Essential Ingredients: Natural Cleaning Must-Haves

Keeping a clean and healthy home is essential, and I am a firm believer that simple, non-toxic, and sustainable cleaning solutions are the best way to achieve this. In my own home, I rely on a few key products to keep my kitchen and bathroom sparkling clean. These products are versatile, easy to use, and gentle on the environment. Since it is not possible for me to purchase these products in bulk near me, I opt to buy the largest container I can find and transfer them into my reusable glass containers.

By using these simple and non-toxic products, I am able to keep my home clean and healthy without compromising the environment. I encourage you to consider making the switch to these sustainable cleaning solutions as well. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to share in the comments below.

Here is a rundown of how I use these products in my home:
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1. Castile soap: liquid dish soap, floor cleaner (add a few drops of Castile soap to warm warm; prefect for wood floors), cleaner for the refrigerator, laundry detergent (1/3-1/2c of soap for a large load in normal washer; use half for HE washer), oil stain remover for clothes (add a few drops to stain, rub in, & wash as usual).
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2. Baking Soda: clean toilets (add 1/4c to the bowl, swirl, and scrub), add 1c to your laundry detergent (Castile soap!) to get clothes cleaner and brighter, freshen rugs (sprinkle on, wait 15 minutes or longer, and vacuum as usual), make your own soft scrub for tubs and sinks (2tbs of Castile soap, 3⁄4c baking soda, and enough water to make a smooth, liquidy paste), remove baked-on residue from pots and pans (sprinkle + scrub), unclog a sink (pour 1c + 1c hot white vinegar, and plunge as usual), clean the oven (sprinkle, spray with a water to dampen, wait, scrub, + rinse thoroughly).
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3. White Distilled Vinegar & water (to eliminate the strong vinegary smell, infuse with citrus peels in a jar for two weeks and then dilute with water): surface cleaner, window cleaner, glass shower door cleaner, stainless steel appliances cleaner, grout cleaner (dip toothbrush in vinegar + scrub), wall cleaner (bye-bye, dirty finger prints), rinse aid for dishwasher, fabric softener for laundry (add 1/4c to that compartment), mildew remover (spray, wait, + scrub), odor neutralizer (pour in bowl and leave in room/closet to absorb odor), rust remover (soak items in vinegar for a few hours, scrub, + rinse), & upholstery freshener (1c water + 1/4c vinegar).