Make Your Spring Clean Green This Year

I don’t know about you, but the smell of bleach and chemicals whilst I’m cleaning often leaves me feeling as if I have poisoned myself.

Maybe I am exaggerating a little, but ask yourself this: how often after a good spring clean do you find that you’ve suddenly got a migraine, feel sick or discover that your hands are red raw and inflamed? More often than your think, right?

Well this is partially down to the chemicals they contain and release. And I’m sorry but anything that leaves you with a headache and feeling queasy can’t be good for you. After all, isn’t that why pregnant women are told they can’t use bleach? The fumes are not good for your baby.

Well, all of this got me thinking about natural cleaners…

Surely there is an eco friendly way to clean your house without having to expose yourself to unnecessary chemicals? There is…

How to make your own natural floor polish

Yep. I came across this interesting recipe whilst browsing the web and found it pretty good for cleaning up my wooden cabinets.

Here’s how to make it:

  • 1/2tsp Olive oil or jojoba (a liquid wax)
  • ¼ cup of vinegar (or if you can’t stand the smell use fresh lemon juice

Simply mix these ingredients together in a jar, then dap some onto a soft rag and wipe down your wooden surface. This should help to bring out the graining and leave a gentle shine on the surface.

Now this wasn’t the only natural cleaning product recipe I found. I also came across the following which were pretty easy to make and use:

  • Carpet stains – mix ¼ cup each of salt, borax and vinegar and rub the paste into your carpet. Leave for a few hours, then vacuum.
  • Tile mould – this works well for all kinds of mould. Simply mix 2tsp of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water, shake and then spray onto your problem area.
  • Floor cleaner – this works on wooden, laminated and tiled floors. Mix 1/8 cup plant-based liquid soap and 1/8 cup of distilled white vinegar into a gallon of water, then add 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

And none of these left a nasty smell either which was a refreshing change.

However, if you’re looking to completely overhaul your cleaning cabinet, then you might enjoy trying some of these natural household products.