Clean v Tidy, Rd 2.

I’ve just reviewed my last post – I seem to have promised a lot. I hope I can deliver. This is a post where I wish I understood the formatting better. The creative (and perfectionist) side of my brain is longing for there to be structure & prettiness! I may have to spend more time in future learning on how this all works. If that takes away from actual blogging time & I have to do a short post one week, I will let you know.

Let’s get down to business. We’ll start with “clean”. How do I clean my house naturally? I think it’s best to start with what I use, then move on to the how & why.

1. Vinegar: White vinegar is a marvel. It seems to clean everything, it’s a foodstuff (so relatively harmless if consumed in small quantities. Please don’t drink it.), it’s cheap & easily available. Do a search for any home made cleaners, and vinegar will be there somewhere. So, what is it? It’s an acid, or to be precise, acetic acid and water. At some point I will find out how it works and do a separate post. But first, you should know that it does not *actually* clean everything. Please don’t try it on: ~ Touch screens, or any smart screens (including modern TV’s); marble, granite or any bare natural stone, any waxed furniture/floors, or your car. I have an urge to give reasons for each of these. I definitely see a post dedicated to vinegar in my future. Don’t you wish your mind was as exciting as mine? Moving on…
2. Bicarbonate of soda/ Sodium Bicarbonate. This is commonly known as baking soda. Which is different to baking powder. But you knew that already. Like vinegar, this is also a marvel, a foodstuff, and easily available. Unlike vinegar, it’s not an acid, it’s an alkaline. My wonderfully loose grasp of science tells me that it’s sort of like the opposite of acid. What this means is if you mix the two together, you may get an awesome chemical reaction, but they are basically cancelling each other out. If you see a cleaning recipe that calls for both of them, either mix them on the job and use the reaction, or question your source. The interwebs is full of people making it up as they go along (ahem) so don’t feel you need to go with everything you read. Bicarb is abrasive, so it’s good at scrubbing. Think of it as an exfoliator for your surfaces. Please don’t use it on easily damaged surfaces. I’m not going to make a list, I’m going to trust you have good judgement (or at least google if you are unsure).
3. Essential Oils: These are a great boost to natural cleaners. Not only do a lot of them have cleaning or antibacterial properties, but they can also make your house smell amazing. As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, once you get going you will gain confidence to mix and match, but to begin with, it’s great to start with lemon, or pre mixed blends like Purify or On Guard. Different oils have different properties, so some would work better than others on certain surfaces. Remember that these oils are potent, a little really does go a long way.
4. Sunlight: I was reminded the other day that sunlight is a wonderful disinfectant. It is also great at stain removal. If possible, place items in direct sunlight for a few hours, and let nature do a wonderful job. A word of warning though – what goes out, should probably come in. My garden is littered with items left in the sun, but the urge to “finish the job” has gone down with the sun. If you are like me, it’s best to place the items somewhere inside where they can see the sun.

So, how do I use these items? In lots of ways. You can get my all purpose spray recipe in my posthttps://nickygoesnatural.com/2019/03/08/pregnancy-paranoia-diy-cleaners/ .

Here’s another multipurpose recipe:

1. 1 Cup (roughly 250ml) Bicarb
2. 10 drops of lemon essential oils.
3. Mix together & store in a (not plastic) container.

How do you use it? Here are just a few examples:

Sprinkle it on to your carpets and let it sit for an hour or so, then vacuum up. A simple way to freshen and clean your carpets, with a lovely smell in the air.

Sprinkle on a dirty hob (or very dirty in my case). Rinse a tea towel or large cloth in hot water, squeeze out, and drape over the top. Wait about 10 minutes, then use the cloth to wipe. Prepare to be amazed!
Extra touch baked on food particles may take a bit more scrubbing, but this is by far the best method I have tried. … and I’ve tried a lot – including chemicals back in the day.

I’ll post the other vinegar ideas in my specialist vinegar post (Ooooh!) as this has gone on too long already. Watch this space!