Natural cleaning products

[Gemini]

On Mimi's thread about plastics there was some discussion about natural products for various cleaning jobs. Soda crystals, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, lemon etc.
I know about these things, but not much.

So for my sake and of others who don't know much about this topic, please share your tips!
Thank you.

[Sunshine]

I always put a tablespoon of soda crystals in with each wash load. This reduces the amount of washing powder/liquid required. It also prevents limescale and calcium build up in the washing machine. The soda extends the life of the washing machine and a heck of a lot cheaper than ‘calgon’. Particularly useful in hard water areas.

[Oma]

Sunshine is right , Calgon is basically Soda crystals but a lot more expensive ,

White Vinegar and lemon juice cut through grease better than any shop bought products and leaves a good shine .

I spray glass tables , bathroom /kitchen tiles , windows , mirrors with it, wipe over then dry off with kitchen towel or news paper even better .
Bathroom mirrors to prevent steam up either wipe with washing up liquid or shaving foam that works too .

Descale your kettle by boiling vinegar and half a lemon inside kettle leave to cool then rinse out .

A small tub of cheap Bicarb (19p) half a bottle of white Vinegar down plug holes it will fizz right up leave for about 30 mins then rinse with a kettle of boiling water will clear drains and take smells away ,

I spray toilet seats with Vinegar if I have ran out of Dettol spray ( I do like Dettol spray ) its anti back just the same and cheaper , the smell of fish and chips only lasts a few minutes

My solid wood work tops I wash with washing up liquid and warm water, its been proven to be just or even better than chemical cleaners.

Make a paste of Vinegar & Bicarb and spread it on a dirty oven and oven door leave for a few hours and grease will wipe away ,

These products are old fashioned and work

My other go to produce that is eco friendly is WD40 this can be used for much more than solving squeaks and releasing hinges
Spray a tiny- tiny bit on a cloth or kitchen roll and it will polish Chrome handles , chrome light switches and plug sockets , ideal on Cooker chrome

[Nanto2girls]

I use soda crystals and white vinegar for plug holes and cleaning the washer and dishwasher.
WD40 is good for a lot of scuffs on PVC.
As for all other cleaners,give me a bottle of manufactored sprays.

[Enfys]

Lots of good tips, Oma, thank you. I use the bicarbonate and lemon down the sinks too, but always good to hear other ideas. I’m trying hard to use more natural products.

[Libra Gran]

All of what Oma said,white vinegar is a great cleaner for loads of things. I do my windows with white vinegar a tiny drop of washing up liquid and a squirt if lemon juice. I damp wipe all my furniture and rub dry with a micro fibre cloth. I swear by microfibre cloths,I buy them in bulk from Amazon. I prefer the assorted coloured ones then one colour is for bathroom, another for washing up ,another for windows dusting etc. Once a week they all go in the machine on a hot wash. I go to the big health shop I Totnes they sell every natural product under the sun.A bit more pricey but all natural products so I use them more sparingly. I never have plastic supermarket bags we always take our own bags with us. I think we are all being made aware of the damage plastic is doing to wildlife and the ocean and it's inhabitants. One benefit of living here,our water is very soft never descaled my kettle or iron since we moved here.

[Gemini]

I think we can't imagine not taking our own shopping bags with us now can we?
Things can become automatic if we do them often enough .

[Shemadee]

If you get white ring marks on furniture break a walnut in half and rub it over the mark and it disappears.

When I worked on the dialysis unit the machines were cleaned using a squirty bottle with hot water, capful of Milton and one drop of washing up liquid. They had a very low infection rate so it obviously did a good job.

I also found I was using double the amount of clothes washing liquid so worth checking on the container.

[Plantaholic]

Useful tips Shemadee.

[Daisy]

Los of really useful tips - what a resourceful lot you are.

Tea stained cups or mugs come clean with a teaspoon of bi-carb topped up with hot water and left to stand for a while.

I use soda crystals and a kettle full of boiling water down all the sinks (not as regularly as I should, but it does seem to work!)

I clean our glass kitchen table with a damp microfibre cloth wrung out so it doesn't drip and a little squirt of washing up liquid. Then go over it again with the cloth wetter (I love lots of bubbles!) then dried off with a handful of kitchen towel.

[Sunshine]

Libra, I too love the micro fibre cloths. Like you, I colour code them. Pink for sink, blue for loo, green for screen. That way I remember what’s what.

[Gemini]

Can I ask people what they clean the loo seat, lid and handles etc with?
For many years I have used antic bac wipes designed for this. I have am now trying to really cut down on the number of wipes we use around the house.
I use a spray bathroom cleaner for bath and washbasins. Should I use that for loo seat etc?

[Plantaholic]

I use that for everything in the bathroom and loo.