Homemade Cleaners

I try to do my part in helping to save the environment. But I have to admit that I have less charitable reasons for making my own natural cleaners. I hate the smell of commercial cleaners. Also, commercial cleaners are tough on my sensitive skin. I also keep the health hazards of chemical cleaners in mind. For all of the above reasons, I clean about everything with homemade natural cleaners. And one of the best reasons of all, homemade natural cleaners are cheap! Here are some of my favorite natural cleaner recipes.

I live in an old, old house. I want to preserve all of the beautiful woodwork and keep it clean at the same time. So I have found a homemade wood and furniture cleaner that works miracles. It's very simple and uses common household ingredients. I make enough to last for more than one polishing session. Simply mix together a cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup of lemon juice. That's it. Put on a rag and polish away. Not only does it leave wood with a high sheen, but the lemon juice is a natural antibacterial agent.

Use plain salt to sanitize and clean kitchen sinks. Salt is a natural germ killer. The coarse texture helps to remove stains. Just sprinkle salt in a damp kitchen sink. Then scrub the sink with a clean cloth. Rinse out the salt and you have a sterilized sink with no chemicals needed.

Don't throw away lemon, orange, or any type of citrus peels. Use them to freshen your garbage disposal. We have citrus fruits everyday. The peels are always chopped up in our garbage disposal. As a result, everytime our garbage disposal is turned on or even if the faucet is running, the fresh scent of citrus fills the air. We never have problems with garbage disposal odors.

Homemade window cleaner is cheap and easy to make. Just mix equal parts of lemon juice or vinegar with water. Add about two squirts of dishwashing liquid if you want, but it's not required. I actually prefer not using dishwashing liquid unless the windows are actually dirty or dusty. This homemade cleaner without the dishwashing liquid will leave your windows clean and free from streaks.

Baking soda works just as well as an scouring cleaning products for scrubbing the bathtub, shower, or sink. Baking soda works like a charm at removing soap scum. Use baking soda anywhere a little extra added elbow grease is needed. Just sprinkle the baking soda onto the surface and rub with a damp cloth or sponge. Then rinse.