How to Clean Without Using Bleach

Bleach is one of the best products to use when cleaning your home because of it being a disinfectant, but it you are like me, the smell of bleach makes you sick. I can not even do a load of laundry without feeling nauseous or getting a major headache that makes me light headed. Unfortunately, I am not the only one out there that is effected from the smell of bleach. So here are some household cleaning tips I use everyday to eliminate the need of bleach or bleach products.

Laundry is one of the easiest chores in the house. You just throw your clothes in the wash and than the dryer but the whites. No one likes dingy whites so in place of bleach try using some hydrogen peroxide. Borax is also a great alternative to bleach and you will hear me refer to it quite often.

Mold and mildew is a huge problem, especially in places like the kitchen or bathroom where it is wet or has food. The best solution is vinegar or you can add borax and water together. My son has mold allergies so I have to clean my bathroom twice a week. If you are not a fan of vinegar my favorite product in the world to use is Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. There is no smell, no mess, and it is a miracle product.

I like to make my own scrubs in place of products like soft scrubs by adding baking soda to dishwashing soap. It works great and baking soda is a great product for deodorizing. Another good tip for cleaning your kitchen or bathroom I like to use in place of chemicals is baking soda. First you will want to pour one cup down the drain. After that dump three cups of boiling water. If your still having problems add some vinegar afterwards. Cleaning your oven or stove is a pain if you don't have a self cleaning oven. Just add some baking soda to water and let it sit for a few and wipe clean. If it is really bad you may want to wait until morning to wipe the solution off. Of course disinfecting your house, especially the kitchen and bath is important. I like to use Borax with baking soda and lemon juice. It makes an excellent cleaner and disinfectant.

Another good tip to those with dust allergies, like myself, is black tea. Fix it like your going to drink it but put it in a spray bottle. This neat little trick actually will kill dust mites from carpets. If you don't have carpets than I suggest Vinegar and water. It works really well. I have dust allergies so I have to keep my house sterilized, including my furniture. Believe it or not I use mayonnaise to clean my furniture. That and a soft cloth and it looks as good as the day I brought it home.

I am no fan of cleaning windows or mirrors but great way to make them spotless is by taking ½ teaspoon liquid soap to two cups water and ¼ cup vinegar. Shake the spray bottle well and start squirting. You will have sparkling windows before the day is through.

Between dust and mold allergies, a young son that likes to get into everything I found that these cleaning options worked best for my family. No one gets sick anymore nor do I have to worry about my toddler getting into a deadly chemical product. On a final note, the cost to buy special cleaners for everything does add it and the average consumer can save half just by using what is already in there kitchen cabinets.