Everyday cleaning “magical and wonder “ products are advertised EVERYWHERE, mostly filled with toxic chemicals and wrapped in dramatic plastic packaging or expensive alternatives combined with endless marketing efforts to get you to buy the newest, rose-garden smelling and most powerful disinfectant for your everyday cleaning needs to ensure yourself and your children are free from nasty germs ( adding children’s high chairs is a great marketing hack ) But in reality, staying simple with DIY cleaners can provide you with all you need for a sparkling clean and healthy home. Making your own products reduces your use of plastic and also dramatically reduces the environmental and household pollution caused by the manufacture, use and disposal of these products ( plus it’s astounding the amount of money you save ).
DIY Multi surface cleaner - can be used all over home to clean and sanitise simply combine equal parts white vinegar and water, to offset the small of vinegar you can also try infusing your vinegar with the rind of lemons or oranges or simply squeezing in some juices . You can do this by adding citrus rinds to a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal and store in a cupboard for 2-4 weeks. Once vinegar has infused, strain and use alongside normal vinegar in this mixture to add a fresh scent (this is a concentrated liquid so you don't need much of it to get a nice smell). Avoid use on marble, stone or granite surfaces though. ( if peels aren’t an option you can add essential oils but these are sometimes green washed so do try source from an ethical fair trading producer ) .
Thought Id add some of my favourite natural ingredients for cleaning also which can all be purchased at our store Zero Exeter package free ! Super exciting!
White Vinegar - Such an incredible multi-purpose product that can be used all over the home to get rid of stains, grease, dirt, odours, mould and mildew is white vinegar. The negatives = the smell is not great, but this quickly dissipates, or can be counteracted by delicious smelling add ins such as fruit peels ( orange and lemon is a favourite ) or essential oils.
Baking soda / Bicarbonate of soda - A famous favourite passed on by generations as a way to deodorise, clean and scour away dirt. You can easily use this alone to clean sinks, toilets, baths, ovens, fridges and surfaces to remove dirt and stains.
Castile soap - probably the most versatile products you can buy, commonly used as an all purpose cleaner all around your home. From laundry detergent, to dish soap, hand soap, floor cleaner and even shampoo, castile soap has got you and your home covered.
salt- super versatile mineral and In literally every home and food establishment in abundance, it’s a great added texture to help release stubborn stains and boosts cleaning powers when combined with vinegars or sodas.
Lemon juice / Peels - Naturally a strong acid helping fight against bacteria, remove stains and help keep your whites white.
Olive oil - a favourite to polish up furniture and add a lasting natural shine ( great hand moisturiser and bath oil also ).