With spring firmly on the horizon and the afternoon sun starting to show you know it’s time for one thing … spring cleaning. Bring some sparkle back into your furniture with some natural, chemical free, DIY cleaning products.  Better for your home, your wallet and the environment.  

Here is a handy list of some common household ingredients for cleaning to see what works best for you*: 

Baking Soda: One of the most well-known home cleaners around. Perfect against grease, grime and can even whiten clothes and remove stains off dishes.

Castile Soap: A concentrated vegetable-based soap. Available in liquid and solid for, it is ideal for lifting tough stains and grease.

White Vinegar: One of the most common DIY cleaning ingredients. Vinegar’s acidity makes it effective when working against grease, grime and soap scum. Avoid using this in granite or marble countertops.

Lemon Juice: The juice from real lemons (not a bottle) is a great disinfectant. Ideally used as polish, bleach and to remove mildew.

Olive Oil: The perfect side kick when combined with vinegar. It helps lift tough grimes from pans and stainless steel. It also has anti-bacterial properties.

Essential Oils: These natural oils are great additional elements to any DIY to make sure your homes stay fresh and combats against any strong-smelling ingredients in your cleaner. Let’s be honest, no one wants their house to smell like vinegar.

Hydrogen Peroxide: This great eco-friendly product that should only be used in small quantities. It’s ideal for cleaning given its anti-bacterial properties. Perfect for eliminating mold, mildew and makes a great bleach.

*Disclaimer to check the surfaces you wish to apply these ingredients to online before applying to avoid damage.

3 Simple Recipes:  

All-Purpose Cleaner:

½ cup Distilled White Vinegar

2 cups Water

20 drops Essential Oil, scent of your choosing.

1.      Apply all of the ingredients in a reusable spray bottle.

2.      Gently mix together by swirling the bottle

3.      Then use on your surfaces.

Notes: you could also apply ¾ cup Hydrogen Peroxide if you require a stronger cleaner.

Furniture Polish:

¼ Cup Distilled White Vinegar

1 Cup Olive Oil

4 drops Lemon Juice

1.      Apply all of the ingredients in a reusable spray bottle and shake well.

2.      Spray onto a cleaning cloth and follow the grain and you gently polish your furniture.

Oven Cleaner*

¾ cup Baking Soda

¼ Cup Warm Water

1.      Brush on the paste inside the oven and on the oven door (avoiding any bare metal surfaces) and leave overnight.

2. In the morning, remove the paste with a scraper ad wipe with a damp cloth.

*If cleaning baking racks, make sure they are stainless steal as the baking soda could discolour aluminium.

Don’t stop here. There are many more DIY recipes online for more specific uses. Keep exploring and learning new ways to make your spring clean more eco-friendly this year.  

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