Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tips for Families: Room-by-Room Guide to a Naturally Clean Home
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"Love begins at home"—this saying perfectly captures the warmth and care that every family deserves in their living space. Naturally, you want your home to be a sanctuary where your loved ones can thrive. And because you’re here, we’ll assume you also want to keep your home as close to nature as possible, whether you live in a bustling city or amidst the beauty of the countryside.
While we can’t cover every topic in a single blog post, our goal is to give you a comprehensive overview of natural cleaning options, encourage you to experiment with different methods, and, as always, empower you with knowledge to make the best choices for your family.
When you’re pregnant or have young children at home, the stakes are even higher. It’s not just about cleaning; it’s about safeguarding your home from germs while avoiding toxins and chemicals that can do more harm than good. The first step is understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning removes germs from surfaces, while disinfecting kills them, significantly reducing the risk of spreading infections—especially crucial in a household with a tiny baby.
So, let’s dive in and explore the essentials of keeping our homes tidy, clean, and safe from both germs and toxins!
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The Kitchen
The kitchen is often the busiest room in the house, where meals are made, snacks are shared, and family memories are created. It’s also a place that can get messy quickly, with spills, crumbs, and greasy surfaces to clean up. But keeping your kitchen clean doesn’t have to mean using harsh chemicals. With a few simple, natural ingredients, you can keep your kitchen sparkling and safe for your family.
Safe, Natural Cleaners for Kitchen Surfaces
Let’s start with the basics: cleaning your countertops, cabinets, and appliances. A simple mix of white vinegar and water is a fantastic all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar is naturally acidic, so it cuts through grease and grime with ease. Vinegar also has quite strong antibacterial features, which makes it great for every kitchen. For a fresh scent, add a few drops of lemon juice or essential oils like lavender or tea tree.
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Recipe:
All-Purpose Surface Cleaner
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
10-15 drops of lemon juice or your favorite essential oil (optional)
Mix in a spray bottle, shake well, and use on countertops, stovetops, and even inside the microwave.
For tough, sticky spots, sprinkle a bit of baking soda on the area, spray with your vinegar solution, and let it fizz for a few minutes. Then, wipe it away with a damp cloth.
Disinfecting Naturally
Disinfecting, as we’ve mentioned before, is crucial, especially in a place where food is prepared. One great option is tea tree oil, known for its antibacterial properties. Add a few drops to your vinegar cleaner for an extra disinfecting boost.However if you want to stay on a safe side regarding germ use hydrogen peroxide. It is a natural disinfectant that kills germs without leaving any harmful residues. Use it on cutting boards, countertops, and even inside your fridge.
Natural Disinfectant Spray
Pour hydrogen peroxide into a dark spray bottle (light deactivates it). Spray surfaces, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe clean.
While generally safe and sustainable, hydrogen peroxide is a stronger agent. Use 3% concentration, it’s enough for house needs and it’s not going to cause skin irritation. Still you should keep it away from children.
Dealing with Odors
It's important to keep odors at bay, especially from food waste and recycling bins. Fortunately, you don’t need chemical sprays to keep things fresh. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer that can be sprinkled in the bottom of your recycling bin or compost container to absorb smells.
Freshening the Kitchen:
Recycling Bins and Compost Containers:
Sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of your bins or compost containers to help neutralize odors. Replace the baking soda every few weeks to keep it effective.
Air Freshening:
Don’t underestimate the power of open windows and ventilate on a daily basis
Simmer a pot of water with citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, or cloves on the stove for a natural way to freshen the air.
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The Bathroom
How to clean the place that you go to clean yourself? Bathrooms are a very important place in every home and the ones that require special attention. While you can use the vinegar all-purpose cleaner for the basics, here are some more specific ways of keeping your bathroom naturally clean.
Tackling Mold and Mildew Safely
Mold and mildew thrive in the damp corners of your bathroom, but you don’t need bleach to get rid of them. White vinegar is an excellent natural alternative for preventing and cleaning mold.
Mold and Mildew Remover:
Recipe: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on moldy areas, such as tiles, grout, and around the shower. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, then scrub with a brush and rinse with water.
For particularly stubborn mold, use undiluted vinegar or add a few drops of tea tree oil, known for its antifungal properties, to boost the cleaning power.
Preventing Mold:
Keep your bathroom well-ventilated by opening windows or using an exhaust fan after showers.
Wipe down wet surfaces, like shower doors and tiles, after use to reduce moisture buildup.
