by Karen Wilmot

Created on: March 04, 2011

We are inundated with marketing schemes from all major cleaning companies; scrubbing bubbles, the magic of Clorox bleach and love your wood with Murphy’s Oil Soap. However, the best cleaning products are natural, cheap and easy to use. Here is my list of great cleaning products:

1. Vinegar
Mix one part vinegar and two parts water in a spray bottle. This concoction can clean windows, light plates, mirrors and glass tops. You can also use this same mixture in a bucket for cleaning tile or linoleum floors. It is natural and there is virtually no aroma.  If you have hard water, just add a cup of straight vinegar to your dishwasher during the rinsing phase. Your dishes will come out spot free and sparkling.

2. Borox
This is the natural alternative to bleach and has been cleaning households since 1891. You can find it on your grocery shelves near laundry detergents, at Ace Hardware and on Amazon.com.  I use this product to clean bathtubs and porcelain sinks. Basically anything that is white is given a once over with this weekly and stays clean and fresh. The best part is that you can use this in an enclosed area without being overcome with fumes.  It was originally used as a laundry booster however it can be adapted to use in many other areas of your household. The only place this didn’t work well for me was my kitchen floor. It ended up streaking my floor so went back to vinegar solution above.

3. Baking Soda
Not only can you use baking soda in your refrigerator to remove odors. You can sprinkle it on your carpets to remove household aromas. Just sprinkle it on and leave for 20 minutes or so. Then vacuum it up. The fresh scent will remain for days. I also use baking soda to clean my white sinks if I haven’t had time to go to the store for Borox. It works well but not as good as Borox.

4. Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
3M Company makes an amazing yellow microfiber cleaning cloth. There is no need for polishes or sprays with this cloth. It quickly picks up dust and releases it with a shake outside. Each cloth has 100 washes so if you dust your house weekly one cloth could last you up to 2 years.  For me it was worth the added investment.

These solutions to common cleaning situations are natural and toxic free. They have been around for hundreds of years. Your great grandparents, and many previous to them, have used these same products to clean their homes. When you use natural cleaning products you are doing your family and the environment a favor. Don’t let the marketing gurus of today convince you to buy some expensive alternative to the way things have been done for years. You are better than that. You want to do good things for your children and future generations.

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