Cleaning products often contain a myriad of chemicals which some believe can be detrimental to both the environment and our own health. So, here at GreenUpAndGo.com, we have put together 6 natural recipes for cleaners which you can use around the home.

1. All Purpose Cleaner
60ml vinegar
1 litre warm water
Mix in a spray bottle, then add
1 tablespoon vegetable based liquid soap
25 drops of your favourite essential oil (this eliminates the strong vinegar scent that can linger after use)
Shake gently before each use

2. Disinfectant
Add 30 drops of tea tree oil to the All Purpose cleaner above.

3. Mirrors & Glass
Distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle will work wonders – spray the surface and polish until dry with newspaper or recycled paper. The vinegar will get rid of any grime or fingerprints that have accumulated.

4. Scrubbing and Scouring
Pumice stones are a great natural scrubber (although don’t use on fibreglass). If you need to clean the metal in your oven, grill racks or stone surfaces, a wet pumice stone will be an excellent choice.

5. Wood Cleaning Formula
60 ml white distilled vinegar
60 ml water
½ teaspoon vegetable based liquid soap
1 teaspoon olive or jojba oil
3-5 drops of your favourite essential oil (for scent)
Mix the above ingredients in a bowl. Let a sponge absorb the mixture and then squeeze out the excess liquid. Wipe across wood and then rinse the sponge in warm water before immersing in cleaning liquid again.

6. Furniture Polish
120 ml lemon juice and 1 teaspoon olive oil
Apply to a soft cloth and rub into grain.
Remove and polish with a clean cloth.

And as an added bonus – the next time you clean or need to change a standard light bulb, place a couple of drops of scented oil on the bulb. When it heats up, it will release a lovely scent into the room (note: this won’t normally work with energy saving light bulbs as they do not get hot enough).

Have you got any tips for a greener, cleaner home? Or want to discuss the tips in this article? Then head on over to our newly created forum!

We advise that if you are going to try any of the above cleaners, you test them on a small patch first to ensure there are no adverse reactions to the cleaners and they do not damage the surfaces.

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