Natural Cleaning Recipes

A Castile soap such as Dr Bronner's can be used in various dilutions for many jobs around the house see the Dilutions Sheet

If like us you live in a hard water area it is better to use distilled water as the soap can leave white marks afterwards but they do wipe off.

Chopping Board

Rub half a lemon over the board to neutralise onion and garlic smells.

Drain Cleaner

Pour bicarbonate of soda down the sink hole and leave for 30 minutes then flush out with hot water.

Bokashi liquid will help to get rid of spludge and organic matter.

Dustbin Cleaner

Sprinkle with bicarbonate of soda leave for a while then wipe off. Use a multi-surface castile soap cleaner.

Glass Vase

Pour a cup of vinegar in and add a handful of rice, swirl it round and leave overnight.

Glass/Wineglass Cleaner

Soak in white vinegar with a little bicarbonate of soda, rinse in clean warm water.

Grout Cleaner

Use an old toothbrush to work bicarbonate of soda moistened with a little water into the grout, wipe off with a damp cloth.

Iron plate Cleaner

Mix 2 tbs of baking soda with 1tbs of water apply to cool iron leave to dry and then wipe off with a damp cloth.

Laundry Powder

500 g Soda crystals and 1 bar of castile soap finely grated. Store in an airtight container. Use 1 or 2 tbs depending on how dirty the clothes are.

Linen Water

To a litre of distilled water add 3tbs of vodka and 30 drops of lavender oil. Use in a spray bottle or add to your built in iron spray.

Mattress refresh

Mix a few drops of lavender oil to half a cup of bicarbonate of soda then use a tea strainer or sieve to sprinkle over your mattress. Leave for an hour or so and vacuum it up.

Microwave Cleaner

Using a heat proof bowl add two cups of water and a few slices of lemon. Heat on full power for three minutes, leave stand for two the steam will break down the splashes of burnt on food which can then be wiped off.

Multi-Surface Cleaner

1 litre of distilled water, 3 tbs of Castile a few drops of tea tree oil

Multi-Surface Cream Cleaner

Mix bicarbonate of soda with water, lemon juice or white vinegar to clean surfaces you would usually use a cream cleaner on.

Oven Cleaning

Buying a pyrolytic cleaning oven will burn off debris. Bicarbonate of soda can be sprinkled on hobs and ovens, spray lightly with water and leave. Wipe off or gently use a scouring pad.

Shoe freshener

Fill an odd sock with lavender, tie into a ball shape and put into your shoes to refresh them.

Tile Cleaner

One part white vinegar to two parts cold water in a spray bottle. Spray over tiles leave for a minute and wipe off.

For stubborn areas use half a cup of soda crystals with two cups of water. Work the solution into the tiles and grout. Rinse off.

Toilet Cleaner

Poor a cup of white vinegar down the loo followed by 2 tbs of bicarbonate of soda let it fizz and scrub the bowl with the toilet brush.

Sink Cleaner

Mix half a cup of white vinegar and 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda into a paste and use to clean around the plughole.

Toilet Cleaner

250 ml of distilled white vinegar a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus and spray on. Leave for a while then add a handful of bicarbonate of soda and scrub bowl. Wipe off the vinegar from the seat.

Wooden Furniture Polish

Mix one part lemon juice with two parts linseed oil (you can substitute for olive oil) shake well. Test on a inconspicuous area first. Work in the polish and buff to a shine. This will keep for a month in the fridge.

Window Cleaner

300ml of distilled white vinegar to 1 litre of water in a spray bottle. You can add a few drops of essential oils but the vinegar smell doesn't stay around for long.