How to maintain a chemical-free home

There are a number of alternative methods and strategies that can be used to reduce the amount of chemicals used in your home, reduces your costs, helps to reduce the chemical load on your body, allowing you to become healthier and reduces the amount of damage to the environment from manufacturing these chemicals.

The following are the best ways to clean your home without the use of any chemicals and not only will your home be clean, it will smell fresh and you will know you are not polluting the environment, you are not making yourself sick and you are saving money in the process. So go ahead and use these methods today to help you on your chemical-free path for your home.

This is a basic list of ingredients you will need in order to stop using those (often) dangerous chemicals found in most cleaning products. These ingredients are basically non-toxic and some of them are even used in food we eat:

• Bicarbonate of soda – this is found in the cooking section of your local supermarket. Buy lots, as it is used a great deal in natural cleaning
• Lemons – the whole lemon and their juice are used for their excellent acidic nature, use only organic lemons
• Linseed oil – the oil of flax (linseed) has excellent polishing properties for wooden furniture and hardwood flooring
• Olive oil – the oil of olives interestingly has some excellent polishing properties for wooden furniture
• Organic all purpose spray – this should be “100% certified organic” ortherwise it will contain artificial additives and toxic chemicals. This can be used instead of conventional cleaning sprays on any harder to clean surfaces (or for the sake of providing time-poor people with extra convenience, but using a wholesome, natural product)
• Organic dishwashing liquid – this should be “100% certified organic” ortherwise it will contain artificial additives
• Organic laundry liquid – this should be “100% certified organic” ortherwise it will contain artificial additives
• Salt – either rock salt or fine grain rock salt, just make sure it does not have any anti-caking agent
• Soda water – this is excellent to use to remove wine stains
• Vinegar (white) – use only white vinegar as any other type may cause discolouration

Other items (non-edible) to use:

• Eucalyptus oil – this pure essential oil is produced from the eucalyptus tress, which is native to Australia and has many uses
• Fly swat – this is the best way to avoid using chemical fly and other insect deterrants
• Lavender oil – this pure essential oil is the oil of lavender flowers and has a great number of uses
• Pure soap (unscented) – use only unscented soap with no artificial ingredients (preferably organic)
• Tea tree oil – this pure essential oil is produced by the tea tree which is native to Australia and has many uses

All the essential oils above should not, under any circumstances be ingested orally, as they can cause poisoning. Sometimes you can get the essential oils in a mixture of oil or water, which is much milder. Always follow the instructions on the labels.

