A great, cheap, and green way to keep your house clean, here are some unexpected ways you can use the contents of your kitchen to get your place squeaky and sparkling:
Homemade Drain Cleaner
Not just for seasoning and throwing over your shoulder, salt makes an excellent drain cleaner. The next time your sink is stopped up, mix a solution of ½ a cup of salt and a quart of hot water and pour it down the drain. Soon, your pipes will be clear and you’ll be going with the flow.
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
The power of baking soda scours and deodorizes, while white vinegar cuts grease, removes stains, and banishes odors. To make a fantastic, non-toxic, all-purpose cleaner, mix ½ cup of vinegar with ¼ cup of baking soda. Add this solution to a spray bottle filled with ½ gallon of water. Mix well.
Homemade Furniture Polish
It sounds like salad dressing, but this powerful combination makes for a winning furniture polish for wooden pieces. Mix two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice in a big bowl. Dip a soft cloth into this mixture and dab it directly on your furniture, going with the grain in your wiping motions.
Homemade Glass Cleaner
For streak-free, flawless mirrors and windows try mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol and ½ cup of white vinegar. Pour this solution into a spray bottle filled with 2 cups of warm water. Instead of wiping down with paper towels, use newspaper to avoid streaks.
Homemade Bathroom Disinfectant
To get your powder-rooms pristine, whip together this non-toxic disinfectant. Although this is not an anti-bacterial formula, most bathrooms don’t need harsh chemicals for everyday cleaning—this solution is better for the environment and better for your kids. Mix ¼ teaspoon of liquid castile soap (available in Whole Foods and other green markets) with 4 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 teaspoons borax, and 3 cups of hot water.
Homemade Mothballs
Store-bought mothballs not only create an unpleasant smell, they are composed of chemicals that may be harmful to you and your children. Keep moths away by cutting up a soft, absorbent fabric into small squares, add a few drops of cedar oil to each fabric patch, create a little bundle by tying up the square. Throw a few of these in closets around your home.
Homemade Jewelry Cleaner
Keep your precious pieces look perfect. Make a thick paste with equal parts salt, vinegar, and flour. Scrub onto your jewelry and wipe wth a damp cloth.