Safe Toilet and Sink Cleaning
Toilets and sinks are essential to clean regularly, but you don’t need to rely on commercial cleaners with harsh chemicals. Baking soda and vinegar make a powerful natural combination for scrubbing away stains and disinfecting surfaces.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Sprinkle baking soda inside the toilet bowl, then add a cup of vinegar. Let it fizz for a few minutes before scrubbing with a toilet brush. This will remove stains and disinfect at the same time.
Sink and Faucet Cleaner:
For sinks and faucets, sprinkle baking soda on the surface, scrub with a damp sponge, then rinse with water. For an extra shine, rub faucets with a cut lemon to remove water spots and soap scum.
Freshening the Air Naturally
Bathrooms can quickly develop unpleasant odors, especially in smaller homes and apartments where ventilation might be limited. But instead of using synthetic air fresheners with artificial parfumes, you can naturally freshen the air with essential oils or other simple methods.
Natural Air Freshener:
Mix water with a few drops of your favorite essential oils (such as lavender, eucalyptus, or peppermint) in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray around the bathroom to keep it smelling fresh.
Odor Absorbers:
Place small bowls of baking soda or activated charcoal in discreet corners of the bathroom to absorb odors. Replace them every few weeks to maintain their effectiveness.
These natural cleaning solutions will help keep your bathroom clean, mold-free, and smelling fresh without the use of harmful chemicals. They’re safe for you, your family, and the environment, making them perfect for any household.
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The Living Room
The living room is the heart of relaxation and family time, where everyone comes together to play and unwind. But with all the foot traffic, snacks, and playtime, it can also become a magnet for dust, dirt, and spills. Here’s how you can keep your living room clean, cozy, and free from harsh chemicals.
Dusting and Polishing Furniture
Dust can accumulate quickly on furniture, especially on wooden surfaces. Instead of using commercial sprays filled with synthetic ingredients, you can easily create your own natural dusting and polishing solutions.
Natural Dusting Spray:
Recipe: Mix 1 cup of water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil, like lemon or lavender, for a pleasant scent. Lightly spray onto a cloth and use it to wipe down surfaces.
Olive oil not only helps lift dust but also adds a subtle shine to wooden furniture. The vinegar helps to cut through any sticky residues and remove fingerprints.
Polishing Wooden Furniture:
For a deeper polish, you can use a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice (in equal parts). Apply a small amount to a soft cloth and rub it into the wood following the grain. This will nourish the wood and bring out its natural luster.
Carpet and Upholstery Care
Carpets and upholstery are prone to spills, stains, and general wear and tear. Luckily, you can keep them fresh and clean with a few natural methods.
DIY Carpet Cleaner:
Sprinkle baking soda over your carpet, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and then vacuum thoroughly. Baking soda naturally absorbs odors and loosens dirt, making it easier to vacuum away.
For spot cleaning stains, especially from mud, you can use salt. Leave it on the spot for an hour and vacuum.
Safe Cleaning for Electronics
Electronics like TVs, computers, remote controls and home of most germs- our phones, are often overlooked in cleaning routines, yet they can host a surprising amount of dust and germs. Here’s how to clean them safely.
Cleaning Screens:
Mix equal parts distilled water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto a cloth (never directly onto the screen) and gently wipe the screen to remove dust and smudges.
Disinfecting Remote Controls and Switches:
Dampen a cloth with a small amount of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide and wipe down remote controls, light switches, and any other frequently touched items. This will help disinfect without damaging electronics.
Wall and Surface Care
Hallways often get scuff marks, fingerprints, and other stains on the walls and surfaces. Instead of reaching for chemical-laden cleaners, try these natural methods to keep your walls looking fresh.
Natural Wall Cleaner:
Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a small amount of water to form a paste. Gently rub the paste onto scuff marks or stains with a soft cloth, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. For a more general cleaning, a mixture of warm water and a few drops of liquid Castile soap works wonders on painted walls.
Natural Floor Cleaner:
Recipe: Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar with 1 liter of warm water. Use this solution to mop your tiled or wooden floors. Vinegar is great for cutting through dirt and grime, leaving your floors clean and shiny without any sticky residue.
For a pleasant scent, you can add a few drops of essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus. This solution is safe for most floor types, but be sure to do a spot test first, especially on delicate surfaces like natural stone.
