All Purpose Natural Cleaner

Living in a dirty home significantly affects ones’ health in a very negative way. This is because when a home is dirty mold, pathogens, rats, and insects can and will harbor in the dirty home. Sadly, most conventional cleaners used to clean up a home and keep it from getting dirty aren’t much better when it comes to your health. Some of the more common chemicals used in these cleaners include formaldehyde, ammonia, sodium hypochlorite, hydrochloric acid, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol(a.k.a. “non toxic” antifreeze), and triclosan . These chemicals have all kinds of negative health effects, including”depending which chemical” causing cancer, severe allergic reactions, respiratory illness, development of asthma, and/or hormone disruption.So what can one do to keep a clean home, without having to use cleaners that can be just as bad for your health as a dirty home, and without breaking the bank? The answer is simple, make your own cleaner!This can be a fun, affordable, and easy thing to do, that can guarantee you will know what is exactly in your cleaner and that it will be natural and safe for your home. Here I will give my personal general all-purpose cleaner recipe along with some tips on other quick and natural cleaning alternatives.

Ingredients:1 Spray bottle of your choice, I prefer a heavy-duty plastic that will not leech or stainless steel1/3 the spray bottle’s weight in White Distilled Vinegar(If using on carpeting or fabric stains use ¼ cup of baking soda instead)2/3 the spray bottle’s weight in Water5-8 drops of sweet orange or lavender oil(optional)2-4 tablespoons of salt

Directions:1. Open top off of spray bottle and place all ingredients inside of spray bottle. Close top onto spray bottle then gently shake. Spray on desired spots to clean and either wipe immediately with a cloth or paper towel or wait a few minutes for dirtier stains then wipe clean.

Tips for other cleaning:*Use 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water plain and spray on mirrors or widows, then wipe down and fully dry with a plain paper towel to give a perfect streak free clean.*Use vinegar in place of softeners to soften clothes naturally.*Soak steel or stainless steel pans in vinegar if there are stains which are hard to remove.*For bath tubs, add some extra salt or baking soda and leave on for ten minutes to make cleaning much easier.*Add essential oils (2-3 drops) to clothing in the wash to give it a pleasant natural scent.*Vinegar can set stains on clothing so do not put it directly on any fresh stains, use a mixture of water and baking soda instead.*Want to create your own natural room spray? Grab an herb, spice, or mixture of herbs and spices of your choice (I like cinnamon, rosemary, mint or lavender) and boil in water. Once very fragrant and the water has slightly changed color stop boiling and let it cool. Then pour the liquid and spices into a stainless steel spray bottle and use as a room spray!*Vinegar also can kill mold and mold spores, essential oils are good because they also tend to be anti-bacterial.

We hope this helps, educates, and you all enjoy the tips and general cleaner recipe. If you have any suggestions or questions feel free to comment below!

Sources for the information provided:

http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.htmlhttp://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publichealth/insects/flea.html

http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=22&cont=312

http://www.health.state.nm.us/ERD/HealthData/documents/Flies_000.pdf

http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publichealth/insects/bedbug.html

http://www.cdc.gov/mold/ http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/factsheets/mold.htm

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html

http://www.healthyhouseinstitute.com/a_875-Some_Cleaning_Products_More_Harmful_Than_Helpful

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2006/05/22_householdchemicals.shtml

http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/ammonia_tech.htm

http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/products/bleach.htmhttp://sodiumhypochlorite.org/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/hydrochl.html