HOME & GARDEN: Eco-friendly Spring Cleaning Tips

There is no getting away from the thankless task of cleaning our homes. With hundreds of cleaning products available to assist in the quest for sparkling cleanliness, we can spray and polish our way to domestic bliss but at what price? Commercial cleaners come with a long list of health concerns for both family and the environment rooted in their production and disposal. With increasing numbers of asthma and allergy sufferers we should all be considering reducing our use of these synthetic cleaners in our homes.

Eco-friendly cleaning cloths by Scrubbity

Did you know that everything you need to disinfect and clean your home is probably already in your store cupboard? There is a silent genius lurking on the supermarket shelves. Vinegar is made from the oxidation of distilled alcohol such as wine, cider, beer, fermented fruit juice and almost any other liquid containing alcohol. White vinegar is a natural disinfectant, deodorizer and brilliant all-purpose cleaner which can kill up to 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mould and 80 percent of germs. Unfortunately, the makers of vinegar can’t proclaim these properties as this would make vinegar a pesticide requiring registration, as such confining it to the back of most people’s cupboards and minds.

Using a simple concoction of vinegar, baking soda, lemon and a few others basic ingredients, it is possible to clean almost anything in your home at little expense to your wallet, health and the environment. Here are a few recipes to try out.

Adult & Child Apron Set by Crafted

Basic all purpose cleaner: you can use this on the stove, appliances, counter tops, stone and brick surfaces, mix 1 part water to 1 part vinegar. If you are concerned by the smell, the strong odour disappears when the vinegar dries up which is a seemingly small price to pay.

Sink/Drain Unblocker: Clear sinks and drains and remove the build-up of fat with this simple recipe. To make 5 treatments you will need:

• 16 tablespoons of baking soda
• 16 tablespoons of salt
• 4 tablespoons of cream of tartar in a jar with a lid

Close the jar tightly and shake until the ingredients are well mixed. To use, pour 2 oz/60g directly down the drain, followed by a kettleful of boiling water. After 1 minute, rinse with warm or cold tap water. Repeat this procedure weekly for best results. To store the cleaner seal in a tight lidded container.

Furniture Polish: For a quick and effective furnish polish for wooden furniture, mix equal parts:

• turpentine
• boiled linseed oil
• vinegar
• a little lemon oil

Wipe into the wood and wipe off any excess with a soft cloth.

Bathroom cleaner: Remove water deposit stains on glass, chrome, mirrors with a simple mix of:

• 1 ½ cups of vinegar
• ¼ cup of baking soda
• 2 litres of water

You can also pour straight vinegar inside the rim of the toilet bowl and scrub to get rid of limescale. Vinegar diluted with water can be used to mop bathroom floors and a couple of teaspoons added to a spray bottle filled with water makes fantastic window cleaner.

Happy Spring Cleaning!