Have you ever wanted to unleash your inner green goddess to get the house sparkling but weren’t sure where to start?

Ditch the chemicals in your cleaning routine with these simple steps, the planet will thank you, it’s safer on your precious little ones and it gives you that feel good buzz of doing something good for the environment.

You can make powerful and planet friendly cleaners yourself from some super simple ingredients:

1) BiCarb soda

Bicarb is an eco lover’s best friend!

It’s great for deoderising – Just sprinkle it over your carpets, couches and any other soft furniture, let it sit for a few hours, then vacuum it off to freshen things up.

Use it to help clean fresh stains and smells (it works a treat on everything from spilt milk to vomit!). Sponge up the extra liquid, dab the area with cool water and sprinkle on the bicarb soda. Rub it in a little, let dry and then simply vacuum off.

Make a paste of three parts water, grab an old toothbrush and get cleaning the oven or grout. Chuck half a cup down the sink followed by hot water or for some extra power, vinegar to give the grime in the drain a good blast. You can also add a cup to the wash to kill the stink of dad’s sock or work clothes (it will act as a fabric softener too).

Soak babies clothes overnight in a bucket of warm water with at least half a cup of bicarb before washing to remove those stubborn nappy blowouts or stains.

• Natural cleaning: baking soda, lemon and vinegar
• Cleaning tips for your chopping board

2) Vinegar

Vinegar is not just a tasty additive for fish and chips, white vinegar is great to use as a household cleaner too! I keep a spray bottle of equal parts vinegar and water in the kitchen to spray down the benches and stovetop as I go to help disinfect.

Remember to always wipe with a wet cloth with just water afterwards as the vinegar can slightly deteriorate surfaces over time. Use vinegar to wipe down chopping boards that have food colouring or smells on them. It’s also good for deodorising smelly pots and pans! (just add a bit with water and let it sit).

In the bathroom you can spray it right onto mould and soap scum, let it soak in, and give the area a scrub with some warm/hot water.

Mixing it with an equal amount of warm water also gives you a streak free solution for windows and glass!

3) Just add water

You better believe it humble water can work wonders! Think steam cleaning carpets with just water and perhaps some essential oils.

You can also grab a microfibre cloth to use plain old H2O for cleaning everything from tables to mirrors to grimy kitchen splashbacks and bathtubs. Give it a go! Or if you are really keen, invest in one of those H2O steam mops; I’ve always wanted one of those! Hmmm, maybe I’ll add it to my christmas list.

Store bought eco products

Of course low impact cleaning doesn’t have to involve just your kitchen staples. There are a growing number of eco friendly cleaning products available that work just as well – if not better than – regular sprays and detergents.

The best products to look out for are those that are free from phosphates (these can lead to algae growth in waterways, which can harm aquatic life), triclosan (which accumulates in the food chain and is a suspected hormone disrupter) and synthetic colours and fragrances. Also watch out for harsh chemicals such as chlorine bleach and ammonia.

Always look for products that are multi-use, refillable and that come in easy to recycle packaging – bonus if it’s made from recycled materials.

Products certified by reputable bodies such as GECA (good environmental choice Australia), Green Tick or GOTS are great choices too.

Just remember there are so many non-toxic, safe alternatives you can make yourself at home. It will save you money and help the environment at the same time.

Do you have any eco-cleaning tips to add to these? Please SHARE in the comments below.

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