These days, the supermarket shelves are full of cleaning products. Many contain very strong ingredients that can harm people, animals and often the surfaces they are meant to clean and most are harmful to the environment too. Some are effective, some are not, some are very cleverly advertised and some are completely unnecessary in the first place!
At Freshly Maid, we pride ourselves on researching the best ways to clean our clients’ homes using methods and products that are safe for our clients, the environment and ourselves. Our clients don’t want to worry about products that might harm their children and/or pets and equally we don’t expose our team to noxious chemicals all day long either.
Here are some of our favourite tips and ideas for greener cleaning around the house. Please note we do not assume responsibility for advice given here. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
Defogging your bathroom mirror To stop your bathroom mirror from fogging up with steam after your shower, clean the mirror with shaving cream. Rub shaving cream all over the mirror, them wipe it off well with a soft cloth. You will then have a clear view after showering.
Rust removal from sinks, baths, toilets and tiles Use lemon juice and salt.
Shower Curtains Place several large bath towels in the washing machine along with the shower curtain. Add 1/2 cup vinegar. Remove curtain before the spin cycle and hang immediately. Soaking shower curtains in salt water will prevent them from mildew.
Toilet bowl stain removal Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let it sit for a while; the phosphoric acid in the Coca-Cola will work on the stain. Or put a few denture cleaning tablets in the bowl. Clean hard to reach spots in bathroom Keep an extra toothbrush in the bathroom to use for cleaning awkward places, including plug chains.
Dusting venetian blinds Try using a small foam paintbrush sprayed with polish to reach in between the slats. Or, spray a pair of cotton gloves with polish, then, wearing the gloves, run your fingers between the slats.
You can also try holding a fabric softener sheet around your finger and wiping between each slat. Fabric softener sheets are anti-static and pick up dust.
Dusting fabric blinds Fabric blinds can be dusted and refreshed by simply using a vaccuum with the upholstery attachment.
Homemade wood furniture cleaner In a pump spray bottle, place 1 teaspoon of light olive oil and half a cup of white vinegar. Shake well. This is as effective as any store bought product, yet is far more economical.
Odour removal from drawers or cupboards Fill the drawer with ground coffee and leave it overnight.
Smelly shoes Keep your feet smelling sweet with a baking soda bag. Fill the toe of an old sock with bicarbonate of soda and tie up. Sit the bag in the shoe overnight to absorb the smell.
Deodorising carpets & air freshener Just sprinkle on some bicarb, leave for a couple of hours then vacuum or put small pots in the fridge, next to the cooker and dotted around the house as air fresheners.
Cleaning pipes/drains & toilets Pour a cup of bicarb down the plug hole or toilet with about 1 cup of white vinegar. Leave for a few minutes then pour hot water down and/or brush clean.
Cleaning the oven Spray the base of a cold oven with water, sprinkle on a thick layer of bicarb of soda and leave to work for an hour. Using a spatula or palette knife, scrape away the grease & dirt. Rinse with plenty of warm water.
Burnt pans Sprinkle a thick layer of bicarb into the pan and leave overnight. Scrape away with a scouring pad and rinse well.
Sparkly sinks & things Use bicarb with a damp sponge to make your sink shine. You can also use it on hobs, in teacups and around the bath to get rid of tide marks, on taps, hobs & on work surfaces. It will remove soap scum from tiles, marks from kitchen cupboards and you can even use it to wash up if you run out of washing up liquid – simply add a handful to a bowl of warm water.
Cleaning the dishwasher Put a cup of bicarb into the machine and put it on a rinse cycle.
Leather furniture Polish with a solution of two parts linseed oil and one part white vinegar.
Mould Spray Use neat white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray onto area and leave to work for a few hours before rinsing. You can also make up a spray with 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water.
Mirrors & Glass Make up a spray with 50% vinegar and 50% cold water, then add half a teaspoon of washing up liquid and shake well. Use a microfibre cloth to polish.
Limescale Remover & Toilet Cleaner Use neat or diluted white vinegar in a spray on taps, tiles, the toilet bowl and shower heads. You can use a drop of lemon juice to make it smell nicer. Try vinegar neat instead of bleach down the toilet.
Multi-surface cleaner & Air Freshener Make up a spray with 50% white vinegar and 50% cold water. Add 5 drops of your favourite essential oil to make it smell lovely. Tea tree oil is antibacterial, lavender is relaxing and lemon is uplifting and antiseptic. The spray with essential oil can also be used as an air freshener but do not spray near delicate fabrics.
Fabric Softener Add a cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener drawer of your washing machine for a natural way to soften clothes. Good for people with sensitive skin.
Descale a Kettle Pour in a mug of water, a mug of vinegar and 3 tablespoons of salt. Boil the kettle and leave overnight. Reboil at least twice with clean water before using.
Dirty Grouting & Stain Removal Cut a lemon in half and wipe the cut side over the grouting. You can use lemon juice to gently fade stains on sinks, work surfaces, tables and tiles too as it has a natural bleaching effect.
Antiseptic/antibacterial Use lemon juice on kitchen work surfaces, cutting boards & high chairs to get rid of germs & leave a lovely smell.
Limescale Remover Soak a flannel in lemon juice and leave on taps to work. You can also use lemon juice to remove soap scum and limescale from baths and shower screens.
Polishing Copper Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle some salt onto one of the cut halves and use like a scouring pad. This will bring an incredible shine to copper saucepans.
Cleaning a Microwave Boil half a mug of water with a few drops of lemon juice. This will help loosen any dirt so you can wipe away easily and will also leave the microwave smelling fresh.
Deodorising the Fridge Leave half a cut lemon in the fridge to absorb odours and leave everything smelling fresh.
