In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever it’s important to keep your home clean. Unfortuantely, for most of us, it’s getting harder and harder to find cleaning products on store shelves. And, if you’re like me, you may already be looking for alternative cleaning methods to avoid using chemicals in your household, period.

This past weekend, I decided to Spring clean my home using some cleaning regimens that I’ve used for years that I thought I’d share with you today. The best part of all is that the ingredients I used to clean my home are “all natural” AND you probably already have them in your cupboards right now!

FLOORS

First and foremost, one of the best ways to keep your home clean is to vacuum often. Ideally you should vacuum the carpets in your home at least twice per week. You’d be amazed at what can get ground into the fibers of your carpet, especially if you have kids or pets….or husbands.

A great way to freshen up your carpets is to use a little baking soda. I’ve always put my carpet mix in an old parmesan cheese bottle (you know, the one with the green lid and big holes) because it makes it much easier to distribute evenly on the carpeted area.

Now for the recipe: 1 cup of baking soda and the zest of one lemon (I’ve also used orange or lime). If you don’t have a lemon zester, you can use the smallest holes on a cheese grater or you can substitute dried lavender, dried mint, or a few drops of essential oils. I’ve even used laundry detergent powder because it’s dry and won’t stain your carpets. If you do use laundry powder, keep kids and pets out of the area just to be safe.

Sprinkle the mixture on your carpets and let it sit for about 20 minutes, then vacuum. You’ll be amazed at how well this works to eliminate odors in the room and you’ll be left with a wonderful fresh scent.

In my new home, I have hardwood floors instead of carpet. I still use my “carpet freshener” mix on my area rugs and throw rugs, but surprisingly enough, all I really need to do is “dust” my hardwood floors twice per week. I use a standard microfiber floor mop (pictured above) that can be found at most box stores and they are really inexpensive. I really like them because you can even throw the “mop” part in your washing machine!

If I do “wet mop” my floors, I use hot soapy water and add 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and the juice of 1orange to the bucket (including the fruit). I make sure that I wring the mop so that it is damp, not soaking wet; and once I’ve finished “wet mopping” a particular area I go back over it with the dry mop so that the water isn’t sitting on my wood floors.

I typically “wet mop” my hardwood floors four times per year; only when I deep clean my home at the change of the seasons – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. This way I don’t have to use any of those floor shine type chemicals on my floors or worry about stripping off the finish.

Kitchen and bathroom floors will clean up with ease using the same wet mop mixture. In this case of course, you want a very wet mop to get rid of food spills, grease and grime. You can also use lemon or lime instead of orange. I’ve never tried grapefruit, but I’m sure it would work great.

REMEMBER, if you are using oranges or grapefruit it MUST be from fresh fruit and not the store bought bottled type as it contains way too much sugar. However, bottled lemon or lime juice work just fine.

WINDOWS / GLASS SURFACES

The best way that I’ve ever found to clean windows, glass shelving and mirrors is a simple one. You only need three ingredients: white distilled vinegar, lemon juice and some newspaper. Pour the vinegar into a clean spray bottle and add two capfuls of lemon juice (or other citrus fruit). Shake the bottle vigorously to mix the two, then spray your window or glass surfaces (mirrors, glass shelves / tables, etc.) and wipe dry with the newspaper. You’ll have a streak-free shine that you won’t believe and no nasty chemical or ammonia smell afterwards.

KITCHEN & BATH

In a bowl mix together 4 Tbsp Baking Soda and 2 capfuls of lemon juice to create a thin paste. If the mixture is too thick, add more juice. If it is too thin add more soda.

Then, using a basting brush or paint brush; “paint” the surface of your stove top with the mixture and let set for 20 – 30 minutes. When time is up come back and spray the entire surface with white distilled vinegar and wipe clean with a wet cloth. TA DA!!! Your stovetop is clean and shiny! You can use this technique on glass stove tops as well. If you have areas that are really baked on, try using a little Coca-Cola. That’s right! The acids in the soda will cut through most baked on grease and grime. Just remember if you have a gas stove not to get the burners wet or they won’t ignite.

Stained countertops can also benefit from this mixture. My kitchen is older and I have white countertops that are always getting something splashed or splattered on them. Drop a few tablespoons of the mixture on your countertop and then using a scrubby sponge (like the yellow ones with the green scouring side and using the green side of the scrubby) scrub your countertop in a circular motion. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10-15 minutes, then spray with distilled white vinegar and wipe clean with a wet cloth.

Your microwave gets a workout too so here’s a quick and easy way to keep it clean. Let steam be your friend! Fill a small bowl about halfway with water, slice up one lemon or orange and add it to the bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and “cook” on high power for about 1 minute. (Depending upon the wattage of your microwave, you may have to “cook” the water a little less or a little longer). Keep an eye on the bowl as it “cooks” so it doesn’t boil over.

When the microwave “dings”, remove the bowl CAREFULLY…contents will be extremely hot. Then wipe down the inside of the microwave with a damp cloth. Don’t throw away the water….you can use this for other cleaning in your home. (see bathroom below)

If you have white sinks like I do, they seem to get stained so easily. Again, using the “magic paste” mentioned above, paint the paste over the area you want to clean in your sink and allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes. Then spray with white distilled vinegar and rinse clean!

