In this article, I’ll discuss some of the natural cleaning products you can use that aren’t harmful to yourself or the environment. When cleaning, it’s important to make sure that what you’re using won’t tarnish or destroy the surface of what you’re cleaning.
It’s also just as important to make sure you pick something that’s environmentally friendly too, so that way it is easy to dispose of and doesn’t hurt the earth we live on.
There are many benefits to using natural cleaning products such as the money it can save, along with less chemical exposure overall.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is such a versatile cleaning product that even I forget how useful it is. Typically, people just place baking soda in the back of their refrigerators, but it can do much more than that.
Baking soda can be used to clean appliances such as ovens, coffee makers, and dishwashers. If you pour just a little bit of baking soda on the bottom surface of an oven, for instance, this will create a much cleaner and shinier environment.
Baking soda also gets rid of many odors such as those found in clothes hampers or rugs. By just letting baking soda sit overnight or for a few hours at the very least, it can easily clean and freshen up carpets with no trouble.
Baking soda is by far one of the more versatile products out there and can be used with a number of other cleaning products.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is used to clean more precise areas like electronics, scissors, and appliances, but can clean a lot of the everyday items we use. More often than not, white vinegar is the top cleaner for the bathroom, primarily around the toilet or bathtub and shower.
White vinegar is great for getting rid of stains and disinfecting areas after being wiped down. It also is used to help unclog drains which makes it a much better and cheaper alternative to brand name drain cleaners.
While white vinegar can only be used in certain areas, it still it is one of the most effective cleaners for harder areas that other products may not be able to get to.
However, there are a few areas to watch out for and not clean with white vinegar such as granite or marble countertops, hardwood flooring, and even a clothes’ iron.
Lemons
While lemons are primarily used in food and even drinks, they also can be used as a cleaning product that helps removes stains.
Many people find that lemons are a great way to clean parts of a kitchen and when used in conjunction with baking soda to make a much more powerful mixture.
Primarily, people use lemons to clean microwaves or cutting boards, the latter of which can become infected easily if not cleaned properly. Others find lemons useful to polish kitchen supplies like pots and pans and that they are able to wipe away the tarnish on such supplies.
Be careful though when using lemons as they can squirt juice which can provide a painful experience if it hits your eye or an open cut.
Salt
Salt is an interesting product to use when it comes to cleaning, but it’s one I recommend. Salt is great for deodorizing many parts of a home and gets rid of water rings easily.
Plus, one advantage salt has is that it can be used for grease fires, which removes the heat from the fire and ultimately smothers the flames.
Similar to vinegar, salt is used in a variety of ways to get rid of stains and can be used on many surfaces like tile, porcelain, cast iron skillets, and others.
Typically, salt can be mixed with soda water in order to achieve even better results while wiping surfaces like shelving.
So before you salt your popcorn, be sure to keep a little salt to the side for cleaning purposes. Salt, next to lemons, is by far one of the easiest cleaning products to purchase as it is available in many stores and is very cheap.
Liquid Castile Soap
Liquid castile soap is primarily a mixture of many kinds of oils such as olive, coconut, and vegetable.
Some of the more common uses of the liquid castile soap are for natural shampoos and body washes which work just as effectively as popular brands and are much cheaper.
Other people find this product useful for shaving as many typical shaving creams are loaded with ingredients that aren’t great for our bodies.
Aside from personal grooming, liquid castile soap can also be used on dishes and even windows as it easily can get rid of the dirt and grime stuck to them, especially windows that are exposed to the outside world.
Beeswax
Yes, you read that correctly, even beeswax can be used as a cleaning product, especially when used as furniture polish. The main use of beeswax is cleaning surfaces like leather and wood and to not leave behind a sticky environment that other polishes are known for.
Beeswax is more of a specialized cleaning product as it really only works on surfaces, but covers a variety such as the ones mentioned before.
It also can clean stainless steel, glass and mirrors, marble, and much more. Once the coating of beeswax is applied, it’s best to let it sit on the surface and dry before placing anything else on it.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article was able to help you determine which natural products to use next time you clean.
These products are cheaper and much more environmentally friendly that take little time to use. You can save a lot of time and money by using these and it doesn’t harm you or the environment.
The great thing about the products on this list is that they’re pretty diverse with their functions and I think that is the main reason why you should use them. So next time you’re out shopping for cleaning supplies, give some of these a try.
I know that I have tried these more natural cleaning products and I don’t think I can ever switch back to any other types of cleaning products.
You should read more about Natural Cleaning Products Infographic.
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