We know that we can make our own natural cleaning products from some common household items such as vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice. But, what are these products actually best at cleaning and why?
Read a little more about these eco-cleaning wonders, and discover why they are essential to use at home.
1. Lemons
Lemons are around 5% acid and are naturally antiseptic and antibacterial so they are great for green cleaning. On top of this, they are very good at cutting through oils and grease, and leave a lovely lemon-fresh scent.
Click here to find out how to use lemon juice in the home.
Top tip: Use lemon juice to disinfect floors, clean counter tops and chopping boards.
Eco Rating: 4 / 5
Difficulty Rating: Simple
Cost rating: Extremely inexpensive
2. Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
Baking soda is an excellent abrasive for cleaning stubborn marks and stains. It is also extremely good at removing odours from carpets, upholstery and refrigerators and can be added to your washing to soften your clothes.
Click here for a whole host of ways to clean with baking soda.
Top tip: Use a paste mixture of baking soda and lemon juice to clean and polish brass and other metal items.
Eco Rating: 4 / 5
Difficulty Rating: Simple
Cost rating: Inexpensive
3. Vinegar
Vinegar is a highly versatile eco-friendly liquid, and is often used safely with many food items. It contains around 5% acetic acid and can be used to polish metals, remove mildew and soap build-up, dissolve grease and mineral deposits, and clean windows. Distilled white vinegar is the best type to use.
Click here to see a more comprehensive list of cleaning uses for vinegar.
Top tip: Mix vinegar and salt to make an abrasive solution to clean tea and coffee stains from crockery and cutlery.
Eco Rating: 3 / 5
Difficulty Rating: Simple
Cost rating: Inexpensive
4. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has great antibacterial and antifungal properties, and it also has a mild effect on the environment. It can be used to kill mould and mildew, and on a wide range of household surfaces. It also breaks down easily into water and oxygen.
Click here for more information on cleaning with hydrogen peroxide.
Top tip: A 3-6% hydrogen peroxide solution is said to be sufficient for household cleaning.
Eco Rating: 2 / 5
Difficulty Rating: Simple
Cost rating: Inexpensive
5. Soda water
Soda water is a cheap, easy and low impact way to clean. The mild acidity of the water makes it useful to shine bathroom fixtures, remove simple freshly-made stains, degrease cooking pans and loosen hardened cooking residue.
Top tip: Pour soda water straight onto a newly formed stain while it is still wet and let it sit while you prepare a soap mixture to scrub it out.
Eco Rating: 2 / 5
Difficulty Rating: Simple
Cost rating: Inexpensive
Simple, effective and low impact
Using a combination of these cleaning agents around the house can significantly reduce the impacts of your household and make a safer environment for your family, free from harmful chemicals.
On top of this, these eco-friendly ingredients are easy to get hold of and come at a much lower cost when compared to some of the chemical detergents and cleaning agents.
