Naturally Clean!

Spring cleaning. It’s that gorgeous time of year when we throw open the windows and air out our homes after a long winter. Just like our bodies want to hit the refresh button (and we have been doing that…right?), we also want to refresh our living space.

 

We clean and scrub, polish and dust until floors, surfaces and windows sparkle and shine.

 

But what are you cleaning with? If you’re leaving behind a chemical haze, what have you achieved? Your home may look and smell fresh, but with cleaning products responsible for triggering allergic reactions and exacerbating migraines and asthma symptoms, there has to be a better, more natural way to clean. Not mention the burden placed on our already-strained waterways with all the chemical run-off from cleaning products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency names phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia and chemicals grouped under the term “Volatile Organic Compounds” as the worst environmental hazards in household cleaners. Yikes!

 

Reading labels is just as important on your household cleaners as on the food you eat. But don’t panic. I’m going to take the worry…and the work out of this part of cleaning (sorry, I can’t help with the actual cleaning…).

 

As much as I love cleaning (I really do…) and love the latest and greatest organic products, these babies can break the bank. But with natural effective ingredients right in your home, you can create your own natural cleaners in no time.

 

Spit Shine Your Floors

Not with spit, of course! But if you’re like me, you just love when your floors shine!

 

Just a half cup of lemon juice on your damp mop will leave your floors clean and germ-free. To put a spit shine on your floors, add a wee drop of olive oil in your damp mopping water.

 

And you can get rid of scuff marks with a bit of baking soda and a damp sponge.

 

Sparkling Windows

For your windows, mix equal parts vinegar and water and clean the windows with lint-free cloth. I personally love the washable micro-fiber cloths for this job. Note that you can also simply polish your windows to a high shine with a dry lint-free cloth if you don’t have the time…or desire to wash them.

 

As the week goes on, I’ll be posting more ideas for keeping your home clean and healthy…from top to bottom as well as delish spring recipes. And your job? Besides cleaning? Post your best natural cleaning ideas for us all to see and use.

 

Let’s make the world a cleaner and fresher place this spring!