Kitchen

• Aluminium saucepans – you just need to use some bicarbonate of soda mixed with a little bit of water and scrub with sponge; then add some white vinegar – when you do this, the mixture of the base and acid will start to bubble a bit, so scrub a little more (but with gloves one to save your hands from the abrasion)
• Boiled milk spill – sprinkle the area on the stove with salt (preferably the finer grains, not large rock salt) and leave it for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp sponge (or cloth)
• Brass, bronze, copper, pewter – make a paste by mixing 1 tablespoon each of plain white flour, salt and vinegar. Use a damp cloth to rub this paste onto the item and rub it gently; leave the paste on for around an hour and then rinse it off with warm water, ensure to rub it a little, to get every bit off; after rinsing, buff the item dry with a damp cloth
• Brass, bronze, copper, pewter – another method is to put some bicarbonate of soda on a damp cloth (or sponge) and rub it on the item, then let it completely dry and polish with a soft cloth
• Brass, bronze, copper, pewter – another method is to moisten a cloth with vinegar and rub this over the item and then polish with a dry cloth
• Chopping boards – always clean your chopping board each time you use it. Wooden chopping boards need to be cleaned with cold water and rubbed with salt; when it is dry, rub it with olive oil to keep the wood supple and fresh; use a separate wooden chopping board for raw meat and another one for vegetables / fruit and any non meat produce
• Copper pans – cut a lemon in half and dip it in fine salt and rub the surface of the pan with it; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
• Copper pans – an alternative is to apply a paste of salt, white vinegar and white flour (1 tablespoon of each) and rub all over the pan; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
• Copper pans – an alternative is to add a little vinegar to some salt (1 tablespoon of each) and rub all over the pan; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
• Drains – for blockages in the drain, pour down a handful or two of bicarbonate of soda followed by about 1/2 cup of white vinegar and let it sit for about half an hour; after this, add a handful of salt together with some boiling water and this should clear the drain well
• Enamel saucepans – use some bicarbonate of soda and scrub with a soft sponge; for tougher stains, add some bicarbonate of soda and some water and bring it to the boil in the pan; leave to soad overnight and then scrub it the next morning with some more bicarbonate of soda
• Enamel surfaces – such as on refridgerators should be rubbed with a soft wet cloth that has been dipped into some bicarbonate of soda and then followed by a clean damp cloth to wipe off all the bicarbonate of soda and then a dry soft cloth to dry the enamel surface
• Glass – you can rub dirty spots with a bit of salt on a damp cloth; when you rinse, add some white vinegar or lemon juice to the rinsing water and air dry the glass (without wiping)
• Hard flooring – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the hard flooring. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
• Kettle – lime deposits can be easily removed by boiling some water in the kettle which has had 1-2 teaspoons each of white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda; leave to sit for about an hour and then rinse out, rubbing any stubborn stains with a damp cloth which has had some bicarbonate of soda added to it, then this can be rinsed
• Microwave oven – for stubborn stains, put a glass bowl and fill it 3/4 full of water and add two tablespoons bicarbonate of soda and set the oven to simmer for a few minutes (until the interior gets steamy); leave it for a few more minutes and then remove the bowl and wipe away the stains with a warm and damp cloth
• Oven (normal stains) – when the oven is still warm (but not really hot), add some bicarbonate of soda to a damp cloth and wipe the inside of the oven with it
• Oven (stubborn stains) – when the oven is still warm (but not really hot), add a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water to all surfaces of the interior of the oven and leave for about 30-60 minutes, after which you should wipe away all the bicarbonate of soda with a hot, damp cloth. For really stubborn stains, add some white vinegar or lemon juice to the bicarbonate of soda paste
• Oven door (glass) – add some bicarbonate of soda to a warm, damp cloth and wipe over; wipe off the bicarbonate of soda with a clean, damp cloth, followed by a dry cloth
• Refridgerator (insdes) – moisten a cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to wipe over the insides of the refrigerator. Finish with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth
• Stainless steel saucepans – use bicarbonate of soda mixed with a little water and scrub with a sponge; add some white vinegar (when you do this, it starts to bubble a bit) and scrub some more, but make sure you use gloves
• Stainless steel sink – moisten a dry cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to wipe the sink; rinse with some warm water to remove all the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar and finish with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth

