I haven't written many posts about cleaning; because, they're so simplistic. It takes mere seconds and few ingredients to whip up an all natural cleaner. I first started naturally cleaning my home out of financial necessity. Later, I discovered that most cleaning products have terrible, undisclosed ingredients in them, and made the permanent switch.
I couldn't be happier and my bank account couldn't be happier. My boyfriend was a pharmacist and worked at a hospital for five years. He knows clean. He also happens to be way better at cleaning than I am. I always tell him that in hopes that I've inflated his ego enough to escape actually cleaning myself.... it never seems to work. And, while weaseling my way out of cleaning may not work, the cleaner itself definitely works. Justin approved!
We like to divide the house by surfaces and floors. I do surfaces; he does floors. Mostly because, I cannot stand mopping. I use two main surface cleaners one for granite and one for everything else. My favorite cleaner is made with vinegar, but it can dull or etch granite and marble. I know a lot of people haven't had any issues with it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. A ruined granite slab won't fit in my trash jar.
All Purpose Vinegar Cleaner
- 1 Part Warm Water
- 1 Part White Vinegar (bought in a glass bottle at the grocery store)
Mix together in a spray bottle.
All Purpose Cleaner
- 1 Cup of Warm Water
- 1 Tablespoon of Liquid Castile Soap Like Dr. Bronners (bought in bulk at Whole Foods)
Based on the size of your bottle you can adjust this for 1 tablespoon for every cup of water and 1.5 teaspoons for every half cup of water.
Wasn't that easy? Now, you never want combine the vinegar and the Castile soap unless you're wanting to waste your ingredients. And, I mean - have you seen the name of the blog? Zero Waste!
If you combine vinegar and Castile soap you unsaponify the soap. In order to make soap you saponify fat. By unsaponifying the soap, you're reverting it back to fat. You can't clean with fat. This is where natural cleaning gets tricky. There's so much information out there, and a lot of wrong information. So, do your research, and don't get bummed if you found a dud recipe online.
Natural cleaning should be super simple. What are some of your favorite natural cleaning recipes?