BATHROOM

Remember the lemon water from the microwave? Well, here’s your chance to use it. In a clean spray bottle, pour in the fruit water and add 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar. You can use this solution on all of your bathroom surfaces. It will even cut through soap scum. The citrus water will help to cut the vinegar smell. If you want a more pronounced citrus smell to your cleaning solution, you can add additional fruit juice.

You can also use the same cleaning paste that you used in your kitchen to clean your sink, bathtub and toilet bowl. You can spray your lemon / vinegar cleaner on shower curtains, fixtures, faucets and even windows and glass.

If you want to unclog your shower head and faucets, use a small Ziploc bag filled with a few tablespoons of baking soda and about 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar then tie the bag shut around the shower head and allow to sit for 2-3 hours or event overnight depending on buildup. Do the same for your faucets. NOTE: make sure the bag is directly under the faucet before adding the vinegar as you want the chemical reaction to take place as you are sealing the bag.

If you have a clogged sink, you can also use baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down your drain then add approximately the same amount of vinegar. Wait 10 minutes then run very hot water down the sink or tub for about 5 minutes to rinse away the clog. (you can use this technique anywhere with a drain)

CLOSETS / DRAWERS

Keep closets and drawers smelling fresh using a small mesh garment bag typically used for washing delicates (old pantyhose will work too). You can fill the bags with your favorite potpourri, cinnamon sticks, or a few fabric softener sheets. I’ve even used some of my husbands old t-shirts and cut them up into squares and sprayed them with my favorite perfume, his after shave or even essential oils and put them into bags. You can lay the bags in your drawers or hang in your closets to avoid musty smells. You can also put these bags into storage containers filled with seasonal clothing to keep them fresh. This is a great way to get rid of cigarette smells too!

LAUNDRY

Use dish soap instead of laundry soap. That’s right, you can use the same soap for dishes and for clothing. Simply remember the 1, 2, 3 rule. Add 1 teaspoon of soap for small loads, 2 teaspoons for medium sized loads and 3 teaspoons for large loads. Whatever you do, don’t use the same amount of dish soap that you would normally use with laundry soap. You’ll have a huge bubble mess just like that episode of The Brady Bunch.

Instead of buying expensive fabric softener, use white distilled vinegar in your rinse cycle. White distilled vinegar helps to soften fabric fibers and enhance the smell of your favorite detergent. You’ll have soft, fluffy towels and the softest blue jeans you’ve ever worn. You can use old cloths or clean rags with a few drops of essential oils on them instead of using manufactured dryer sheets too. You can also find lots of recipes online to make your own dryer sheets; try a few different ones to find the one you like best.

PET AREAS / TOYS / BEDDING

Use a pillow case or furniture cover for your pet beds. I crocheted little blankets for my cat beds. This allows you to easily remove them once per week, shake off the excess hair outside and then throw them in the wash. This technique will prevent you from having to buy new pet beds more often.

If you have dogs, soak kongs, chew rings and other hard plastic items in hot soapy water once a month to kill off stinky mouth bacteria. Just make sure that you rinse them thoroughly before giving them back to your pet. You can also use the lemon (orange) water from the microwave tip earlier to spray onto pet bedding, rugs and in pet areas to freshen items without using chemicals. Pets don’t mind the citrus smell at all.

Don’t forget about your pet’s “babies” either. My cats have several stuffed animals that they love to play with and once a month, whether they look like they need it or not, they get to take a ride in the washing machine and the dryer.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

If you don’t have scented candles or air freshener on hand, you can always “cook” a little air freshener on your stove top. Add water to a small pot, then add in herbs or spices like lavender, rosemary or mint. Make a “pie-pourri” with cinnamon, apples and cloves. Try orange and ginger or make up your own concoction and steep the liquid on the lowest possible setting on your stove. As the ingredients infuse in the water, your kitchen will smell wonderfully fresh and fragrant. Once the scents are infused in the water (usually after about 20 minutes) you can allow the mixture to cool, pour the fragrant water in a spray bottle and spray in rooms as a quick air freshener. Store in a cool dry place and it should last for about a month.

KEEP INSECTS AT BAY

Spring time means bugs will begin returning to your home. Here are some quick and easy tips to get rid of pesky pests as the weather gets warmer.

Ants: use a 50/50 solution of white distilled vinegar and water and spray the ants to kill them. You’ll also want to spray the solution along ant trails to make sure they don’t return.

Fruit Flies: In a small dish, combine 4 Tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar and 3-4 drops of dish soap. Set the dish in areas where you frequently see fruit flies. Works great!

Remember your liquid potpourri air freshener? Use this to spray entry ways, along the foundation and around windows and doors to keep spiders and other creepy crawlies out of your house. Ingredients like mint, lavender and cinnamon smell great to us, but bugs hate them. Don’t spray areas where your pets hang out as it’s repulsive to them….unless you WANT them to stay out of a certain area.

Have a cleaning tip you’d like to share ? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you.