Cleaning Doors, Light Switches, and Handles:
These areas can harbor a lot of germs and dirt. A simple wipe-down with a cloth dampened with your vinegar and water solution will disinfect and clean these surfaces effectively. For added disinfection, you can use a diluted hydrogen peroxide spray.
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EXTRA
Toy Cleaning:
Babies and toddlers love to put everything in their mouths, so it’s important to keep toys clean. Especially new toys, should always be washed before being played.
For plastic toys, that are really crucial to be cleaned before your child starts to play with them (see our Guide on Non Toxic Toys) a soak in warm water with a bit of white vinegar will disinfect them without harsh chemicals. Soft toys can be freshened up in the washing machine using the same gentle detergent you use for linens.
Clean wooden toys with olive oil mixed with vinegar (1 part of vinegar for 3 parts of olive oil) and gently rub it with a cloth. Do a spot test, to make sure that it won’t damage the paint on some toys.
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Essential Tools for Keeping Your Home Naturally Clean
We’ve mentioned quite a few items - use this, put vinegar into that, but let’s face it. At the start we often just don’t have the right tools to clean our home naturally. The artificial cleaners come ready to use. So we compiled a list of essentials to keep your home clean and safe using natural methods. These basic items will help you easily mix and apply your natural cleaners, and when chosen thoughtfully, they can also support your commitment to sustainability. Here’s a guide to the essential tools you’ll need, along with tips on how to choose sustainable options.
1. Spray Bottles
Spray bottles are a must for applying your homemade cleaning solutions. Whether you’re mixing vinegar and water for an all-purpose cleaner or hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting, a good spray bottle makes application easy. You can start with empty bottles from artificial cleaners, but if you want to invest in something more lasting, here are our tips on what to look for
Choosing the Right Spray Bottle:
Material: Best look for reusable spray bottles made from glass. Glass bottles are particularly eco-friendly and can be reused indefinitely. Make sure to have some, that are from dark glass as some agents, like hydrogen peroxide are light sensitive.
Size: A standard 500ml spray bottle is perfect for most cleaning tasks around the house.
Labeling: Keep things organized by labeling each bottle with its contents. You can use reusable labels or even write directly on the glass with a dry-erase marker.
2. Microfiber Cloths vs Natural Fiber Cloths
We are going to disadvice you from using microfiber cloth. Although very effective and can reduce reliance on disposable products, they raise quite a few ecological issues. They are not biodegradable and also contribute to microplastics pollution. Here are some alternatives. Of course if you have microber cloths right now - keep using them as long as you possibly can!
Sustainable Options:
Natural Fiber Cloths: Consider using cloths made from natural fibers like organic cotton, bamboo, or linen. These are biodegradable, reusable, and gentle on both surfaces and the environment.
Upcycled Cloths: Use old towels, clothes or any textile - instead of throwing them away, just use them to clean. You can also repurpose some of the cloth diapers linings.
3. Reusable Cleaning Pads and Sponges
For tougher scrubbing jobs, reusable cleaning pads and sponges are essential. These tools are perfect for cleaning dishes, sinks, bathtubs, and more.
Sustainable Choices:
Cellulose Sponges: Made from natural plant fibers, cellulose sponges are biodegradable and a great alternative to synthetic sponges. They’re highly absorbent and effective for scrubbing.
Loofah Sponges: A loofah is a natural, plant-based scrubber that works well for tougher cleaning tasks. It’s fully compostable when it wears out.
Reusable Cleaning Pads: Opt for pads that are made from natural or recycled materials and are machine washable. These can be used repeatedly, reducing waste and saving money.
Where to Get Them All:
All of those items can be found in any eco-friendly online store or in your local zero-waste shop. Most of them could be found in any household supplies section of bigger brands like rossmann or dm.
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Starting your journey toward a naturally clean home doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s all about taking small steps and experimenting with what works best for you and your family. Maybe you begin by swapping out just one or two of your usual cleaning products for natural alternatives, or perhaps you start by investing in some sustainable cleaning tools.
The important thing is to start where you are. As you try out these natural methods, you’ll discover how effective and satisfying it can be to clean your home in a way that’s safe for your loved ones and kind to the planet. You don’t need to make all the changes at once—small shifts can make a big difference over time.
So, grab a spray bottle, mix up a simple cleaner, and see how easy and rewarding it is to create a cleaner, healthier home for your family. With every small step you take, you’re creating a more loving, sustainable environment—because, after all, love truly begins at home.
