All-Natural Spring Cleaning

Holy cow! I don't what it is about spring, but it makes me want to clean ev-er-y-thing. Now that I've got a little one scooting around the floor and getting into any and all things, I want to have a clean, safe area for her to explore in. For me, that means using safe, non-toxic cleaners that are affordable and effective. Below are some basic cleaning recipes that I've gathered (and used) and come to love.

Carpet Deoderizer:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 6-8 drops of NAN Purify blend (or essential oil of choice)
• if you don't have any essential oils, use 1 tsp of your favorite ground spice
• Combine ingredients and sprinkle over carpet. Allow to sit for a couple of hours before vacuuming up. (I let mine sit for 5+ hours and it worked great.)

Toilet Cleaner:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/4 white vinegar
• 10 drops of Tea Tree oil
• Combine all ingredients to in a cup, add to toilet, and clean bowl with a brush. 
• This recipe is great for gunk around the toilet as well. Just add to a brown or blue glass spray bottle (if you plan on keeping extra on hand) and scrub areas as needed. 

Soft Scrub for Tile and Shower:

• 3/4 heaping cup of baking soda
• 1/4 liquid castile soap (Dr. Bronner's unscented is what I would suggest)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 5-10 drops of lemon EO
• Combine baking soda and castile soap in a bowl
• Add water and stir
• Add vinegar and EO and combine. Consistency should be a soft paste. 
• Store long term in an airtight container

Window Cleaner:

• 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
• 1/2 distilled water
• 8-10 drops of favorite citrus essential oil (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
• Add all ingredients to a 16 oz colored glass spray bottle

All-purpose Disinfecting Cleaner:

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 3/4 distilled water
• 1 teaspoon of Borax
• 30 drops of essential oils (15 each of Lemon and Lavender; or 10 each of Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Orange; 30 drops of NAN Immune Boost
• Combine all ingredients in spray bottle and shake thoroughly.
• Please note:Although it is natural, Borax is toxic when ingested or can cause skin irritation. Keep this spray away from children, pets and food prep areas. If you don't feel comfortable using Borax, you can omit it from this recipe 

Homemade Disinfecting Wipes:

• 1 roll of "premium" paper towels (like Viva)
• 2 containers or 1 larger mason jar with lid
• Old tshirts cut into 5x7 pieces
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp unscented castile soap
• 8-10 drops of lemon or tea tree EO
• Cut paper towel roll in half, place two halves in two different containers
• Combine ingredients in a bowl, pouring half of the liquid over each container of  paper towels
• To go the extra mile and make your wipes reusable, use the tshirts and mason jars instead of the containers and paper towels. 

Garbage Disposal Drop-Ins:

• 2 cups baking soda
• 1 cup salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 castile soap
• 20-30 drops of Lemon (or any other cirtus) EO
• Combine baking soda and salt in a bowl
• Add in castile soap and essential oils
• Add water 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring with hands until it forms into a “damp sand” consistency. It should stay together when you press it together. If you add too much water just add some more baking soda and salt until the consistency is right
• Using a tablespoon measurement, scoop packed spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper to dry. You should get around 36 drop-ins
• Allow drop-ins to dry for 24 hours (or longer if needed)
• Store in a glass jar and use as needed to get rid of a stinky garbage disposal.

Powdered Laundry Detergent:

• 1 box of Borax (4 lb 12oz size)
• 1 box of Super Washing Soda (3lb 7oz size)
• 1 box of Pure Baking Soda (4 lb size)
• 1 bar of Zote soap
• 1 container of Oxy-Clean (1.3lb size)
• Downy Unstoppables (We use the 32oz size from Costco because we double this recipe to make detergent for a year at a time. You can also use Purex crystals.)
• For a container, I would suggest a 5 gallon bucket, as well as another smaller container (think glass candy jar) to keep out for regular use.
• Grate the Zote soap with a cheese grater or food processor and add to bucket
• Add everything else into your bucket, close your lid and roll around on the ground to mix up. If you're buff, I guess you can try to pick it up and shake it. 
• If you choose to double this recipe, it'll be less than $50 and will typically last a year.
• This detergent is baby safe, but I would suggest using the Dreft scent crystals for baby detergent or omitting them if you have a sensitivity to the Unstoppables or scent crystals. 

These are just a few of my favorite cleaning recipes. Do you have any you love? Or any problem areas that need a natural cleaning solution? Leave a comment below, and happy cleaning!