House Cleaning Without Chemical Agents

Natural ingredients are not only effective but also safe and free of harmful substances. The faster a disinfectant or cleaning agent works, the more chemicals it contains.

You may think that the only way to keep your household clean is to use chemical products from the supermarket. But this assumption is completely wrong. Here we will show you how you can do a house cleaning without chemical agents.

Chemical substances found in common cleaning products are dangerous for our families and also for the environment. In the following you will get to know some natural and homemade cleaning agents that you can use to keep your household clean.

Chemical substances, enemies for our health

The main problem with all chemical products available in the supermarket is the many harmful substances they contain (e.g. synthetic and petrochemical substances). When we breathe these in, toxins get into our body and allergies can occur.

There is a widespread disease among housewives and people who frequently clean homes or offices. Here come eczema on the fingers, hands and arms and it also comes to allergic dermatitis, respiratory problems, hypersensitivity etc.

These complaints are due to direct contact with the toxic substances when gloves and a mask are not used. Therefore,  house cleaning without chemicals is recommended.

On the other hand  , thousands of tons of cleaning products pollute our rivers and seas. The faster a cleaning agent or disinfectant works, the more chemical substances it contains.

It is therefore important to pay attention to the products that we use for house cleaning, especially when children or animals are present.

Vinegar, our first ally for house cleaning without chemicals

If you want to naturally clean your house or apartment with a homemade product, then you shouldn’t forget about the vinegar. It is well suited for any environment and has an efficient effect.

Vinegar disinfects, eliminates grease, makes stains disappear, fights bad odors, cleans coffee machines and even removes stains from carpets. Below we will show you how you can use vinegar in your household.

• Clean your refrigerator with vinegar, especially if there are any lightly rusted areas. Let the vinegar sit there for 20 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.
• Mix ¼ cup of vinegar with 4 cups of water. This mixture is great for cleaning glass, windows and mirrors. You can use newspaper to make the windows shine even more.

• Mix ¼ cup of vinegar with 4 cups of water and add a small spoon of baking soda. This mixture is ideal for cleaning all surfaces, for example in the bathroom or in the kitchen.

Other uses of vinegar

• Put a splash of white  vinegar in the washing machine. In this way you can remove bad smells from clothes and also the remains of the detergent. It’s best to add the vinegar at the end of the wash, after the soap or detergent has already been rinsed out.
• Put a bit of vinegar on a sponge to remove any soap residue or other stains from the  sink or bathtub.

• Put a splash of vinegar in a bucket of water. You can use this bath on clothes that smell like cigarette smoke. After that, they are dried normally.
• Mix some salt and some vinegar. You can use it to clean the coffee machine. Then rinse with water.
• To remove the smell of onions or garlic after cutting , we put a little vinegar on our hands and rinse it off with water.
• We can also use vinegar to clean glass containers in which we store sweets or food. Let the vinegar sit for a few minutes, then rinse the containers well with water.

Baking soda, another ally in house cleaning without chemicals

In addition to the vinegar, baking soda is also a good choice. It can replace chemical substances contained in common cleaning products. Baking soda is inexpensive and available in pharmacies or drugstores. You can use baking soda in the following ways:

• For cleaning the bathtub or washbasin. Here baking soda acts like a fine abrasive, but it doesn’t scratch. Put a little baking soda on a wet sponge and use it to clean all surfaces. Then rinse well and dry. If you want an even better cleanse, mix the baking soda with a little salt and water.

• Use baking  soda as a dish detergent when you do the dishes. Fill the sink with water and add two spoons of baking soda. Then let it work in briefly together with the dishes. This will make it easier to remove the leftover food on the plates, pans, etc.

• Soda gives silver surfaces a beautiful shine. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water. This will clean the surfaces with the help of a clean cloth. Then wash off and dry.

Other uses of baking soda

• Clean your oven with baking soda . Clean the inside of the oven with baking soda and water and leave this natural remedy on overnight. The next day, wash everything off with a sponge.
• To clean the floor, mix half a cup of baking soda with plenty of lukewarm water. Use it to clean the floor as usual and you will see how it shines without any stains or marks.
• Baking soda is also great for cleaning shower curtains and removing odors. Brush the shower curtain directly with baking soda. Then rinse and hang up again so that the curtain can dry on its own.

Soda is ideal for removing bad smells, for example in the refrigerator (put a small open container with baking soda in the upper part of the refrigerator), from the cutting board (this is scrubbed with baking soda and then washed off).

Also carpets (put on the surface, leave overnight), cupboards (like the fridge), shoes (like a talc that is removed before you wear the shoes), and dirty laundry (add half a cup of baking soda to the final wash ) are cleaned.

Images by Liesl, cjmartin, Jessica Mullen and Scott Rubin