I haven't used chemical cleaners in my home for some time now. I have purchased natural commercial products such as Honest Co. and 7th Generation, but more often I go for basic natural cleaners. I save a good amount of money and know exactly what I'm cleaning with.
Some of my favorite cleaning products are readily in my home, such as vinegar and baking soda. I also use essential oils. Below are some items and what I use them for.
Baking Soda: I use this to deodorize and scrub my home. As a basic deodorizer you can place an open box in the fridge or elsewhere around the house, add essential oils to the mix to kick it up.
Carpets: Mix baking soda in a mason jar with orange essential oil. I let this sit without a lid until the oil dries. I then cover and shake the jar to mix it. About 20 minutes or more before I plan to vacuum I sprinkle my carpets and rugs with the mixture. This also guarantees I actually do vacuum.
Sinks and tub: Sprinkle baking soda on surface and scrub with a sponge, rinse with water. You can also add some tea tree oil to the mix as above for floors.
Toilets: I mix this with peroxide and spray my toilet with the mixture, let sit a few minutes and then scrub with a toilet brush.
Essential Oils: I love essential oils. I use them in body oil, bath salts, cleaning sprays, humidifiers, etc... There are so many uses. It is recommended that you place essential oil mixes in glass bottles and not plastic, as essential oils can break down plastic.
Flea Spray (Dog): I use this on my pet bed and dog's fur. I haven't had a flea issue in years. I also find very few ticks over the course of a year on my dog (maybe a couple). I use a 32 oz. spray bottle and fill it with distilled water. I then add 15 drops each of peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree oils. I love those 4 oils and find them very versatile. I shake the bottle before each use. On my dog's collar I often add peppermint oil diluted in a carrier oil.
Flea Repellant (cats): Cats can be tricky since they are sensitive to oils. I use Cedarwood and lavender on my cat. I add these to a high grade pure vegetable oil, diluting 50:1 vegetable to essential oil. I then place a little on my hands and massage my cat with the oil. I found the recommendation for this process here. I recommend watching your cat for signs of sensitivity whenever introducing them to oils.
Oils for Cleaning: I usually throw these in with baking soda or peroxide. Lavender, tea tree, lemon, and orange are my go to. I love the way they smell, although not all together.
All Purpose Cleaner: I mix water and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. I then add essential oils to scent. A basic recipe would be to mix 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar and then 20-30 drops of essential oils in a spray bottle. You can also make an all purpose cleaner with castile soap, I found a very informative post on Mommypotamus.com that gives more info on oils and cleaners.
There are plenty other products I make at home instead of buying in the store I'll blog about more in the future.
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