Give Your Home a Natural Clean

Cleaning with a natural touch will leave your house smelling fresh and allow family members to breathe easy. Harsh household cleaners are made with chemical agents that are not only harmful when swallowed, but also have harmful fumes that contaminate the air your family breathes every day. Green cleaning can be done with common household products; you don't have to spend money on commercial cleaners that claim to be chemical-free or "green". Here are five basic products you probably already have on hand at home that will make perfect cleaning aides:

Cream of Tartar, a common spice that is used in baking will easily remove stains from aluminum bakeware like cake pans or frying pans. Pour water directly into the cookware and then add 2 tablespoons of Cream of Tartar for every quart of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 15 minutes while grime loosens and disappears. Wash and dry the pans as usual and enjoy their clean shiny surface.

Cornstarch is not just a cooking aide it can be used to absorb grease. Sprinkle it directly onto your countertops and around the stove and let sit for about 10 minutes while the powder soaks up the grease. Once the grease is absorbed then simply wipe away the cornstarch and rinse the countertop with a clean, damp cloth.
Fresh lemons have natural acid that gives them the power to dissolve tough household grime. Lemons juice can be the main cleaning agent for removing mineral deposits, rust stains or tarnish on different types of surfaces. Squeeze the lemon juice directly onto the soiled area and use a non-abrasive scrubber to get the grime to break-free. For tough jobs you may need to let the lemon juice sit on the surface for a few minutes in order for the citric acid to work its magic.

Olive oil is another common household item that can be used for cleaning your home. This miracle oil can be combined with fresh lemon juice to create a fragrant furniture polish for wood and other surfaces. Combine 1 cup olive oil with 1 cup lemon juice and mix well. Transfer your mixture into a spray bottle for easy application. Spray directly on the furniture or onto a soft microfiber dusting rag and gently buff the oil into the furniture. Wipe off any residue with a clean dry cloth then sit back and enjoy the renewed shine.

White vinegar and water will create one of the most powerful cleaners in the home. You can use this mixture to lift dirt and grime from hard floor surfaces like tile and linoleum. Fill a bucket or the side of your kitchen sink with water and add 1 cup of white vinegar then mop away and see the floor's surface sparkle. White vinegar has other benefits as well, it is a natural deodorizer so it will eliminate smells and leave the air smelling clean. You can use vinegar in carpet cleaning machines to help lift residue left behind from carpet cleaning detergents. Another use is to use the white vinegar as a rinse agent in the dishwasher; it will leave the dishes spot-free with no soap or mineral residue.

All of these natural products are inexpensive to buy and will not only clean many surfaces in the home, but will also help keep the air in your house free of pollutants. Natural cleaning alternatives are an option for environmentally conscious families that are looking for an easy economical way to "clean green." Green cleaning does not have to be expensive or difficult just open the pantry and have cleaning products right at your finger tips.