Let’s get straight to the point.
What are the Top 4 Cleaners?
Vinegar
Baking Soda
3% Hydrogen Peroxide
Citrus Enzyme Cleaner
You may think that I’m a sucker for natural products – toxin and chemical free. Well, I am. But really, I’m just cheap. VERY cheap. I find that it defies logic for me to buy fancy pansy store bought cleaning products when I could very well buy any of the top 4 items for a fraction of the cost.
An average 26 oz all purpose cleaner spray costs 3 to 4 dollars. Those so called ‘greener’ ones would easily double that amount. But one made from vinegar or enzyme and water would cost a mere 20 cents. That’s 95% savings (if I’ve done my math correctly).
Besides, our environment is full of toxins and chemicals already. The air is polluted, but we can’t stop breathing. Produce is full of pesticides, meat is full of additives and hormones and water is full of contaminants, but we have to eat to live. Clothes have dyes, but we can’t walk around naked. So, shouldn’t we decrease our exposure whenever we can to at least make room in our bodies for those that we can’t avoid? Unless we don’t have to eat and breathe to live and it’s socially acceptable to go around nude, things look pretty bleak.
So my ultimate question for you is this. If we’re going to die anyway, would you choose to die from toxins in cleaners or to die from addictives and hormones in fried chicken? You probably can guess my answer to that.
I live to eat.
#1. Vinegar (kills germs, cleans and deodorizes)
1. Undiluted in a spray bottle
Kitchen:
– Stainless steel pots and pans mineral buildup: After regular cleaning of pans or pots, mist the surface, scrub with a non abrasive sponge and it’ll look as good as new.
– Fruit & vegetables: Mist, gently rub and rinse to kill bacteria.
– Cutting boards or non porous surfaces: Mist and scrub or wipe to disinfect and deodorize.
– Refrigerator: Mist and wipe to disinfect and deodorize.
Bathroom:
– Glass doors.
– Sinks, tubs, faucets, knobs, toilet bowls (any non porous surfaces): Spray, let sit and wipe or brush to disinfect and clean, especially mineral deposits from hard water.
General
– Disinfect: Mist and wipe to clean knobs, phones, remote controls, switches and other things that are frequently touched.
2. Undiluted in a squeeze bottle or container
– Fruit & Vegetables: 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, soak and rinse.
– Dishwasher rinse aid (as long as your detergent doesn’t already include a rinse aid).
– Sponges: Add vinegar to water and soak sponges.
– Toothbrushes, tongue cleaners: Add vinegar to water, soak toothbrushes and rinse.
3. Diluted in a spray or squeeze bottle (1:3 vinegar to water)
– Make an all purpose cleaner: add a couple drops of dish soap and/or citrus essential oils.
4. Undiluted in their original bottle
– Washing machine: Add four cups of vinegar into the washer with the highest water level. Agitate the machine a little to combine the mixture. Let soak a couple of hours to overnight and run the washer as usual (without clothes).
– Laundry: Add 1 cup vinegar to first rinse cycle to help cut hard water and soften clothes.
– Dishwasher: pour 1 cup to the bottom of the dishwater and run a heavy cycle.
– Shower heads
*Don’t like the smell of vinegar? Do this.
#2. Baking Soda (mildly abrasive and removes odor)
1. In a shaker or container
Kitchen
– Stubborn stains on stainless steel cookware: Sprinkle a little, scrub and rinse.
– Removes odor from cutting boards: Sprinkle, let sit a couple minutes, scrub and rinse.
– Removes odor from dishwasher: Sprinkle the bottom of dishwasher and let sit overnight. Run heavy cleaning cycle.
– Removes odor from trash cans: Sprinkle bottom of the can and let sit overnight.
– Removes odor & unclog garbage disposal. Flush garbage disposal. Sprinkle 1/2 cup baking soda, let sit overnight. Pour some hot water in and solution will fizz. Run the garbage disposal with hot water.
– Removes odor from refrigerator – place some baking soda in a container in the fridge. Change monthly.
– Greasy smudges on stainless steel appliances.
Bathroom
– Removes odor & cleans: Sinks, tubs and toilet bowls. Sprinkle, spray with water, let sit, scrub and rinse.
– Removes black mold.
General areas
– Washing Machine: Add 1/2 cup baking soda into the washer with the highest water level. Agitate the machine a little to combine the mixture. Let sit a couple hours to overnight and run the washer as usual (without clothes).
– Couches, carpets and car seats: Sprinkle baking soda and let sit for a couple minutes before vacuuming to freshen them and remove odors.
– Stain: Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub onto stain on clothes. Let sit for at least 1 hour before putting to wash.
– Laundry: Add 1/2 cup baking soda during the wash cycle to deodorize clothes.
#3. Hydrogen Peroxide 3% (natural alternative to bleach with the same power)
Best to keep in original bottle and put a spray head or use an opaque dark bottle. It’s safe enough that you do not need to wipe off after application.
– Black, pink mold on tile or grout: spray on target area and let sit for a couple minutes. Brush, rinse and repeat as needed.
– Black mold on shower curtains: Lay down the curtains, spray hydrogen peroxide directly and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Put to wash in the washer on delicate. Repeat if stubborn. Hanging in the sun helps to whiten as well.
– Clothes stains: Pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto stain (test for color fastness in an inconspicuous area first). Rub the area and let sit for a couple minutes before putting to wash.
– Stains in general: Spray some peroxide directly or make a paste with baking soda and let sit a couple minutes (test for color fastness for fabric in an inconspicuous area first). Scrub and wipe/rinse.
– Disinfect any surfaces, cutting boards or knives: Spray and wipe/scrub with a rag, paper towel or sponge.
– Fruit and vegetables: 1/4 cup added to water, soak 20-30 minutes and rinse.
– Laundry – 1 cup added to a load of whites to brighten clothes.
– Kids’ items: Spray and wipe to sanitize and disinfect kids’ toys, lunch boxes or bags.
1. Undiluted in squeeze bottles or containers
– Greasy dishes: Add to sponge along with dish soap when hand washing.
– Greasy stove, oven hood and surfaces: Add to a wet rag. Wipe and rinse rag. Repeat as needed. You can also add a couple drops of dish soap on the same wet rag for heavily greased surfaces.
– Fruit and vegetables: Add to water and soak.
– Greasy filters from oven hood: Add to water and soak (add a couple drops dish soap).
– Mopping floor: Add to water. No soap required.
– Pink mold.
– Laundry: Add 1 cup to a normal load during the wash cycle to add cleaning power and soften clothes.
– Washing machine: Pour 3-4 cups into the washer with the highest water level. Agitate the machine a little to combine the mixture. Let soak a couple hours to overnight and run machine as usual.
– Garbage disposal or drains: Pour 1 cup down slowly .
2. Diluted in a spray bottle
– Mirrors and any surfaces (tables, ceiling fans, sinks, counter tops, tables, windows): Mist and wipe with a rag or paper towel.
*Read more in depth on cleaning with enzyme here.
You may notice that these cleaners clean similar items. However, each cleaner plays it own role. Used on their own, they’re pretty awesome. Used one after the other separately, they’re off the charts. You could also opt to alternate the cleaners, using vinegar this time you clean and hydrogen peroxide the next time.
Note that some cleaners shouldn’t be combined together.
Example:
Vinegar + Baking Soda = Salt and Water. You lose BOTH cleaning powers.
Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide = Parecetic Acid. It will become too corrosive and irritating to our skin.
Let’s go have some fried chicken.
What are your top 4 cleaners for your home?
