Healthy Cleaning By Suze & Ev all rights reserved/ S&E Publishing/ 2004
Introduction Table of Contents Introduction...1 Household Cleaning...2 Organizing Tips...5 Spring Cleaning...8 Homemade Cleaners Kitchen...10 Kitchen Cleaning Basics...14 Kitchen Cleaning Appliances...18 The Kitchen Sink...23 Oven Cleaning...25 Homemade Formulas Bath...28 Bathroom Cleaning...33 Grout Cleaning...39 Bedroom Cleaning...40 Carpet Stains...41 Stain Removal...45 Ink Stain on Carpet...47 Blood Stains on Carpet...48 Removing Red Wine Stain...49 Pet Stains on Carpet...50
Removing Coffee Stains Introduction Table of Contents Removing Coffee Stains...51 Lipstick Stains on Carpet...52 Floor Cleaning...53 Cleaning Wood Floors...55 Cleaning Ceramic Tile...57 Cleaning Brick...58 Blind Cleaning...59 Cleaning Leather Furniture...60 Cleaning Marble...62 Jewelry Cleaning...63 Brass Cleaning...64 Silver Cleaning...66 Coin Cleaning...68 Cleaning Pennies...69 Laundry Cleaning...70 Cleaning CDs and DVDs...71 Gutter Cleaning...72 Leather Cleaning...73 Suede Cleaning...75
Introduction Table of Contents Mattress Cleaning...76 Fish Tank Cleaning...78 Self Cleaning Litter Box?...80 Car Cleaning Tips...83 The Never Ending Chapter...84 Additional Cleaning Tips...84
Introduction Healthy Cleaning I'm one of those people who likes to save receipts and ticket stubs, the little things that document our lives. I love the scribbled notes on the backs of envelopes, dashed off in the same spirit as grocery and to do lists. Like they say, life is in the details. So one of my very favorite items is a manila file stuffed with notes left by our clients over the years. Many of them tell us they appreciate our yummy smelling homemade cleaning potions. Some are requests for the ingredients in our cleaning blends. Others are from new moms anxious about the toxicity of many popular cleaning products and wondering if we can recommend good alternatives to bleach and ammonia. Our clients know that we seldom use conventional brand name cleaners and sometimes they're surprised that we can make their houses sparkle in spite of that. I'm impressed by the number of people who are genuinely interested in weaning themselves off products that are potentially harmful to the environment and to themselves. Essential oils have become well, essential in my cleaning caddy. They possess powerful antibacterial qualities of their own; they're not simply for masking odors. This collection of cleaning tips has been gleaned from our files and in fact, many of these tips are available separately on our website. We get so many requests for tips that we thought it was time to gather them all up in one easy to reference ebook. We've made an effort to include every healthy cleaning tip we know of, but this ebook leaves us room to grow. Whenever we learn tips we think you'd like to know, we'll add them to the final chapter additional cleaning tips. Here's to healthy cleaning for us all! Suzanne 1
Household Cleaning general cleaning tips Essential oils have antiseptic and antibacterial qualities that can be safely used in your home. These household cleaning tips include many simple recipes that you can mix yourself. They include ingredients such as tea tree oil, lemon oil, and baking soda but they are as effective as any commercial cleaner on the market. Just one drop of tea tree essential oil will remove the stubborn, smeared gunk left behind from peeled off labels on plastic ware. Try it on a new plastic item such as an inexpensive mixing bowl or plastic handled dish scrubber and see what I mean. No need to run out and buy the special formula marketed for such a purpose just keep a small bottle of tea tree oil in your kitchen cupboard and rest assured that you've got a powerful gunk remover on your side. Baking soda also has potent cleansing properties. If it's not working for you, you may not be applying enough of it. Use more. It eats odors, it's a mild abrasive, and a brilliant chrome cleaner. Use it to clean and detail any of your chrome appliances, sinks, faucets, as well as the chrome around the headlights of your car. If you get too much baking soda on the surface of whatever you're cleaning, just add vinegar and fizz it away! Use baking soda to clean the chrome and glass doors of your oven and microwave. Clean the inside of the microwave oven and eliminate food odors by using a cloth dampened with vinegar and dabbed into a little baking soda. Rinse it off with warm water and vinegar for a sediment free shine. More household cleaning tips If food has exploded and left a mess inside your microwave, cover the main mess with paper towels or a cloth doused in vinegar and cook on high for one minute. The mess will have softened and you can just wipe it away. Use baking soda to finish wiping out the entire oven. Rinse with vinegar and water. 2
Introduction 2 Another way to clean a messy microwave is to heat up a bowl of vinegar or a bowl of water with a slice of lemon in it. The moisture will condense onto the food splattered walls of the oven, where it can be wiped easily away. Use a damp rag sprinkled with baking soda to clean the inside and outside of your dishwasher. Pour some baking soda on the bottom of your dishwasher and let it sit for two or three hours (or overnight) before wiping it up. Next time you run a load, try using equal parts baking soda and dishwasher soap. Clean your silver, dishes, and machine all in one fell swoop. Here are two uses for a blackboard eraser: 1. In the car, use it to quickly wipe away condensation that can fog up your windshield. 2. At home, use it to polish a just washed window to a bright shine. Add white vinegar to warm water for a perfect rinse for your freshly washed floor. This will remove the soap residue from the wash formula and leave your floor shiny clean. Vinegar is good for wood, vinyl, tile, linoleum, brick, and most other floor coverings. Spread kitty litter on your garage floor to help absorb oil and grease. When it's time to clean the concrete floor, sweep up the litter and mix together: 1/4 cup Simple Green, 1 cup white vinegar, and 1/2 gallon of warm water. Apply with a sponge mop, then rinse with clear water. If your floor is extremely greasy, substitute the vinegar with ammonia, use cool water instead of warm, wear gloves and open your garage door for maximum ventilation. Hard water can cause lime deposit buildup in your tea kettle. Prevent lime formation with this simple trick: Pour equal amounts vinegar and water into your kettle and bring to a boil. Then let it stand for 24 hours. 3
Introduction 3 Kiss the orange mold in your shower goodbye, figuratively speaking. Mix together 1/4 cup vinegar with 1/2 cup baking soda, and add 10 drops of tea tree oil. Spread this paste into corners and around the drain. Let the mixture sit for several minutes, then scrub mold off with a sponge. Get the grout clean with an old toothbrush. Next, spread the paste onto the chrome faucet and showerhead fixture, then scrub off with a nonabrasive sponge, and rinse with vinegar and warm water for a brilliant shine. Water spots on metal around your shower will come off with lemon oil. The juice of a lemon will remove spots from enamel or plastic. Just cut the lemon in half, rub onto stains and rinse. 4
Organizing Tips While some folks keep alphabetized files of their clothes and spices, some people can't match two socks in the morning. Most of us are somewhere in between, with some organization skills that we'd like to improve. Uncluttering your house is akin to uncluttering your life. It's liberating to let go of bags of junk, and clearing your rooms of too much stuff is like clearing your mind of unnecessary thoughts. Getting rid of clutter is like cleaning a stopped drain and getting things flowing again. The principles of feng shui are based on the flow of energy around objects in a particular space. Take a good look at what you have, determine what you want and need to keep, and let the rest go. You'll feel a rush of fresh energy entering your life the minute you start tossing things out. Here are some simple cleaning organizing tips to help you create a more structured household. Start small. If it's really the entire attic you want to reorganize, but the thought of taking on a large space stuffed with junk is a little overwhelming, focus on one chest of drawers or one filing cabinet to begin. Obtaining immediate gratification is a good strategy for proving to yourself that you can do it. Schedule enough time to get the job done. When taking on a major organization project, whether it's an overstuffed closet, a basement, or a filing cabinet, first clear your schedule. Take short breaks, but not long ones. Don't be tempted to stop in the middle of a project you may not get back to for a very long time. For big projects, save yourself from procrastinating by jotting down cleaning dates on your calendar. Then stick to it! Reward yourself after you're done. Take everything out of the closet, basement or filing cabinet, spread it all out on the floor, and begin organizing. Start from scratch. Clean as you go. Keep your dust rags and vinegar on hand, as well as a bottle of your favorite essential oil to clean and mitigate that musty odor. Dust or vacuum the areas you uncover. You may not get the opportunity to clean these places again for quite awhile. Try not to give in to the temptation to wax sentimental over each dish and childhood toy. Make sure you are in the frame of mind to distinguish between what you really want (and need) to hang onto, and those relics whose time has come. 5
Introduction 2 Think about the tools you might need for your project and gather them together. If you are reorganizing a filing cabinet you may require files, folders, labels, highlighters, and a loose leaf binder. Taking on the basement? Get boxes, a tape measure, Swiss Army knife, hooks, and pens and scratch pads for making lists. Categorize as you organize. Begin with basic categories such as Trash, Recycle, and Keep, but add other categories as you progress and come up with new or better ways to organize. To quickly declutter a room, first remove all items that do not belong in the room, put misplaced items back in their place, stack magazines, then vacuum the open spaces. Keep track of your television remote control (and your DVD and your CD player too) by attaching a strip of velcro tape onto the television, DVD player, and CD player, and the corresponding tape onto its remote control. Keep your camera and video camera loaded with film and always stored in the same location. Save yourself the maddening frustration that can arise when you have a Kodak moment that goes undocumented because you can't remember where you put the camera. Instead of trying to squeeze them in your overflowing linen closet, store extra blankets between the mattress and the box spring on your bed. Keep your linen closet in order by removing old sheets and towels once a year. Rip or cut them up for excellent cleaning rags. Keep fresh trash liners handy by stashing several between the trash bin and the current liner. When you don't have to go in search for a fresh liner chances are that your trash bin will stay emptied more frequently. Stash your keys, sunglasses and outgoing mail in a basket by the front door. We use ours also for DVDs to be returned. You may want another basket for sunscreen and gloves. 6
Introduction 3 In your home office, utilize the space above your computer or next to it on the wall. Instead of spreading out horizontally, spread up, vertically. Supplies, reference books and other items you use will stay easy to find and accessible, as well as visually contained. To declutter the bathroom and kitchen, find small trays in which to set your hand soap, dishwashing liquid, sponges, or other small bottles that tend to gather near the sink and in the tub or shower. 7
Spring Cleaning Wash away the winter blues and celebrate the sunny days with these Spring cleaning tips: Wash your windows, inside and out. Take down screens and hose them off. Clean metal sliding door and window tracks. Launder shower curtains and bath mats. Hanging them in the sun to dry helps thwart mold and mildew. Scrub mold or mildew with this natural alternative to ammonia: 10 drops tea tree, patchouli or cinnamon essential oil. vinegar. Launder bath rugs. Keep them fresh between washings by sprinkling them with: 1/2 cup baking soda 10 drops of peppermint essential oil Put a drop of peppermint essential oil on your finger and rub it into the cardboard tube inside the roll of toilet paper. The gentle fresh scent will release each time you use the paper. Scrub the inside of the toothbrush holder with baking soda and tea tree oil. Scrub inside bottoms of trash bins clean. Vacuum curtains and draperies. Use the vacuum attachments to reach under tops of draperies and valances where spiders like to hang out. 8
Introduction 2 Dust tops of window frames while you are cleaning the blinds. Take blinds down and wash them in the bathtub or outside on the driveway. Hang them in the sun to dry or blot them with a soft absorbent cloth. Use the vacuum upholstery attachment to clean sofas and upholstered chairs. Condition any antique wood furniture. Use lemons. Spring cleaning is more inspiring with the fresh scent of lemons in the air. Lemons are natural wood conditioners and they are a natural bleaching agent, so they're perfect for taking small stains out of wood floors or cabinets. Cut a lemon in half and rub it into your cutting boards, then let them sit overnight. This removes the lingering smells of onion and garlic, and the natural lemon oils condition the wood. Clean out your refrigerator, and replace the box of baking soda you keep in there. Use the old box to wipe down the inside of fridge and shelves. Rinse with warm water and vinegar. 9
Homemade Cleaners Kitchen Refrigerator and Stove Tops 1 tsp liquid castile soap 1/8 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cups water 5 drops grape fruit seed extract 1 tsp borax Combine all ingredients in plastic spray bottle. Apply generously onto appliance surface and wait a few minutes, then wipe clean. Keeping the Fridge Fresh Open a fresh box of baking soda to place inside the fridge every two months, then use the box of baking soda to aid in cleaning the refrigerator. Put 10 drops of your favorite essential oil on a paper towel and place on the bottom shelf of the fridge. If you like the smell of coffee, put some grounds in a little bowl and place in the fridge; this will remain fragrant for weeks. You can add essential oils to the grounds to experiment and change the recipe for fun. Hang fresh dried herbs on a hook in your fridge. Or place a plain piece of bread on a plate in there. It'll absorb odors almost immediately. Refrigerator Top If the top of the fridge is really dirty, grimy and greasy you may have to mix a mixture of one part ammonia to ten parts water, apply and let soak for awhile, then clean with above formula. Microwave Cleaning Tip Combine 1 tsp vinegar, 10 drops lemon extract, and 4 oz water into a microwave safe bowl, then run microwave on high for four minutes. Wipe off the walls with a paper towel. For a deeper cleaning: 1/4 cup baking soda 10
Introduction 2 1 tsp vinegar 5 6 drops thyme or lemon essential oil Combine all ingredients to make a paste, apply paste to the walls with a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse well and leave the microwave door open to air dry for 25 minutes. Oven Cleaning Tip Regular Oven Cleaning Technique (every month) 2 tsp baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 10 drops orange, lemon or lime essential oil 1/2 cup of water Preheat oven to 250 degrees, turn off and leave oven door open. Combine the baking soda, soap and essential oil in a clean spray bottle, then add the water and shake well. Spray on oven walls and wait 20 minutes. Wipe clean and rinse well. Major Oven Cleaning Technique (every few months) 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup borax 1 box (16 oz) baking soda 1/4 water 3/4 cup vinegar 10 drops lemon essential oil 10 drops of an essential oil you like Combine salt, borax, and baking soda in a glass bowl. Add just enough water to make a paste. Remove oven racks, preheat oven to 250 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and open the oven door. Leave the door open. Carefully spread the paste all over the oven walls and let sit for 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle and spray on walls over the paste and wipe clean. If a lot of baked on grease is present, you may need to use steel wool with more salt in the mix. Overnight Oven Cleaner Technique (twice a year) 1 cup water 10 drops lemon essential oil 11
Introduction 3 1/2 cup salt 1 1/4 cups baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 1/4 cup vinegar 1 Block oven vents with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 300 degrees for 15 minutes, turn off the oven, open the door, and leave it open. 2 Combine 1/4 cup water with essential oil in a spray bottle and shake well, spray oven floor and walls with mixture. 3 Combine 1/4 cup salt with 1/2 cup baking soda. Sprinkle on oven floor, heavily where spills are baked on. You cannot use too much baking soda. 4 Mix 1/4 cup water with the remaining 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, and castile soap. Spread this mixture onto the oven walls. Remove the foil from the vents and let sit overnight. 5 Combine the remaining water and vinegar in a spray bottle and in the morning spray onto the walls and floor and scrub with steel wool. Wipe this water and vinegar mixture away with paper towels and your oven should be shiny clean. Soak Those Oven Racks If you don't have a self cleaning oven, place oven racks in the bathtub with about 1/2 cup dishwasher detergent and cover with several inches of warm water. Let the racks soak as long as possible, at least 45 minutes. Then rinse and dry. Soak the Accessories Too Soak all the oven accessories (burner rings, knobs, burner grills, etc.) in a mixture of 1 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup vinegar, 6 10 drops of essential oil, let soak overnight and use fine steel wool to remove loosened grime. Degreaser 2 cups water 1/4 cup Murphy's oil soap 10 drops tea tree oil or lemon citrus essential oil Combine all ingredients in plastic spray bottle. Apply generously, wait a couple of minutes and wipe clean. 12
Introduction 4 Blender Cleaning Tips Squirt a few drops of liquid soap into the blender, fill halfway with warm water, cover and blend. Rinse and repeat as necessary. I wish all appliance cleaning methods were this easy! Cleaning Electric Can Opener Tip Clean the blade of your electric can opener by running a paper towel through the can opener onto the can, so it will wipe off the blade. Spot clean the rest with vinegar and tea tree oil (or lemon oil) and a toothbrush. Coffee Maker Cleaning Tip Make a solution of baking soda and water and run it through maker. Next, run one followup brew of clean water. Then mix a solution of equals parts vinegar and water, and brew this through the coffee maker. Follow this with two regular water brews to rinse. Mineral build up cut down the build up of minerals in coffee makers by putting a loofah sponge or a marble inside the water tank to attract the minerals away from the coffee maker parts. Trash Compactor Odor Banish bad odors by grinding a half a lemon or orange rind in the compactor. Put citrus rinds in garbage bins too. Cleaning Espresso Machine Tip Here's our old reliable, when in doubt clean it out mixture of 1 tablespoon vinegar, 5 drops lemon essential oil and a quart of water combined in a spray bottle. Spray on, then spot clean with a paper towel. Toaster Cleaning Tip UNPLUG... then shake out and knock loose crumbs with a small, clean paintbrush. Polish chrome to an unbelievable shine with baking soda, and spray down with our old reliable vinegar, lemon oil and water mixture. 13
Kitchen Cleaning Basics 3 Dishwashing Formulas For each of the following recipes, fill a 22 oz. plastic bottle with castile soap diluted with water. Add the essential oils. Shake the bottle before each use. Use as you normally would use dishwashing detergent, except that you need less than usual, one tablespoon per sink full. For heavy grease add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the sink and for baked on foods, soak with hot water and baking soda. Formula 1 Liquid castile soap 15 drops lemon essential oil 10 drops lavender essential oil Formula 2 Liquid castile soap 10 drops lavender essential oil 8 drops rosemary essential oil 4 drops grape fruit seed extract Formula 3 Liquid castile soap 10 drops orange essential oil 5 drops grape fruit seed extract 5 drops tea tree oil Lime and mineral deposits For lime and mineral deposits on the kitchen sink faucet, soak a paper towel in vinegar, wrap it around the faucet for one hour. The vinegar breaks down the mineral scale, you can now wipe it off and polish the chrome. 14
Introduction 2 Pans with baked on food In the pan, put a little dish detergent into an inch of water and bring to a boil, then scrub off the baked on food, it should come off easily. Heavy grease Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your sink full of water to help to cut grease. Automatic dishwasher detergent Unfortunately, we have not discovered a homemade mixture that works very well for this appliance, but the good news is that there are products available that work great that are non toxic...link. Dishwasher film Run a cup of vinegar through the entire wash cycle in an empty dishwasher to remove all soap scum. Oven stains Wipe up spills right away, because they will get harder to clean as they bake on over time. In the oven put down a piece of aluminum foil to catch spills. To clean up baked on spills, just put some of your favorite essential oil or tea tree oil, which is particularly good on stains and it will wipe up right away. Fresh grease spills Put salt or baking soda on the fresh spill and let sit a bit and wipe right up. Sanitize cutting boards 1 wipe board with the pulp side of a half an orange or grapefruit 2 soak board in a solution of water and 5 drops grape fruit seed extract, wash with vinegar and water and dry. Electric can openers Use essential oil on a toothbrush and spot clean, put a paper towel soaked in vinegar on top of the can and run it through the opener, then spot clean with a toothbrush. Garbage disposal smells 15
Toss in lemon, grapefruit or orange remains when available. Introduction 3 Stained plastic containers Plastic storage containers stain easily, especially if microwaved often. We all know the familiar sight of tomato sauce stains on plastic Tupperware. To clean, soak these containers in a strong herbal infusion of essential oil and a tablespoon of baking soda. Try this remedy on your rubber spatula too! First, soak containers in tea tree oil and baking soda, then soak in water and grape fruit seed extract. After soaking for an hour, scrub containers with some dry baking soda. The stain may not completely disappear, but not to worry, the important thing is it's clean. Plastic stains in the true sense of the word. Eliminating smells from plastic containers Crumple up a newspaper and stuff it in the plastic container, close tightly and let sit overnight. Remove lime from kettle Boil 1/2 cup vinegar and water in the kettle and rinse. Clean phones Use rubbing alcohol on a cloth. Cloudy glass If cloudy glass will not decloud, lay potato peelings on the cloudy spots and leave overnight, then clean. Cleaning oily bottles Fill the bottle with a little ash and place in a pan of cold water, slowly heat the bottle in the pan, simmer for 20 minutes and let cool. Rinse with vinegar water. Or try this for a really amazing cleaner: 5 or 6 drops of tea tree oil mixed with a little vinegar and hot water. Swish, and watch the oil coagulate into little balls. Rinse once or twice viola! Lingering kitchen smells Put an essential oil of your choice on the grill of the stove fan and run fan as needed. 16
Introduction 4 Barbecue grills Blend bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and vinegar, brush over grill and leave till next BBQ session, then rinse and use. Cleaning woks Never scrub a wok, you will ruin it. Woks have tiny grooves designed to trap oil so the food won't stick and to prime the metal. Wipe wok with damp cloth and reapply oil after each use. Microwave odors That's right, you guessed it, an essential oil of your liking. Rub right onto the inside walls. Black scuff marks Try a pencil eraser! Or, apply 2 to 4 drops of essential oil (tea tree oil is a good choice) right on the mark. 17
Kitchen Cleaning Appliances Microwave Cleaning Tip Combine one tsp. of vinegar, ten drops of lemon extract, and four ounces of water into a microwave safe bowl, run microwave on high for four minutes. Wipe out the microwave with a paper towel. for a deeper cleaning: 1/4 cup baking soda 1 tsp vinegar 5 6 drops thyme or lemon essential oil. Combine all ingredients to make a paste, apply paste to the walls with a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse well and leave the microwave door open to air dry for 25 minutes. Oven Cleaning Tip Regular oven cleaning technique (every month) 2 tsp baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 10 drops orange, lemon or lime essential oil 1/2 cup of water Preheat oven to 250 degrees, turn off and leave oven door open. Combine the baking soda, soap, and essential oil in a clean spray bottle, add the water and shake well. Spray on oven walls and wait 20 minutes. Wipe clean and rinse well. Major oven cleaning technique (every few months) 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup borax 1 box (16 oz) baking soda 1/4 water 3/4 cup vinegar 18
Introduction 2 10 drops lemon essential oil 10 drops of an essential oil you like Combine salt, borax, and baking soda in a glass bowl. Add just enough water to make a paste. Remove oven racks, preheat oven to 250 degrees for 15 minutes, turn off the oven and open the oven door, leave the door open. Carefully spread the paste all over the oven walls and let sit for 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle and spray on walls over the paste and wipe clean. If a lot of baked on grease is present, you may need to use steel wool with more salt in the mix. Overnight oven cleaner technique (twice a year) 1 cup water 10 drops lemon essential oil 1/2 cup salt 1 1/4 cups baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 1/4 cup vinegar 1 Block oven vents with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 300 degrees for 15 minutes, turn off the oven and open the door, leave it open. 2 Combine 1/4 cup water with essential oil in a spray bottle and shake well, spray oven floor and walls with mixture. 3 Combine 1/4 cup salt with 1/2 cup baking soda. Sprinkle on oven floor, heavily where spills are baked on. 4 Mix 1/4 cup water with the remaining 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, and castile soap. Spread this mixture on the oven walls, remove the foil from the vents and let sit overnight. 5 Combine the remaining water and vinegar in a spray bottle and in the morning spray onto the walls and floor and scrub with steel wool, continue to wipe up until shiny clean. Soak those oven racks If you don't have a self cleaning oven, place oven racks in the bathtub with about 1/2 cup dishwasher detergent and cover with several inches of warm water, let the racks soak as long as possible, at least 45 minutes. Then rinse and dry. Soak the accessories too 19
Introduction 3 Soak all the oven accessories (burner rings, knobs, burner grills, etc.) in a mixture of 1 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup vinegar, 6 10 drops of essential oil, let soak overnight and use fine steel wool to remove loosened grime. Refrigerator and stove tops 1 tsp liquid castile soap 1/8 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cups water 5 drops grape fruit seed extract 1 tsp borax Combine all ingredients in plastic spray bottle. Apply generously onto appliance surface and wait a few minutes, then wipe clean. Refrigerator cleaning tips general rules for a healthy fridge Obviously, the most opportune time to clean out the refrigerator is when it's close to empty. You should not let the frost in the fridge get more than a quarter inch thick before defrosting, as it may take along time to defrost and it will be substantially harder to deal with all the water. Keeping the fridge fresh Put a fresh box of baking soda in the fridge every two months, then use the box of baking soda to aid in cleaning the refrigerator. Put 10 drops of your favorite essential oil on a paper towel and place on the bottom shelf of the fridge. If you like the smell of coffee, put some grounds in a little bowl and leave open in the fridge, this will work for weeks. You can add essential oils to the grounds to, experiment and change the recipe for fun. Hang fresh dried herbs on a hook in your fridge. Refrigerator top If the top of the fridge is really dirty, grimy and greasy you may have to mix a mixture of one part ammonia to 10 parts water and let soak for awhile, then clean with above formula. 20
Introduction 4 Degreaser 2 cups water 1/4 cup Murphy's oil soap 10 drops tea tree oil or lemon citrus essential oil Combine all ingredients in plastic spray bottle. Apply generously, wait a couple of minutes and wipe clean. Blender cleaning tips Squirt a few drops of liquid soap into the blender, fill halfway with warm water, cover and blend, rinse and repeat as necessary. Cleaning electric can opener tip Clean the blade of your electric can opener by running a paper towel through the can opener onto the can, so it will wipe off the blade. Spot clean the rest with vinegar and tea tree oil (or lemon oil) and a toothbrush. Coffee maker cleaning tip Make a solution of baking soda and water and run it through maker and run one follow up brew of clean water afterwards. Mix a solution of equals parts vinegar and water and brew it through the coffee maker. Follow this with two regular water brews to rinse. Mineral build up cut down the build up of minerals in coffee makers by putting a loofah sponge or a marble inside the water tank to attract the minerals away from the coffee maker parts. Trash compactor odor Banish bad odors by grinding up half a lemon or orange grind in the compactor, this works for garbage bins too. Cleaning espresso machine tip That old reliable, when in doubt mixture of one Tbs of vinegar, 5 drops lemon essential oil and a quart of 21
water mixed in a spray bottle. Spray on, then spot clean with a paper towel. Introduction 5 Toaster cleaning tip UNPLUG...Polish chrome with baking soda, shake out and knock loose crumbs with a brush and spray down with vinegar, lemon oil and water mixture. 22
The Kitchen Sink 3 sink cleaning formulas All of these formulas mainly consist of baking soda blended with essential oils. Once you find a recipe you like (experiment, it's fun), you can make up large quantities and store in a large glass container. Porcelain and stainless steel 1/4 cup baking soda 1/2 cup vinegar 3 drops essential oil, lavender, lemon, rosemary, lime or orange Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle, rinse sink with hot water, spray solution onto sink, scour and rinse. Dry formula 1/2 cup baking soda 1/2 cup rosemary leaves 1/4 cup dried sage leaves, ground. Combine all ingredients in an airtight container and shake well to blend. Sprinkle onto sink, scrub and rinse. Serious stain remover formula 1/4 cup borax 1/4 cup baking soda 8 drops essential oil, tea tree or eucalyptus 3/4 cup vinegar keep separate Combine borax, baking soda and oil into a container and shake to blend. Let sit on tough stains, scrub with sponge and rinse with vinegar. Tough stains on porcelain sinks Put tea tree oil right on the stain, let sit for 20 minutes, sprinkle on some salt and baking soda, scrub, rinse with vinegar. 23
Introduction 2 Faucets Vinegar and water half and half, citrus oil for around the collar where grime collects. Polish with rubbing alcohol. Alternative Bon Ami cleaner mixed with vinegar and essential oil works brilliantly in place of baking soda. 24
Oven Cleaning Regular oven cleaning technique (every month) 2 tsp baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 10 drops orange, lemon or lime essential oil 1/2 cup of water Preheat oven to 250 degrees, turn off and leave oven door open. Combine the baking soda, soap, and essential oil in a clean spray bottle, add the water and shake well. Spray on oven walls and wait 20 minutes. Wipe clean and rinse well. Major oven cleaning technique (every few months) 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup borax 1 box (16 oz) baking soda 1/4 water 3/4 cup vinegar 10 drops lemon essential oil 10 drops of an essential oil you like Combine salt, borax, and baking soda in a glass bowl. Add just enough water to make a paste. Remove oven racks, preheat oven to 250 degrees for 15 minutes, turn off the oven and open the oven door, leave the door open. Carefully spread the paste all over the oven walls and let sit for 30 minutes. Combine the vinegar and essential oils in a spray bottle and spray on walls over the paste and wipe clean. If a lot of baked on grease is present, you may need to use steel wool with more salt in the mix. Overnight oven cleaner technique (twice a year) 1 cup water 10 drops lemon essential oil 1/2 cup salt 1 1/4 cups baking soda 2 Tbs liquid castile soap 1/4 cup vinegar 1 Block oven vents with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 300 degrees for 15 minutes, turn off the oven and 25
Introduction 2 open the door, leave it open. 2 Combine 1/4 cup water with essential oil in a spray bottle and shake well, spray oven floor and walls with mixture. 3 Combine 1/4 cup salt with 1/2 cup baking soda. Sprinkle on oven floor, heavily where spills are baked on. 4 Mix 1/4 cup water with the remaining 3/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, and castile soap. Spread this mixture on the oven walls, remove the foil from the vents and let sit overnight. 5 Combine the remaining water and vinegar in a spray bottle and in the morning spray onto the walls and floor and scrub with steel wool, continue to wipe up until shiny clean. Soak those oven racks If you don't have a self cleaning oven, place oven racks in the bathtub with about 1/2 cup dishwasher detergent and cover with several inches of warm water, let the racks soak as long as possible, at least 45 minutes. Then rinse and dry. Soak the accessories too Soak all the oven accessories (burner rings, knobs, burner grills, etc.) in a mixture of 1 cup baking soda, 1/3 cup vinegar, 6 10 drops of essential oil, let soak overnight and use fine steel wool to remove loosened grime. Microwave Cleaning Tip Combine one tsp. of vinegar, ten drops of lemon extract, and four ounces of water into a microwave safe bowl, run microwave on high for four minutes. Wipe out the microwave with a paper towel. for a deeper cleaning: 1/4 cup baking soda 1 tsp vinegar 5 6 drops thyme or lemon essential oil. Combine all ingredients to make a paste, apply paste to the walls with a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse well and leave the microwave door open to air dry for 25 minutes. 26
Introduction 3 27
Homemade Formulas Bath Mold and Mildew Prevention Use this formula to prevent mold and mildew from forming. We prefer these formulas instead of bleach. They work better than bleach and besides, bleach is extremely toxic and dangerous! Use this formula on shower stalls, walls, curtains, sliding door tracks, corners, window sills, etc... Regular Formula 2 cups water 10 drops citrus seed extract 5 drops juniper essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray heavily onto areas, BUT do not rinse, let sit on spot indefinitely. If you already have a heavy build up of mold and mildew use this formula to remove it. Spray onto spots and let sit for a few hours, then reapply and let sit. Heavy Build Up Formula 1 1/4 cup vinegar 3/4 cup water 4 drops cinnamon essential oil 5 drops citrus seed oil 5 drops tea tree oil Spray on area, let sit for a few hours, then rinse, reapply and let sit. Scouring Cleaners Use these sanitizing and antibacterial formulas in your bathroom and stay clean the healthy way. You can make up a large batch ahead of time and store in plastic or glass container for future use. Herbal Scouring Formula for sinks 28
Introduction 2 1 cup baking soda 1/4 cup dried sage leaves, ground 1/4 cup rosemary leaves, crushed 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Combine all ingredients in a plastic container. Shake well before using. Sprinkle into the sink and scour and rinse. Disinfectant Formula for tough stains in sinks and tub 1 cup baking soda 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1/8 cup borax 1/4 cup grated lemon, orange or grapefruit peel Tub and Tile Formula regular 1 cup baking soda 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 2 vitamin C tablets crushed 5 7 drops tea tree essential oil Water as needed to make a paste Combine all ingredients in a plastic container. Add small amount of water and make a paste. Shake or stir well before using the tea tree oil tends to pool on top of the paste if the mix sits for awhile. Apply paste to area and scrub. Rinse well to remove all residue. These formulas are good for your hands, as opposed to the chemically rich commercial kind. Tub and Tile Formula soft scouring paste with lavender oil 3/4 cup baking soda 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 5 drops lavender essential oil Water as needed to make a paste Combine all ingredients into a plastic container. Add small amount of water and make a paste. Shake or stir well before using. Apply paste to area and scrub. Rinse well to remove the fine sediment left by the baking 29
Introduction 3 powder. Soap Scum Remover 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 drops essential oil of your choice try peppermint or eucalyptus oil for a real refreshing shine! vinegar Combine all ingredients in a cup, adding just enough vinegar to make a paste. Apply to the soap dish and let sit for a bit, then scrub and rinse well. Leave some vinegar on the dish overnight. Toilet Bowl Cleaning Tips The really scary life forms are not in the bowl, folks, they're under the seat, so here are some cleaning formulas for the seat as well as general toilet cleaning formulas for the rest of the commode. Germicide Spray antibacterial 2 cups water 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 1 tablespoon tea tree oil 10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops citrus essential oil of your choosing Combine all ingredients in a plastic bottle. Then spray onto toilet surface, wipe clean, and you're ready to go! (Just couldn't resist a little potty humor.) Toilet Bowl Ring Remover 1 cup borax 1 cup vinegar 10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops lemon or tea tree essential oil 30
Combine all ingredients into a bowl or container that works for you and mix. Pour all ingredients into the toilet bowl, allow to sit overnight and flush in the morning. Introduction 4 Vinegar Brush n' Flush If hard water causes rings and mineral deposit build up in your toilet bowl, try keeping a bottle of vinegar in the bathroom, and add a 1/2 cup daily to the bowl, then give the bowl a quick brush before you flush. Vinegar is a natural water softener and will help break down the minerals before they have a chance to adhere to the porcelain. Basic Toilet Bowl Cleaning Formula 1/2 cup baking soda 1/4 cup white vinegar 10 drops tea tree essential oil Combine all ingredients, add to bowl, brush and flush! Bathroom Mirror and Faucets Cleaning Tip 1 1/2 cups vinegar 1/2 cup water 8 drops citrus essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake before using. This formula will make your mirror crystal clear and your faucets shine. It'll prevent your mirror from fogging up too. Pretty cool, huh? Formula 1 A powerful disinfectant 2 cups of hot water 10 drops thyme or tea tree essential oil 1/4 cup borax Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, add borax and shake well. Spray on surface, let sit a few minutes, rinse and wipe with the following spray: Formula 2 4 parts water to 2 parts vinegar 5 drops of lavender essential oil (or a scent of your choosing) 31
Introduction 5 5 drops tea tree oil The formulas above combine to make an excellent general cleaner for the whole house. Here's a substitute for commercial pine scented cleaners. This is the real deal! 2 cups water 2 teaspoons borax 10 drops of pine essential oil 5 drops cedar essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Spray on whole surface, wait a few minutes and wipe clean with a damp cloth. We hope these homemade cleaner formulas help inspire you to clean your home the healthy way. There's a good reason why these formulas have been around for so long, and that's because they really work. We have been cleaning professionally for eight years and know firsthand the toxic side effects of commercial cleaners. We also know firsthand that they don't work as well as mother nature's original versions they are trying to rip off or replace for profit's sake. They do take some preparation, but isn't your health worth the few extra minutes? Look at it this way, you'll gain a lot more time from remaining healthy anyway, so you're losing nothing and gaining everything with the precious gift of good health. And in the long run, these formulas are actually less expensive, too. 32
Bathroom Cleaning In this article we will cover these bathroom cleaning tips: tub and tile scrubbers & scourers sink cleaners toilet cleaners disinfectants helpful hints The bathroom, by it's very nature, is a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Mold and mildew are encouraged to thrive there as well. These bathroom cleaning tips are simple, safe and nontoxic. A lot products used in the bathroom are very harmful to people, and in the case of products containing bleach, they don't work as well as our formulas. Again, we've been doing this for a living for eight years. Keep the tile clean. If you clean or squeegee the tile after each use, you won't have to risk using abrasives that can scratch the tile. Of course, with these nonabrasive formulas you needn't worry about that. But if you're in a hurry one day and grab a green scouring sponge and one of those as seen on tv nuclear fusion cleaner, quickly scrubbing away because the guests are due any minute, you're going to damage the tile regardless of the material it's made out of. A simple solution is don't use bar soap. Most bar soaps have talc in them and that's what causes soap scum. Use natural liquid castile soaps, they do not contain talc and are even good for your skin and overall health. Mold and Mildew Cleaning Tips Mold and mildew are common place threats. Especially be aware of mold forming due to water collecting on the wooden sill of your bathroom window. Plastic shower curtains are also susceptible to mold and mildew. We highly recommend a cotton shower curtain that you can wash in the laundry, removing that common ailment of the bath. Formula 1 33
Introduction 2 A powerful disinfectant 2 cups of hot water 10 drops thyme or tea tree essential oil 1/4 cup Borax Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, add borax and shake well. Spray on the window sill or plastic shower curtain, or on any bathroom surface, and let it sit for a few minutes. Then rinse and wipe with the following spray: Formula 2 4 parts water to 2 parts vinegar 5 drops of lavender essential oil (or a scent of your choosing) 5 drops tea tree oil The above formulas aren't just for the bathroom. They make an excellent general formula for the whole house. Here's a fresh substitute for the commercial pine scented cleaners the real deal! 2 cups water 2 teaspoons borax 10 drops of pine essential oil 5 drops cedar essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use, spray on whole surface, wait a few minutes and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Mold and Mildew Prevention Use this formula to prevent mold and mildew from forming. This works better than bleach, smells a thousand times better, and won't make you ill! Use this formula on shower stalls, walls, curtains, sliding door tracks, corners, window sills, etc. 2 cups water 34
Introduction 3 10 drops citrus seed extract 5 drops juniper essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle, spray generously onto areas BUT do not rinse. Let it sit on spot indefinitely. If you already have a heavy build up of mold and mildew, use this formula to banish it. Spray onto spots and let sit for a few hours, then reapply and let sit. Heavy build up formula 1 1/4 cup vinegar 3/4 cup water 4 drops cinnamon essential oil 5 drops citrus seed oil 5 drops tea tree oil Spray on area, let sit for a few hours, then rinse, reapply and let sit. Scouring Cleaners Use these sanitizing and antibacterial formulas in your bathroom and stay healthy. You can make up large batches ahead of time and store in plastic or glass containers. Herbal Scouring Formula for sinks 1 cup baking soda 1/4 cup dried sage leaves, ground 1/4 cup rosemary leaves, crushed 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Combine all ingredients in a plastic container. Shake well before using. Sprinkle into the sink, scour and rinse. Disinfectant Formula for tough stains in sinks and tubs 35
Introduction 4 1 cup baking soda 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 1/8 cup borax 1/4 cup grated lemon, orange or grapefruit peel Tub and Tile Formula soft scouring paste with lavender 3/4 cup baking soda 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 5 drops lavender essential oil water as needed to make a paste Combine all ingredients in a plastic container. Shake well before using. Sprinkle onto sink, scour, then rinse well. Apply paste to area and scrub, and rinse well to remove all residue. These formulas are good for your hands, as opposed to the chemically rich commercial formulas. Tub and Tile Formula regular 1 cup baking soda 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 2 vitamin C tablets crushed 5 7 drops tea tree essential oil Water as needed to make a paste Combine all ingredients into a plastic container, Shake well before using. Sprinkle onto sink, scour, then rinse well. Apply paste to area and scrub, rinse well, remove all residue. Soap Scum Remover 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 2 drops essential oil of your choice vinegar Combine all ingredients to soap dish, add just enough vinegar to make a paste, let sit for a bit, scrub and rinse well. Leave some vinegar on surface overnight. 36
Introduction 5 Toilet Bowl Cleaning Tips The really scary life forms are not in the bowl, folks, they're under the seat ring, so here are some sprays for the seat as well as general toilet cleaning formulas for the rest of the commode. Germicide spray antibacterial 2 cups water 1/4 cup liquid castile soap 1 tablespoon tea tree oil 10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops citrus essential oil of your choosing Combine all ingredients in a plastic bottle and spray onto toilet surface, then wipe clean. Toilet Bowl Ring Remover 1 cup borax 1 cup vinegar 10 drops lavender essential oil 5 drops lemon or tea tree essential oil Combine all ingredients into a container and mix. Pour all ingredients into the toilet bowl, allow to sit overnight and flush in the morning. Basic Toilet Bowl Cleaning Formula 1/2 cup baking soda 1/4 cup white vinegar 10 drops tea tree essential oil Combine all ingredients, add to bowl, scrub and flush! Bathroom Mirror and Faucets Cleaning Tip 37
Introduction 6 1 1/2 cups vinegar 1/2 cup water 8 drops citrus essential oil Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake before using. This formula will make your mirrors crystal clear and your faucets shine. They'll also keep your mirrors from fogging up. Cool, huh? 38
Grout Cleaning Here are some grout cleaning tips. Cleaning grout can be extremely frustrating. One of the most frequent request we get, is to spend more time on cleaning the grout, usually in the shower and often on the kitchen floor. If you have white grout, your going to get grout stains and it can be very difficult to keep it clean. The best cleaning solution we have come up with after eight years of experimenting is still baking soda and vinegar. In our opinion this works way better than bleach and is a whole lot healthier than bleach. Grout Cleaning Formula: For mold and mildew. Make a paste of baking soda, 5 drops tea tree oil and water. Let the paste sit on the grout for as long as you can within reason. Scrub with a stiff brush and rinse with vinegar. When you rinse with vinegar you'll get a crazy sudsing action that can be a little alarming the first time, don't worry, that's a powerful cleansing reaction. Again, the hard truth is, white grout is going to discolor. This doesn't mean that it isn't clean, it's just stained. 39
Bedroom Cleaning Start high When cleaning a bedroom, I always start at the top using the static duster on the ceilings and walls, paying close attention to ceiling fans and chandeliers. The Furniture I usually damp wipe all the furniture with a damp micro fiber cloth. The micro fiber cloth is key, since they hold very little water. If you use any other kind of cloth, you'll leave way too much water on the surface. If you have antique furniture, just dust with a dry cloth and use the proper formula for sustaining the antique finish. Depending on time restraints or the thing in question, i'll usually dust off the things on the stuff. Especially clocks and phones. I'll usually use a paper towel, high quality and a little glass cleaner to clean plastic/ metal clocks and phones. The Stuff That which is found on and around the furniture. Carefully move all the stuff to one spot and damp mop where the stuff once was. Now move the stuff back and repeat around the whole room. The Floor Cleaning the bedroom floor, obviously is like any floor, paying close attention to under and behind the bed and in and around the furniture. We have many floor cleaning tips for all kinds of floors in our cleaning tips section. Please explore our cleaning tips section for more bedroom cleaning tips. Essential Treatment I take the Essential Oil 'flavor of the month', put a dab on my finger and wipe it onto the inside edge of the door to give the room a nice scent when people enter or exit. A quick once over Paying close attention to all the glass in the room. 40