How We Flourish

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August 20, 2012 by How We Flourish

A Squeaky Clean House, Part 2 – Phase Seven

I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in this post. See more details here.

A good rule is that when vinegar doesn’t work, use baking soda. This is why I buy vinegar by the gallon and baking soda in 13.5 lb bags.

Baking soda is good at removing grease and oil. That’s why it’s in your homemade shampoo! Depending on the mess and how long it’s been there, you will want to use different concentrations. If you just want to let something soak, you will use a weak dilution of baking soda. If it’s a tough stain on your stove or oven, you will want

  • About 2:1 ratio of baking soda to water

Then mix these together to form desired amount of paste and apply to area. Let sit (I’ve seen it recommended for two hours, but you could do this for however long seems necessary) and wipe or scrub off with a sponge. This can also work to get rid of soap scum, although you don’t need to let it sit as long.

Sometimes, you’ll want to use baking soda and vinegar together. Yes, they will react. But for drain cleaner, it’s okay.

Drain Cleaner:

  • 1 c baking soda
  • 1 c vinegar
  • 8 c water

Start by pouring the baking soda down the sink, then the vinegar. It will react. Let it sit, and in the meantime heat the water to near boiling. After 5 minutes, pour the water down the drain. If you want, use this recipe to maintain a clean drain once a week or so. If it’s just maintenance, you can cut the baking soda and vinegar in half after the first application.

Sometimes, even with baking soda and vinegar, you need a little something else. For a good tile cleaner and moldy grout killer, read on:

Tile Cleaner:

  • ½ c water
  • ¼ c hydrogen peroxide

Mix together and spray on desired area. Leave on areas with mold for 1 hour before rinsing. If you’ve ever poured hydrogen peroxide on liver in biology class, you know why this works on mold.

My final homemade cleaner for the day is one you may already have. We have granite in our bathroom, so we didn’t want to use vinegar on that. My mom used our dishwasher detergent instead. Works great!

My family had already been using most of these recipes before we began our journey. And this transition will be the easiest even for families who haven’t yet. You probably already have the ingredients in your house and they take moments to make up. Then you can just use them like your regular cleaners and be amazed by the results.

For more cleaning recipes, read DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Recipes.

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DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. The information contained in this post is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, it is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information. For more information, click here.


Welcome! I'm Chloe. I have a passion for creating a healthy life and a healthy environment. Join me as I explore homemade and reusable products, essential oils, and real food. Look around a bit. I look forward to getting to know you. Read More…

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Trackbacks

  1. One Year Later… | Healthy People, Healthy Planet says:
    August 5, 2013 at 4:49 pm

    […] with vinegar, but she’s busy and human. However, I still highly recommend the vinegar and baking soda recipes I have posted. We have water issues, so my mom stopped using the dishwasher detergent […]

    Reply
  2. Phase Six: A Squeaky Clean House, Part 1 | How We FlourishHow We Flourish says:
    November 25, 2013 at 2:21 pm

    […] Read Part 2 here. […]

    Reply
  3. Book Review: Toxic Free | How We FlourishHow We Flourish says:
    January 20, 2014 at 10:01 am

    […] In my zealous obsession with going “chemical-free,” I jumped in and did almost everything at once. I understand, however, that that is just not feasible for everyone. Maybe you need more time, you aren’t fully convinced, or you can’t afford to buy all the ingredients you need. That’s okay, and Toxic Free, written by Robin Konie of Thank Your Body, helps you make the baby steps you need. Most importantly, many of the recipes include cheap, household ingredients like vinegar and baking soda. […]

    Reply
  4. A Squeaky Clean House, Part 1 - Phase Six | How We Flourish says:
    November 22, 2015 at 4:10 am

    […] Read Part 2 here. […]

    Reply

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Welcome! I'm Chloe. I have a passion for creating a healthy life and a healthy environment. Join me as I explore homemade and reusable products, essential oils, and real food. Look around a bit. I look forward to getting to know you. Read More…

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