The modern home is usually filled with chemical-based products meant to complete various tasks including pest elimination, cleaning, sanitising, and many others. These products, while effective, may cause serious health hazards to everyone in the household.
In the long run, homeowners might get forced to pay the price of using these toxic commercial chemical-based products as everyone at home falls at risk of health problems caused by the extended use of synthetic chemical-laced merchandise.
By following the formulas below, you can make your own non-toxic cleaning products in the comfort of your own home and choose to make environmentally responsible choices starting today.
Here’s a list of formulas that involve ingredients you probably already have lying around at home that you can use as alternatives to commercial household products.
- Multi-purpose cleaner
You can use this to remove stains from bathroom fixtures; to clean windows, bathroom mirrors, and other surfaces.
What you’ll need:
½ C vinegar
¼ C baking soda
2 litres of water
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients together and store for future use.
- Bathroom mold remover
What you’ll need:
3% Hydrogen peroxide
Water
Spray bottle
Procedure:
In a spray bottle, mix two parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide. Spray solution on moldy areas in the bathroom and let it sit for at least one hour. Rinse.
- Carpet stain remover
What you’ll need:
¼ C salt
¼ C borax
¼ C vinegar
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients together until it turns into a paste. Rub the paste onto the carpet and let it set for a few hours. Vacuum off afterwards.
- Laundry detergent
What you’ll need:
1 C Ivory or any other bar soap without artificial fragrances
½ C borax
½ C sodium carbonate (washing soda)
Procedure:
Mix all ingredients together; use a tablespoon for light loads and two tablespoons for heavy loads.
- Oven cleaner
What you’ll need:
¾ C baking soda
¼ C salt
¼ C water
Sponge
Water for moistening
Procedure:
Start by moistening oven surfaces with a wet sponge and a little extra water for dipping. Make a paste by mixing the baking soda with salt and water. Spread the paste over the oven’s interior surfaces, being careful to avoid openings and bare metal. Leave to dry overnight, remove with a spatula or any similar object, then wipe clean. For tough spots, use steel wool and rub gently.
Note that there are also a growing number of non-toxic cleaning products for the home available commercially. These may also be used as eco- and health-friendly alternatives if you do not have time to make cleaning products yourself. Not only will you help promote green living, but your purchase will also help sustain and grow green businesses which are all active contributors to a sustainable economy.
