Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips

Utilise home ingredients and turn them into eco-friendly cleaning products with these top tips. 

Cleaning your house shouldn't come at a cost to the environment. However, traditional cleaning products may have been doing more harm than good, as many have been manufactured using crude oil. This is a fossil fuel that is in limited supply, so producers are now turning to detergents made out of renewable and sustainable resources.

To look after your home and the Earth, follow these cleaning tips for a clean, green household.

Baking soda
Baking soda is one of the most affordable and effective natural cleaning products on the market. It's a great substance to neutralise odours and can be sprinkled on carpet before vacuuming to help get rid of nasty pet and food smells.
It's also a handy cleaning agent, as all-purpose baking soda causes dirt and grease to dissolve in water. Sprinkled onto a sponge, the substance becomes a mildly abrasive scrubbing powder. It can be poured down a drain to help unclog it, or dissolved in water to clean and freshen everything from refrigerators to kitchen counters and stovetops.


Vinegar
Most of us have vinegar in the house for cooking, but it's also a fantastic natural cleaning product. Clean carpet spills by spraying the area with a mixture of half water, half vinegar and then blot with a sponge.
Vinegar can also be used to leave windows sparkling clean. Spray with a half vinegar, half water solution and then wipe clean with a cloth or newspaper.
In the bathroom, vinegar can help prevent mould and mildew from occurring. Simply spray shower walls and curtains with the liquid as a preventative measure.


Salt

Good, old-fashioned table salt can be used to help keep your home fresh and clean. Clean cast-iron pans with salt and paper towels to remove greasy build-up, and throw some on a wine stain to help pull the coloured liquid away from clothing and tablecloth fibres.