I hate chemical cleaners but also hate a dirty house. I find the smell of most cleaners offensive to the olfactory system; plus, overly floral aromas send me running for the Excedrin. These household cleaning tips include keeping the following on hand; vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, lemons, coarse salt and sponges under the sink. Cut your sponges in half to have them last longer. Detergents and dish soaps in my home are also unscented.
If I can find a non-chemical option that cleans well and kills germs I always choose that option over a stronger chemical.
My Favorite Cleaning Tips
- Sprinkle salt on wine spills and let sit for a few hours then vacuum up the salt with the stain.
- No scrubbing the toilet. I hate chemical cleaners, but I also hate a dirty bathroom, the solution: drop a denture cleaning tablets like Efferdent or Polident in the bowl and watch it do the job for you, then flush. Another option to clean is to pour half a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the toilet bowl and let soak for about 45 minutes then flush.
- Take off your shoes at the front door, shoes track in dirt, sorry it’s a fact. Keep a pair of inside shoes by the front door and kick off your outdoor shoes and slip on your inside pair.
- Clean sponges with baking soda and water to freshen up so you can extend their life. You can also soak in vinegar to kill germs. Remember to toss the used sponges out every couple of weeks.
- Remove yellow underarm stains from cotton. Mix using a 2 to 1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide and dish soap, then pour over the stain and let soak for 60-90 minutes then was as usual.
- To remove stains for linens, mix freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt then apply to the stain. Let the salt and lemon mixture sit for about 30 minutes, then rinse in a bath of vinegar and warm water.
- Save time cleaning up spills and sticky stuff off the inside of refrigerator door shelves by lining the shelves with parchment paper and changing when needed.
More frugal tips:
