Green cleaning tips for a healthy home

By Joanna Lewis A simple glance at the labels of many household cleaning products shows a host of harmful chemicals and toxins that could be harming your health.

Indeed, a recent report carried out by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, U.K, pointed to the fact that chemical-laden household cleaning products contribute to indoor air pollution that can cause health problems.

One easy way to help create a clean and healthy indoor environment is by turning to Mother Nature and utilising natural cleaning solutions. Store cupboard staples such as vinegar, baking soda, lemons, and olive oil make some of the best cleaning products and, better yet, come at a purse-friendly price point.

Here are some simple, chemical-free ways to clean your home.

Clean your oven with baking soda Conventional oven cleaning products are highly toxic – so much so that you often must use them in a wellventilated room. Baking soda and water can help keep your oven clean and sparkling, without any of those chemical nasties. With a damp cloth, or using a spray bottle filled with water, moisten the inside of the oven, ensuring it is evenly damp. Apply a thick layer of baking soda on the bottom of the oven – around a quarter of an inch thick – until it resembles a paste. Leave for a few hours, and then simply wipe clean.

Say goodbye to grubby showerheads Showerheads can quickly get a build-up of limescale. For an all-natural fix, fill a large plastic zip lock bag with white vinegar and tie it securely over the showerhead, ensuring the showerhead is fully immersed in the vinegar. Leave it overnight and then rinse clean under cold water.

Brighten your windows and mirrors You don’t need to splurge on a bottle of chemical laden glass cleaner to get your windows and mirrors to sparkle. All you need is your own spray bottle, some white vinegar, water, and some rubbing alcohol (70 percent concentration). Combine one-part vinegar with two-part waters, then add a dash of rubbing alcohol, which helps to ensure a streak-free finish. Mix well, spray, then wipe with a paper towel or soft cloth.

Scented all-purpose cleaner For a great all-round cleaner for counter tops and floors, simply mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Add a few drops of your favourite essential oil or infuse the white vinegar with the rind of some lemons, oranges, or limes. To do this, simply add citrus rinds to a jar, cover with vinegar, seal and store in a cupboard for two to four weeks. Don’t use this mixture on marble, stone, or granite surfaces though.

Washing-up liquid substitute There’s no need to clean your dishes with toxic-laden washing up liquid. All-natural Castile soap works just as well. It’s highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Use four-parts Castile soap to one-part water in a dispensing bottle. Castile soap also works wonderfully as a floor cleaner and as a laundry detergent too.

A simple way to clean your microwave Cleaning your microwave is super easy with two simple natural store cupboard ingredients; vinegar and lemon. Place a small cup of white vinegar and the juice of a lemon in the microwave and switch it on for two minutes. Leave the door closed for a further minute or so to allow it to steam, then open and simply wipe down the inside with a damp cloth.

All-round kitchen cleaner For one of the best all-purpose kitchen cleaners all you need is baking soda. In a bowl, or spray bottle, add four tablespoons of baking soda to one-quart warm water. Pour the mixture on to a clean sponge and get cleaning! Great for countertops, stainless steel sinks and taps, and the inside of the refrigerator.

Gently polish wood furniture Shop bought wood polishing products are filled with a host of nasty chemicals which quickly become air-borne when you spray onto furniture. Instead simply use two-parts olive oil and one-part lemon juice to clean and shine up wood furniture. Any inexpensive or unflavoured olive oil will do. Apply the mixture to a soft cloth and rub into the furniture, following the direction of the grain of wood.

Store cupboard staples for a clean and healthy home

Lemons Lemons are a natural disinfectant; they also help remove odours and stains. Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds cleaning power to all-purpose cleaning solutions. Rub half a lemon onto a wood chopping board to remove odours.

Essential oils A natural way to fragrance your home. A few drops of essential oil can also add antibacterial and antifungal power to cleaning solutions. Always use pure, undiluted essential oils and store away from sunlight.

Baking soda Great for scrubbing and whitening. Use baking soda and water to help whiten sinks and bathtubs. Adding a box of baking soda to the fridge will help eliminate odours.

Castile soap Castile soap is an allnatural olive oil-based soap, with great sudsing power. A great dish soap, floor cleaner, and more. You can even use this nifty product as a shampoo and body wash.

White vinegar Use for removing stains disinfecting, deodorising, and cleaning. A go-to product for germ-ridden spots such as countertops, door handles, and toilets.

Olive oil A great ingredient to naturally polish wood.

Rubbing alcohol A great disinfectant. Rubbing alcohol is also a fabulous degreaser, quickly dissolving dirt and oil. Great for cleaning stainless steel appliances, and windows, as leaves a streak-free finish.