Natural remedies for clean homes

Cleaning your house could be a daunting task and it is better done without or with minimal use of chemicals. Most cleaning products are loaded with several types of chemicals.

These are five ways in which you can clean and detox your house with all natural ingredients:

Make a multipurpose spray

Most of the popular DIY cleaning hacks include the usage of vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts of vinegar and water. If you want to get rid of the smell of vinegar, add a few drops of essential oils to the mix. You can even add a few drops of lemon for a zesty smell.  

This mixture will work on 90 per cent of stains and grime. Use it on floors, dining tables, the sink, ceramic, as well as bathroom tiles and mirrors. Vinegar alone can also take off stains from utensils. Just boil the utensil with vinegar and see the stains disappear.

Olive oil as furniture polish

This is an amazing alternative to furniture polish. Dab some of the olive oil on the cloth and gently polish it over the surface of the furniture and leave it to dry. After drying, it gives the furniture a brand new look.

Switch to castile soap

This is a non-toxic, biodegradable soap that has multiple uses. It can be used as detergent for laundry, dish soap, hand soap or even as a floor cleaner. Castile soap can be mixed with water in several different concentrations depending upon the use. Mix it with vinegar for a sparkly floor. Use a more concentrated version to clean up the dishes.

Multiple uses of bicarbonate of soda

Bicarbonate of soda works in three ways. It deodorises, fizzles when mixed with water and is also a gentle abrasive. These properties make it a great cleaning agent. Keep it in an open bowl in the fridge so that it can soak the bad odour. When mixed with water, it penetrates into grease and makes it easier to clean and the abrasive quality is great for cleaning bathrooms.

It can even be used to clean ovens and unblock drains. It is also great when paired with vinegar to remove stubborn stains and grease.

Refresh using tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is great to tackle mildew and mould. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and put a few drops of tea tree oil in it. Spray it on areas that have mould growing on it, leave it for 30 minutes and scrub it off.