Last Updated on November 8, 2019 by April
If you’ve ever picked up supermarket cleaner and become anxious about health drawbacks from the chemicals, then you’re not alone. That’s the primary reason it’s better to use these healthy cleaning alternatives. Â They are better on your budget too. Expensive household cleaners are marketed as single purpose, which makes you feel obligated to buy an arsenal for various tasks. Even if you are ‘lucky’ enough to find a multi-purpose cleaner, you still wonder if you can do better.
The good news is that you can! There are some really solid simple cleaners available at a fraction of the price of store brand cleaners. Chances are, you already have some of these healthy cleaning alternatives around the house. I have made a list of my favorite non-toxic cleaning ingredients below! Â When you are done here, have a look at even more alternative ingredients and hacks for cleaning your entire home.
Healthy Cleaning Alternatives You Probably Already Have
Vinegar
Vinegar has to be my favorite among healthy cleaning alternatives as it is fantastic at getting rid of grease, soap buildup, and odors. Since it is acidic, vinegar is particularly useful at getting rid of unwanted bacteria from you home. I like to mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water to clean my floors, wipe down the walls, shine my counters, and wipe down my desk peripherals. In the case the smell of the vinegar is a bit too strong for you, be sure to pick up some essential oils! As a bonus, the essential oils will help get rid of bacteria.
Baking Soda
Baking Soda has to be my favorite when it comes to cleaning household areas that require a bit of scrubbing. What I do is mix it with enough water to form a paste and use a scrub daddy to get it into whatever I am cleaning, which is usually the stove or microwave.
Lemons & Oranges
While lemons and oranges are amazing at cleaning your stainless steel appliances, I have to say my favorite application is to use them for homemade potpourri. Just boil your used lemons/oranges in a pot on your stove and you will get SO MANY compliments on how amazing your home smells. To indulge your senses a bit more, add some cinnamon to the mix and any person entering your home will get a blast of heaven on Earth!
Castile Soap
So when I bring up castile soap, what I mean is Dr. Bronner’s soap. It is my personal go to (along with African black soap) when I want to shower or wash my face. It takes off ALL of your makeup. When it comes to cleaning my home though, I love using this stuff mixed with water on my floors after a once over with vinegar. I only use a tiny amount (about a tablespoon) with warm water. It makes you floors look shiny and adds a pleasant aroma to your home!
Essential Oils
This is where the fun begins; essential oils are such a heavily used thing in my home. To help clean the air, I use essential oils in my diffuser throughout the day. My go to oils are rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, sweet orange, clove, rose, and geranium. There are many more that I am excited to try out (frankincense) and will update you guys when I get to it!
Vegetable Oil
In case castile soap is out of the budget, try vegetable oil to shine your fixtures; because it makes them look as if they’ve never been used; seriously! If you need to clean gunk out of your shower, then mix vegetable oil with baking soda and scrub clean!
