It is day two of National Cleaning Week and Maid Brigade is celebrating by offering helpful green cleaning tips for your home.
Here are some great ideas that will keep your bathroom smelling fresh and clean:
For a great non-abrasive scouring powder for disinfecting combine:
4 parts of baking soda
1 part Borax
Store in a shaker container
To Clean Fiberglass Showers and Tubs:
Heat white vinegar until it is hot, but not too hot to pour into a spray bottle and work with. Spray it on the shower and tub heavily. Wait 10 – 15 minutes and then moisten a scrubbing-type sponge with more of the vinegar and scrub down the shower. Rinse well and dry.
Tile and Grout Cleaner:
Combine 2 parts baking soda, 1 part borax, and 1 part hot water, adding additional water as necessary to form a thick paste. Apply to the tile and grout and scrub with a soft brush. Rinse well.
Cleaning Soap Scum and Mildew off of Plastic Shower Curtains:
Put the shower curtain in the washing machine with 1 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid laundry detergent, and several old, light-colored towels. Fill the washer with warm water and run through complete wash and rinse cycle. Remove from washer and hang on the shower rod immediately.
Cleaning Chrome Faucets:
Use white vinegar on a cloth or sponge to remove water spots and soap scum. Dry and buff with a soft cloth. Rubbing alcohol is also a great spot remover. Apply, then dry and buff.
Removing Hair Spray Residue:
Mix a solution of 1/3 liquid fabric softener and 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Spray on surface to be cleaned, and wipe.
Cleaning Shower Door Tracks:
Plug the drain holes in the door track with a little bit of paper towel made into a ball. Pour in undiluted white vinegar. Let this soak for 30 minutes, unplug the holes and rinse the track with a spray bottle of water. Wipe with cloth.
Window and Mirror Cleaner:
Use 3 tablespoons vinegar per 1 quart water in a spray bottle.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Sprinkle baking soda around the inside of the toilet bowl and then clean with a toilet brush. Also try letting white vinegar sit for a few minutes in the bowl before cleaning with the toilet brush.
You can also clean the toilet by mixing 1/2 cup borax and a cup of lemon juice to keep it smelling extra clean.
To remove toilet stains, pour table salt directly on the stain. Squeeze a fresh lemon onto a bowl brush and scrub the affected area. The acid in the lemon combined with the salt should remove the stains.
Drain Cleaner:
Pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the sink. Add at least a cup of vinegar. It will start to fizz. Put the cover over the drain. Rinse the drain with a mixture of boiling water and salt.
To Prevent Mold and Mildew:
Keep a spray bottle in your bathroom filled with 1 cup of water and 1 drop of tea tree oil. Simply spray on the stains and watch as it removes them.
To Clean Mildew:
Combine 1 teaspoon borax, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 cups hot water, 1/4 teaspoon lavender essential oil, 3 drops tea tree essential oil. Pour into spray bottle. Spray. Scrub and rinse with a clean, damp cloth.
To Clean Mold:
Wipe distilled white vinegar onto the mold with a sponge. Wait 15 minutes and repeat again. Let the vinegar work overnight. The next day, sponge hydrogen peroxide on the affected area to eliminate any traces of the stain and to prevent the mold from returning.
To Dissolve Soap Scum and Hard Water Deposits:
Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Scrub area and rinse.
Try these simple cleaning tips and learn to kick the chemical cleaning habit! What recipes do you use? What is in your green cleaning bucket? Do you have any favorite recipes or products that you would like to share? Join us in keeping our health and our environment green clean!
Tune in tomorrow for more tips in keeping your home healthy and clean!
