10 Great Tips To Clean Your Home Without Chemicals!

Everyone wants a clean home, especially if you are considering selling.  It’s important to remember though that the chemicals in cleaning solutions can affect your family’s health and the environment, not to mention they can also be expensive.

Here are 10 tips to help your home clean, your family and the environment healthy, and will save you some money.

1.  Carpets:  This natural deodorizer will freshen up your carpets.  Mix all the ingredients below three days prior to using so that the oil has a chance to dry.

• ½ cup baking soda
• ½ cup corn flour
• 15 drops of your favorite essential oil (such as Lavender, Tea Tree Oil or Eucalyptus)

2. Refrigerator:  Use warm water with a little dish liquid (a little goes a long way) to clean the surfaces.   Use baking soda on your cloth to scour any areas needed.   Then keep your refrigerator fresh by using one of these methods:

• Place 2-3 charcoal briquettes in a small bowl to capture odors and bacteria.
• Cut a lemon in half and scoop out the insides.  Fill the bowl with salt to keep your refrigerator smelling great.

3. Mildew:   Tea Tree Oil is a natural antifungal and antibacterial.  You can use it to clean any surface, and it smells great.  Put 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil in a spray bottle.   Spray it on the mildew, leave for a few minutes and then wipe it away.   This concoction is also great for spraying into your kitchen trash can after it has been cleaned.

4. Copper Pans:  Revive your pans by rubbing them with a half of a lemon, then rinse.   Then create a paste with vinegar and salt.   Scrub the copper, then rinse again.

5. Washing Machine and Dishwasher:  Once every two weeks, run your washing machine or dishwasher with one pint of white vinegar on the hottest setting.   Make sure that there are no dishes or clothes in there when you do this, the machines should be empty.

6. Decanters or Vases:   For narrow vases or decanters, pour in some dry rice and white vinegar, then shake, shake, shake until clean.

7. Comet Substitute:   You can make your own scouring solution with 4 parts baking soda and 1 part dish or laundry powder.

8. Plant Leaf Shiner:   Use the inside of a banana peel to naturally polish your plant’s leaves.

9. Spa Tub:  To get the jets clean, and they do need to be cleaned, fill the bathtub with hot water.   Place 2 dish washing tablets in hot water to dissolve (not the gel tablets, but the dry ones).   Pour this into the tub and turn on the jets for ten minutes.   Use a strainer to retrieve any hair or other detritus.

10. Musty Smelling Books (NOT valuable books):  Put three used dryer sheets between the pages of a book and then place it in a plastic bag for a week.   When the book is removed, the musty odor will be gone.

Marie Dinsmore, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

The Dinsmore Real Estate Team  |  www.DinsmoreTeam.com

Marie@DinsmoreTeam.com  | 770-712-7789