A lot of people are starting to worry about the number of chemicals in traditional cleaning products, especially parents of young children. If you’re worried about what your children are being exposed to, don’t worry. There are lots of cleaning products that can be made very effectively using only what’s already in your kitchen cupboards. 

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is great for cleaning. It’s antibacterial, smells good, and the citric acid can shift stains and smells. The garbage disposal is a good place to start. Throw in some lemon slices and ice cubes and run the unit. 

Lemon juice can be used to freshen up bins too. Next time you change the bin liner, wipe the inside with a cloth doused in lemon juice. You can also polish brass and copper with lemon juice. A quick wipe will bring back shine without damaging the finish.

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a very useful cleaning product. Squirt some white vinegar inside the oven, leave to it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe it off to shift grime easily. For tougher grime that you can’t shift, make a paste using white vinegar and baking soda. 

Add a splash of white vinegar into the mop bucket to clean tiled floors. Add a few drops of peppermint oil to cover up the strong smell of vinegar.  

White vinegar is very good for removing hard water stains. Taps and other fittings can be soaked overnight in a bag filled with vinegar, or in tissue paper soaked in the white vinegar. Fill a squirty bottle with vinegar and use it to clean your shower screen. 

Spray white vinegar onto your windows and scrub with newspaper for a streak-free finish. Don’t try and reach the upstairs windows yourself though. Call a professional instead, like Labor Panes. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda is cheap and is effective for cleaning. Turn it into a stain-removing paste by mixing it with white vinegar. 

On its own, sprinkle the powder onto a less-than-fresh mattress, along with a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Leave for an hour, and then vacuum to get rid of smells. Use the same method on rugs, carpets, and pet beds too. 

Coca-Cola

It might seem like a strange choice, but coca-cola is actually perfect for cleaning limescale out of the toilet. If you have the end of a bottle of coca-cola sitting around that has gone flat, pour it into the toilet, and leave it overnight. In the morning, flush, and you’ll have a sparkling clean toilet. 

Dryer Sheets

Screens, like your computer monitor or TV screen, always attract a lot of dust, thanks to the static that they create. An easy way to clean this dust away, as well as any fingerprints or smudges, is to use dryer sheets to dust them. The dust is attracted to the sheet, and they can help to stop more dust from building up. You can use them on your skirting boards too.