The Formula To Clean

Now you know how to abandon the excess, set up a cleaning plan that will get things done without killing your time or patience and you are ready to clean.  All you need are the formulas to get the jobs done. 

Instead of the overstocked cleaning cabinet or the under the sink chemical hazard wasteland, you probably have at least one of, all you need is a few simple ingredients.  The biggest, and most versatile, ingredient you should have is…VINEGAR!  Vinegar has more uses than paper and if some little tyke gets a hold of the bottle while you are cleaning a sour face is all you have to worry about.  It is chemical free, safe for you and safe on your home.  (http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemaking/vinegar.html#Garden is a great link to many uses of vinegar)

I did a lot of reading and I know there are loads of recipes out there, but honestly I don’t have the time to mess with too much and consolidating is what I do best.  So, for my everyday cleaning, my dusting, my glass and mirrors I use a mixture of 1:1 water to vinegar.  This is just regular old distilled white vinegar I get from any store out there… the cheap stuff here people!  My counters do not need balsamic vinegar treatments.  I use this on all of my surfaces.  I have heard that vinegar can be harsh on marble counters.  I have not experienced this, but I do know someone who has so use cautiously there.  I just saved my Windex bottles from way back when and have been using them since.  I have a bottle under my kitchen sink and one in each bathroom.    

When I mop my floors I do it old fashioned style on my hands and knees.  I use a couple cups of vinegar and a half gallon bucket of HOT water with a few drops of essential oils.  These can be purchased at any natural food store, but are becoming much more main stream and I have even seen them at Meijer.  You can also put a few drops in your everyday cleaning solution.  This not only adds a great aroma to your cleaning, but the oils have great health benefits as well.  I usually use tea tree oil which has an awesome smell and is antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral.  Can’t beat that!  It is also known to be affective on many infectious diseases that are resistant to most antibiotics.  (Just a side note: I brought home a new born baby from the hospital and within 24 hours found that my three others were harboring H1N1.  I walked around the house clutching the bottle of vinegar (extra strength), water and tea tree oil and all was fine.)

Other oils you may be interested in are:

Peppermint- great scent (especially around the holidays!), soothes nausea, fights congestion, PMS, sore throats and helps with headaches.

Lavender- antimicrobial/bacterial/fungicidal, helps headaches, great smell, improves sleep quality and has many benefits in contact application as well.

Rosemary- antimicrobial/bacterial/fungicidal and pleasant smell.

Lemon- reduces stress, helps insomnia while also increasing circulation and has a refreshing smell that can help you avoid midday tiredness and boosts immune system

There are so many uses of essential oils outside of cleaning as well that can help with body functions, skin and ailments.  A great site is:

http://aromatherapy4u.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/20-health-benefits-of-therapeutic-grade-essential-oils/

This site gives a vast array of examples as to what oils help with different things from immune systems to sunburns.  There are many combinations you could use too depending on your preferences and needs in your home.

If I ever have to scrub anything I use baking soda and Castille soap.  These are both inexpensive and can be found at most stores.  I just make it into a paste and go from there.  I use this on showers, sinks and bathtubs.  I have run into some hard to scrub places in the grout and borax (essentially oxyclean) is very handy and fast acting.

Here is a quick glimpse guide to all the formula’s I use:

            - Wood- ½ c. vinegar and a few drops of olive oil

            - Air Freshener- 30 drops essential oil in 1.2 c. water in a mist spray bottle.   

- Carpet Cleaner- borax cleaner according to directions on label (I personally use a borax solution in my steam cleaner and it works wonders… though the manufacturer only recommends its own product line)

- All Purpose- 1:1 vinegar to water with a few drops of essential oils (I use this to do everything! Dust, wipe up spills, clean floors, bathrooms, kitchen… you name it)

- Abrasive- Baking Soda and Castille soap made into a paste and scrubbed with paper towel in whatever surface you are cleaning.

- Tough areas of soap scum, or discolored tiles I use borax and it comes clean right away.

I hope this cleaning series has helped you formulate some ideas of your own with your home and cleaning tasks.  There is no set plan that works for everyone, but the more knowledge we can share with each other the more we can help one other through this crazy road of life.  Let’s face it, cleaning is not something any of us want to do, but it is something we have to do and we mine as well find the best and least complex ways of doing it while keeping our family safe from harsh chemicals and hefty price tags. 

Best of luck out there!