Limoneira just put out this round up of easy, inexpensive cleaning options using lemons. You can also use oranges or grapefruits in these recipes. One caution, never use acidic fruits or cleaners on granite, marble or natural stone.
Vinegar is an amazing product. Not only does it clean and disinfect all around the house, but you can even use concentrated vinegar (which is not edible) as weed controller in your garden. Reader’s Digest came up with 95+ Household Uses for Vinegar. Again, never use vinegar, which is also acidic on granite, marble or natural stone. Also, as an odd fact, pearls can dissolve in vinegar! It takes a while, it’s not instant on contact. Still, it’s a good idea to take off your jewelry or wear gloves when cleaning with vinegar.
The benefits of Baking Soda
Baking Soda is another inexpensive, miracle cleaner. Good Housekeeping advocates 21 Cleaning Problems You Can Solve With Baking Soda.
Steel Wool
There are several brands that sell steel wool pads filled with cleaning agents. Let’s face it, sometimes you need the strength of steel wool and elbow grease to clean burnt-on pans, ovens or other really tough stains. But you don’t need to buy pre-fab steel wool at the grocery store. Any hardware store will have medium grade steel wool that you can augment with your own cleaning agent.
If you don’t have time to make your own, or your looking for something specific, like the elusive granite and marble cleaner, here are a few really good options that I’ve personally used and love. Earth Friendly Products Creamy Cleanser – When you need to really scrub down that kitchen or bathroom this scrubs without scratching.
Zum Frankincense and Myrrh Granite and Counter Cleaner – This has an intoxicating scent that I absolutely love. But beyond the scent, it does an excellent job on my granite and quartz surfaces. It has no acids, so it’s completely safe. If this scent is too much for you in the kitchen, it also comes in several others.
Biokleen’s Bac-Out Bathroom Cleaner – This enzyme-based cleaner helps keep mold and mildew at bay. It’s an easy spray-on and wipe or rinse off. I tend to spray this in between deep cleanings for a quick clean. Leave it on for a few minutes before you wipe it, rinse it or flush it to allow the enzymes to work.