Bathroom

• Air freshener – mix 5-6 drops of lavender oil with 1 litre of water in a clean spray bottle; shake to mix the oil and water; spray a few times around the room to have a fragrant lavender aroma
• Bathtub – sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda all over the bathtub and with a moistened cloth, scrub with the cloth over every part of the bathtub to clean it (including the taps and the soap holder); when this is completed, spray some white vinegar over the whole bathtub and gently scrub all over; finally rinse off the whole bathtub area with some warm water (use a wet cloth for any areas that are close to the edge)
• Ceramic bowl – wet a cloth and moisten with some bicarbonate of soda; use this to rub around the surface of the vanity bowl to clean it; spray with some white vinegar all over and rub with the cloth to further clean it; finally rinse off with some warm water
• Cupboard doors – use a cloth moistened with warm water to rub over the doors to clean them; any dirty areas should be cleaned with the warm cloth dipped in some bicarbonate of soda and then wipe clean with a wet cloth; finish it with a wipe from a dry cloth
• Glass – a natural glass cleaner is to mix one tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 litre of water and moisten a cloth with this weak vinegar mixture an wipe over the glass to clean it – finish with a wipe with a dry cloth to dry the glass; alternatively, spray with the all purpose spray and wipe over with a dry cloth until clean
• Shower tiles – sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda all over the shower tiles and with a moistened brush, scrub with it over every part of the tiles to clean them (including the taps and the soap holder); when this is completed, spray some white vinegar over all the tiles, especially any that have grime between in or around the grout (between the tiles) and scrub all over; finally rinse off the tiles with some warm water from the shower (you can use a bucket of water instead)
• Tiled floor – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the tiled floor. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
• Toilet bowl (outer) – in a clean spray bottle, mix about 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid, add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy) and add some water and shake to mix. Spray this mixture over the lower surface of the outer toilet bowl and wipe with a cloth to clean. Always use gloves to clean the toilet
• Toilet bowl (inner) – using the same spray as above (for outer toilet bowl), spray the toilet bowl all around the sides; using the toilet brush, clean the toilet bowl and flush after completion. Clean the toilet brush thoroughly in the laundry (or bathroom sink) and after cleaning the sink, spray it with the same spray to disinfect it. Always use gloves to clean the toilet
• Toilet seat – using the same spray as above (for outer toilet bowl), spray the toilet seat, both upper and lower parts and clean off with a cloth; wipe off with a dry cloth if necessary. Always use gloves to clean the toilet

Laundry

• Blood stains (on clothes) – for any blood stains on clothes, soak the clothes in some water and add a handful of rock salt; the salt will naturally remove the blood stains from the clothes; leave the clothes in the salty water overnight and wash normally the next day
• Cupboard doors – use a cloth moistened with warm water to rub over the doors to clean them; any dirty areas should be cleaned with the warm cloth dipped in some bicarbonate of soda and then wipe clean with a wet cloth; finish it with a wipe from a dry cloth
• Grease stains (on clothes) – rub the stain with some slightly moistened bicarbonate of soda and leave it dry; remove any excess by brushing it off and wash the clothes in warm soapy soapy water (or use natural laundry liquid) with a squeeze of lemon juice added to the water
• Laundry sink – moisten a dry cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to scrub the sink; rinse with some warm water to remove all the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar and finish with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth
• Natural bleach – add one cup of lemon juice (use the juice of a lemon, strained) in half a bucket of water; clothes can be added to this to help bleach them naturally; for an even brighter bleach, take the bucket outside in full sunshine as the sun’s rays will help to make the bleaching process work better
• Perspiration stains (on clothes) – soak the stained area in white vinegar (strained lemon juice can be used instead) for a few hours and then wash as normal; if this does not remove the perspiration stain, try the process again, but soak it for a longer period
• Tiled floor – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a or mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the tiled floor. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
• Washing machine – to clean the washing machine, so it performs better, run an empty load after every 10 or so washing loads; use either pure soap which has been dissolved in water or natural (organic) laundry liquid
• Wine stains (on clothes) – cover the stained area with soda water and let it soak until the wine stain comes out; alternatively, cover the wine stain with fine grain rock salt and pour over it with very hot water and rinse off; wash as normal with pure soap or natural laundry liquid

