Over the past year, Patrick and I have transitioned to using all natural cleaners. First, we quit using most chemical cleaners and traded in for the Seventh Generation line of kitchen and bathroom cleaners. I'm still not real sure what's in them, but ok, they claim its non-toxic and all natural. My first complaint is that this product line is expensive. I bought some stuff when it went on sale at Kroger and I had coupons. So it wasn't too much more than chemical cleaning products. Upon use, I found the products to be kinda so-so. The kitchen cleaner works on my surfaces to clean up general grime, but it does not make my white sink sparkle, nor does it get rid of stains on the counter top. The bathroom cleaner requires a significant amount of scrubbing to get rid of my soap scum rings. So, I wasn't totally sold on these products. Plus, they don't disinfect. So I kinda even wondered what's the point. So upon further research online I discovered that there may be only two cleaning products you need in your whole house.... baking soda and vinegar.
When I first tried out baking soda on my white kitchen sink I was pretty much in awe. It came out absolutely sparkling. And my tub? I bathe as a hobby, so I build up some pretty nasty soap scum rings that require a lot of scrubbing - not with baking soda! I have never had an easier time removing soap scum with any other chemical product I have used.
I would have posted a before and after, but trust me, my tub was so dirty I'm too embarrassed to show you a "before". That's how dirty it was, and after just wiping with a baking soda mix, sparkling!
To clean with baking soda, I just sprinkle some in a plastic cup and add a small amount of water. Mix to form a paste that should be the consistency of frosting. I smear that on a damp washcloth and wipe anything and everything. This makes a "soft scrub" sort of solution that provides a mild abrasive to clean off things like soap scum with ease. I then rinse the surface with water, if its the tub or sink, or rinse the washcloth and wipe with the damp washcloth to get rid of any left behind baking soda. I also found that it is best to clean a fairly dry surface because if it is too wet then it won't be as abrasive and it will take a few repetitions.
Then I spray down the surface with vinegar to disinfect. We just keep plain old white vinegar in a cheap spray bottle. In 2000, Good Housekeeping found that a"straight 5% solution of vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of viruses". Plus its completely non-toxic! Obviously since its a main ingredient in salad dressings and other condiments! Vinegar is equally as effect as chlorine bleach, but chlorine bleach happens to be one of the most poisonous chemicals in the world. There is virtually no reason to use bleach when you can use baking soda and vinegar. That commercial where they advertise soaking your child's toys and teething rings in a bleach solution to disinfect them is a little disconcerting. Even with a rinse, they could still have bleach residue on them which then goes straight in their mouth. Using vinegar in the exact same manner will kill the same amount of germs completely safely. There is no need to dilute vinegar either. The commercial solution is just fine. Yes, vinegar stinks, but it dissipates after an hour or two, and bleach stinks too, anyway.
I've just recently started using the baking soda paste on my back. Pregnancy has given me quite the pimple problem on my chest and back. Patrick just rubs it on in circles for 30 seconds, then I rinse. I just started using this, so I can't say if it works well or not, but Patrick did think that just after one application, my back looked a little clearer the next day. It acts a s a great exfoliant too. I'll let you know how that turns out. I read that it is safe to use on your face too, though I haven't tried.
Lastly, baking soda and vinegar are crazy cheap. I bought a 2lb box of Arm & Hammer for $1.08 at Wal-Mart. I think you can also buy sodium bicarbonate in bulk. Vinegar is what? $1? So, cheap, easy, and healthy! I'm for it.
Many more uses for baking soda and vinegar
Well, I actually used to do a lot of natural cleaning, because the other stuff tends to make me sick and causes asthma attacks if I don't have good ventilation. I got here, expecting to clean my coffee pot with white vinegar, and I couldn't find any!!! We looked everyone. Finally, we found some in the vegan grocery store for like $4 a bottle the size of a small bottle of window cleaner!! G finally found a 5 litre bottle of it in town, but still. It's elusive here!
ReplyDelete