6 natural cleaning products to use at home 

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It’s date night and it’s going well. The carbonara you whipped up in all but five minutes to impress your date went down a treat, even if a little missed your mouth and fell in your lap. The lights have dimmed, and it’s all very romantic. But through the thick cheesy pasta goodness, you can’t help but feel ever-so-slightly overwhelmed by the chemical smell of bleach in your nostrils. And whilst all that cleaning you did in the kitchen earlier really set the scene nicely, the somewhat sinister smell is a little off-putting. 

There’s a simple solution though. Natural cleaning products are brilliant at cleaning that congealed carbonara sauce too – and they won’t take away from the smell of your brilliant cooking! 

Here’s how to make some natural cleaning products. Remember, always test out your homemade natural cleaning products on a small, discrete part of what you’re cleaning, in case it reacts badly. Saucy stains aren’t so bad after a couple of days, but forever... No, thanks. 

1. All-purpose natural cleaners

When it comes to creating natural household cleaners, we need to start with something that multiple-purpose. Here’s what you need:

• 1 tablespoon of baking soda
• Half a lemon
• Quarter of a cup of white vinegar
• Litre of hot water

Combine the ingredients (without squirting lemon juice in any innocent bystanders’ eyes!) and use your natural cleaner on surfaces and furniture around your home. 

2. DIY clothes cleaner

Dinner is sometimes so good that you can’t eat it fast enough, and then a bit of it escapes your mouth and SPLATS onto your t-shirt. Luckily, natural cleaning solutions are known to be great at stain removal and spot cleaning. All you’ll need is: 

• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• Half a glass of water
• Squeeze of lemon juice

Combine the baking soda and water to make a paste and rub it into the affected areas. Add a little lemon and you’ve got a really quick cleaning and odour removing solution on your hands!

Baking soda has been known to discolour or fade some garments, so make sure you test your natural cleaning solution on a discrete area first. 

3. Natural cleaning solutions for the oven

There’s that weird splodge in the oven that needs cleaning because it turns out it’s not part of the design – it’s the garlic sauce from your partner’s first attempt at a Chicken Kiev. From last year. Handily, a combination of baking soda and vinegar is said to be one of the best natural cleaning products to sort it. Here’s what you need: 

• Half a cup of baking soda
• ¾ tablespoon of water
• White vinegar, as needed

Make a paste and spread it over the inside of the oven, letting it sit overnight. Then spray a bit of vinegar and wipe the paste away using an absorbent kitchen towel that’s strong enough for scrubbing, even when wet, like Plenty. Finish cleaning the oven with a final spritz to make things shine.

4. Glass cleaner 

Remember that time you burst out laughing whilst you brushed your teeth with your housemate and toothpaste went EVERYWHERE? Your streaky, spotty mirrors remember, but the memories were totally worth it. To make natural cleaning solutions for glass you’ll need: 

• Peel of one lemon
• Bottle of vinegar
• Water

Soak the lemon peel in vinegar for a week or more, then strain the mixture. Mix equal parts of the citrus solution with water, pour in a spray bottle and you’re good to go. Just make sure you wipe with a clean piece of kitchen towel for a smudge-free finish.

5. Floor cleaner

Some floor cleaners can leave a sticky film on your tiles, and they often contain unwanted chemicals. And some floor cleaners bark and sniff around you in the kitchen, hoping you accidentally drop another bit of pizza topping for them.  

OK, well, we’ve come up with a natural floor cleaner for hard floors and bathroom floors. All you need is: 

• Equal parts white vinegar
• Equal parts water

Combine the two, hit the floor with your mop and watch it sparkle. Rinse the cleaner off with water and wipe down with a strong paper towel like Plenty after you’ve finished.

6. Toilet cleaner

Cleaning the toilet is actually one of the strongest declarations of love someone can make. So, move over Shakespeare – Romeo never offered to clean Juliet’s toilet. And this most simple of natural household cleaners can get the job done with minimal fuss. You’ll need:

• Half a cup of baking soda
• Cup of white vinegar
• Half a teaspoon of essential oil

Mix up the ingredients and pour into a spray bottle. Spray all around the toilet and leave it to work for a few minutes. The solution combines natural disinfectant properties, and your choice of essential oil will make whoever goes in there smile to themselves. 

Once you’ve put your natural cleaners to work, you can kick back and relax.