Bedroom / living areas

• Air freshener – mix 5-6 drops of lavender oil with 1 Litre of water in a clean spray bottle; shake to mix the oil and water; spray around the room to have a fragrant lavender aroma that will make any room smell lovely
• Cupboard doors – use a cloth moistened with warm water to rub over the doors to clean them; any dirty areas should be cleaned with the warm cloth dipped in some bicarbonate of soda and then wipe clean with a wet cloth; finish it with a wipe from a dry cloth
• Furniture polish – add some olive oil to a small bowl and dip a clean, dry cloth into the olive oil to be slightly moistened with the oilive oil; start polishing your wooden furniture until it gleems
• Glass – spray with the all purpose cleaning spray and wipe over with a dry cloth until clean
• Hard flooring – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the hard flooring. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
• Metal surfaces (aluminium) – add either laundry lquid or dishwashing liquid to a bucket of warm water and moisten a cloth to wash the surface; finish with a wipe from a dry cloth to dry the surface
• Metal surfaces (copper & brass) – use a paste of bicarbonate of soda (or fine rock salt) and white vinegar (or lemon juice) rubbed onto the surface with a dry cloth; leave the paste to dry and then simply polish off with the dry cloth, wiping off any excess
• Metal surfaces (pewter) – use some fine steel wool moistened with olive oil and gently rub the pewter surface in one direction; finish by polishing all over the surface with a soft cloth
• Metal surfaces (silver) – make a polish mixture from 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda plus one 1 tablespoon of fine rock salt together with 1 litre of water. Add this mixture to a large, old pot (use it only for this purpose) on the stovetop; add a 20cm piece of aluminium foil into the mixture and boil; once the mixture is boiling, use tongs to place silver items in the boiling mixture for about 2 minutes; after that, remove each item, cool and rinse them; finish by polishing with a soft, dry cloth to get the silver really gleaming and shiny
• Metal surfaces (stainless steel) – moisten a dry cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to wipe the sink; rinse with some warm water to remove all the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar and finish with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth
• Plastic surfaces – use a cloth moistened with warm water to rub over the doors to clean them; any dirty areas should be cleaned with the warm cloth dipped in some bicarbonate of soda and then wipe clean with a wet cloth; finish it with a wipe from a dry cloth
• Special furniture polish – for wooden furniture that shows some tarnish and wear, mix together equal parts of white vinegar and olive oil (linseed oil is preferable in this case); dip a clean, dry cloth into the vinegar-oil mixture to be slightly moistened and start polishing your furniture until it gleems and looks better

Flooring

• All hard flooring – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the hard flooring. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
• Carpet shampoo – to make your own, use a handful of pure soap and add it to a bucket of warm water; then add 2 Litres of boiling water mixed with 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda as well as 5-6 drops of lavender oil; use this to remove small stains from carpet but only use a small amount of water, as it is difficult to dry on carpet and can cause it to become stained
• Carpet steam cleaning – use only the steam (do not use the chemical cleaners that are added), to effectively remove any pet dander/hair, cigarette smoke, dust mites ad any other substances in the carpet; carpet cleaning companies are able to just use steam to steam clean your carpets if you request this; if you are doing it yourself and renting a steam cleaning unit, wash out the container with hot water and bicarbonate of soda several times, to remove any artificial cleaning chemicals that have been previously used
• Deodorising carpet – sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda all over the carpet and leave for at least 6 hours (overnight is preferable); later, vaccum it all up – the odour of the carpet will be gone. This method is especially useful when moving into a new place or for people who have pets inside the house
• Grease stains – sprinkle the grease stained area with some bicarbonate of soda and leave it there for about an hour; after this, brush the bicarbonate of soda off the grease stain and vacuum any bits
• Hardwood floor polish – mix together 1 litre linseed oil with 1 litre white vinegar in an airtight bottle and shake vigorously to mix thoroughly; use either a mop or soft cloth to polish the hardwood floors with this mixture – the mop is the quicker way and should be used on larger florr surfaces, but some people like to use a cloth and clean smaller surfaces (as well as harder to clean areas) with a soft cloth; leave the floors to dry before walking on them
• Ink stains – wash the ink stain straight away by adding some skim milk to the stain and rubbing it thoroughly; rinse off with some water and dry the area with a cloth. Some ink stains may need to be rubbed with a cut lemon and some fine rock salt; once this has been completed, rinse with a little water and dry the area with a cloth
• Red wine stains – if red wine is spilt on carpet, quickly pour some soda water over the stain (fine rock salt can also be used); after about 2-3 minutes, pour hot water on the stain and use a clean dry cloth to remove the red wine and water mixture (which should now easily come and should not stain the carpet); if the stain is stubborn, try this process again until the stain goes away
• Tiled floor – in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a or mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the tiled floor; the scrubbing brush should only be used for floors that have a lot of grime and dirt. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned