How many cleaning products are in your cabinet?
Not too long ago, I too had a cabinet full of cleaning supplies for every situation imaginable. Glass & mirror cleaner, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, degreaser, kitchen scrub, bathroom scrub, toilet cleaner, shower cleaner … the list goes on!
Until recently, all of these specialized products didn’t exist. How did our grandmothers keep their houses so sparkly and clean? With just a few simple and completely non-toxic ingredients, you can clean your house without this overflowing cabinet-full of products!
In reality, you only need a small assortment of cleaning basics, and mix them in different proportions for different cleaning jobs.
Not only does this strategy reduce cleaning product clutter in your cabinets, but it is much healthier. No scary chemicals in these basic items!
Baking Soda – a.k.a. sodium bicarbonate. Yes, the stuff you bake with. Buy it in huge quantities, it’s the backbone of any vintage cleaning system. Baking soda works wonders as a mild abrasive cleanser – just make a little paste with water. It is also a fantastic deodorizer – this is why mom used to keep a box in her fridge – it just makes the smells disappear!
Vinegar – Plain white vinegar is a fantastic glass and surface cleaner. Put in an empty spray bottle and use just like regular cleaner.
Borax – Slightly more toxic than the previous two, but still less than standard cleaners. You can buy Borax in the laundry section of the grocery store. Frequently used as a boost to laundry detergent (or as an ingredient if you’re making your own laundry detergent!).
Soap Flakes – Gentle soap flakes are great for handwashing clothes or making your own laundry detergent (recipe coming soon). Also you can dissolve the flakes in hot water and use for an all-purpose cleaner (cleaning sinks, bathtubs, showers, etc.)
Have you swapped any of your new-fangled cleaning products for these vintage alternatives? What are your favorite tips?
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Sat
May 6, 2011 at 4:40 amI make all my own laundry detergent, bath salts, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, hand soap, etc. For a cleanser that is green and yet effective, you can buy Bon Ami, Barkeeper’s or Zud.
Celinda Barrett
May 6, 2010 at 4:12 pmI use vinegar to clean my hardwood floors. It never hurts the finish and always gets the dirt… up off the floors. Cheap, easy and non-toxic.
Jenny Fox
March 7, 2010 at 10:44 pmVinegar is great for cleaning glass! One additional thing I can add is using old newspapers to clean the glass — it works much better than cloth or paper towels! No lint left behind, either!
Amanda
March 5, 2010 at 6:58 amGreat tip sophie, thanks!
You could try diluting the vinegar with some water, and adding a couple drops of lavender (or other) essential oil. Or you could try a squeeze of lemon juice afterwards.
Sophie
February 27, 2010 at 10:32 amI have looking for a long time for a trick to get rid of the white traces in the shower (probably due to the hard water). Other products seemed to work but as soon as it was dry, traces would re-appear. Vinegar works LIKE A CHARM! Hadn’t think of it before!
I recommend a vinegar with a nice smell though 🙂
Also like the fact it is less toxic.
Thanks Amanda, this is cool stuff!
Amanda
February 26, 2010 at 5:51 pmDo you just spray it on?? I have a bunch of vinegar in a spray bottle for cleaning glass etc. Think I might start diluting it a bit though.
(I also love mixing vinegar with bicarb to put in a drain!)
wendy
February 26, 2010 at 5:19 pmI am loving this stuff, just bought some white vinegar the other day, so good for cleaning shower curtains and shower heads!