Today’s cleaners are more powerful and effective than ever before; however, this comes with a price – they can also be much more toxic and harmful to the environment. If you have young children, it can be detrimental to their health if they breathe in the fumes and toxins day in and day out.
Whether you employ a cleaning service in NYC area or you decide you want to clean your own home, you can rest assured that there are some everyday pantry items you can use. These are just as effective as any store bought cleaner, and much safer for you and your family. If you do use a professional cleaning service, you can instruct them to use these household products instead of traditional cleaners.
* Baking Soda: This is a natural brightening agent that works on many different surfaces. Sprinkle some in your stainless steel sink to give it a nice shine after doing your dishes. You can pour some in your washing machine to get your clothes whiter too. Mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle to clean surfaces like countertops, tubs, toilets and appliances. It is a mild abrasive that won’t scratch surfaces and also acts as a deodorizer.
* Lemon Juice and vinegar: Vinegar is great for wood floors and windows (mix one part vinegar with 3 parts water) and both lemon juice and vinegar result in shiny clean surfaces. You can use this on anything from floors to bathtubs to polishing your silver. The lemon will also release fragrant lemon oil, making your entire home clean and fresh smelling.
* Rubbing alcohol: This can take the place of harsh glass and window cleaners. Mix up a ½ cup of rubbing alcohol and water to fill a spray bottle and use wherever you would use glass cleaner.
