distilled white vinegar and ¼ cup of baking soda. For the toilet bowl and under the rim spray vinegar and let it for several minutes than flush the toilet. To clean the floor in the bathroom, use the solution from vinegar and water. Vinegar will disinfect and deodorize, will remove the soap scum and the hard water stains. The smell of the vinegar will disappear when it dries out. The tub and the tile can be cleaned with half a lemon dipped in borax. Scrub well than rinse.

To freshen the in the bathrooms add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oils to the inside rim toilet tissue roll. Fragrance will release with each turn.

Laundry odors can be removed easily if using baking soda. Clothes that smell of smoke, washable hats, gloves, scarves, headbands, etc. that has "sweat" smell are recommended to be soaked first in a solution of baking soda and water to rid of that odors. If placing the cloths with gasoline, oil, or other mechanical smells in a bag with baking soda for one or two days before washing, the bad smell will disappear. As baking soda is a natural cleaner it is very effective in removing from cloth the fresh stains and those formed by age. For that when you add the detergent to the cleaning cycle pour also ½ cup of soda or vinegar, this will make cloths to become brighter, whiter (for the white cloths) and smell fresher.

To the rinse cycle/water add ½ cup of baking soda or vinegar instead of fabric softeners, because they act as natural softeners and are helpful for those having sensitive skin and of course for babies.

Here is a recipe for laundry detergent:

Mix 30g liquid castile soap, ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup borax (for stains and bleaching), ¼ cup baking soda or ¼ cup white vinegar. For a better cleaning you may add castile soap from 30g to 1 cup. As a Bleach alternative use ½ cup hydrogen peroxide.

For cleaning pots and pans use baking soda, vinegar and water. For cleaning an enamel pot fill it with water and pour ½ cup of soda, boil for ten minutes and than rinse. If the stains are rougher rub the pot with soda and water paste. For copper pot and pan pour some soda on the bottom, add vinegar and for the sponge, use half a lemon to clean well.

To remove stains, lingering food smells and taste form non-sticky frying pans, boil them in a mixture of soda and water. Rinse well.

For any roasting pan mix 1 cup of hot water and 1/3 cup of vinegar, added over the baking soda. The fizzing action will remove the stains.

Drains can be unblocked and freshened with baking soda, vinegar, salt and water. For five minute pour a cup of soda down the drain and 1 cup of hot vinegar, than wash out with 2-3 cups of hot water. If necessary repeat this process. This is the fastest way to clean out the drains, but you may choose another method. Down the drains pour 1 cup of soda and ½ cup of salt. Let the solution sit in the drains overnight and than clean with 2 cups of hot water. By cleaning the drains the way mentioned above will eliminate harsh remains that may leave residue and odors in the sink. If you are going on a vacation or just on a weekend trip, put baking soda down the drains and flush with hot water or hot vinegar after you come back. This will absorb the smell while you are gone.

Garbage odors can be eliminated by spreading baking soda on the bottom of the garbage can before replacing the plastic liner. While filling the can you may also spread some soda to get rid of the odors. By leaving an open box of soda under the kitchen sink will prevent the area to fill with bad smells.

Shoes odors may be eliminated by placing in the shoes a homemade sachet filled with baking soda. For sachet use a sock and fill it with soda, tie well with a ribbon and place it overnight to absorb odors. You may do this procedure weekly or monthly.

As a freshener boil some lemon or orange rinds, shimmer for 1-2 hours.

To clean and deodorize the carpets spread cornstarch or baking soda on it. Let it for several minutes than vaccum.