The size of our carbon footprint is something that many of us worry about. We all know we should avoid driving huge gas-guzzling cars and 4x4s, and that we shouldn’t leave our garden sprinklers on all day; the list of things we recycle is endless. We all try hard to maintain an environmentally friendly home, but something that is quite often bypassed is how we clean our homes. Most kitchen and bathroom cleaners, polishes and aerosols have toxic chemicals in them which we are using to clean our homes.
But there is a solution – you can throw out all your environmentally unfriendly cleaning products and use food products instead. Yes I said food… lemon, vinegar and baking powder to be precise!
Lovely Lemons
Lemon juice is a simple and natural alternative to using harsh chemicals in your home and here’s how to make the most of your lemons:
– Grease Removal – If you mix some water and lemon juice together and pop it in a spray bottle it will blitz its way through any grease you have on your cooker or worktops
– Disinfect your fridge – your fridge needs to be kept nice and clean as you keep all sorts of types of food in your fridge including uncooked meat and it’s not the place you want to be using chemicals. Lemon juice will disinfect the shelves in your fridge as well as removing any stains and odours
– Get your glasses sparkling again – using lemon juice can bring the shine back to a vase, or your champagne glasses
– Get your brass gleaming again – make up a paste with lemon juice and salt and apply to any brass, copper or chrome objects, leave it for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water and buff with a soft cloth
– Clean your microwave – the easiest way to clean your microwave and remove tough stains is to put some lemon juice and water in your microwave and heat it for a few minutes, then leave the door closed for a few more minutes to let the steam work its way around the microwave. It will lift any stains which you can then wipe away, and it will leave your microwave smelling fresh. Be careful when removing the jug as the water can get surprisingly hot
– Clean your hands – When you’ve been chopping onions and garlic the smell can linger on your hands for ages, washing them with lemon juice will get rid of any odours
Versatile Vinegar
Vinegar is the best ingredient you can use to get your windows sparkling clean and smear free. Pour straight white vinegar into a spray bottle, spray on your windows and wipe away with recycled kitchen towel. You can use it on your mirrors and glass shower doors too.
Other uses for vinegar:
– Get rid of the lime scale in your kettle by pouring vinegar into the kettle and boiling it
– Remove stains in coffee cups and lunchboxes. Make a paste using vinegar and salt and scrub gently before rinsing with warm water
– Clean a grimy showerhead by literally unscrewing the head from your shower and leaving it in a jug of vinegar overnight
– If you have linoleum or tiled floors simply add a cup of vinegar per gallon of water you use to wash your floors and it will leave them really clean
You can substitute the lemon or vinegar with baking soda in most cases; it’s great for making a paste and removing grease and stains.
How to Make your House Smell Amazing
If you want to avoid using air fresheners in your house then why not try scented candles or burning incense sticks. Another great way is to find some spices like cinnamon that you are bound to have hidden away in the back of your cupboard, mix a pinch or two of various spices together and simmer in a saucepan and the aroma will spread around your house in no time. If you are feeling really adventurous you could even bake some bread or chocolate chip cookies, the kids will love you and any horrible odours will be replaced by that intoxicating smell of baking.
Now you have all the knowledge you have no excuse not to go off and be the eco-friendly god or goddess of your own home.
This article was written by Meredith Watts on behalf of Bygone Collection; A professional supplier and installer of quality and energy rated ‘B’ sash windows.