Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Cleaning Materials

No need to seek out a load of highly prices 'natural' branded items and obscure ingredients – just make use the eco-friendly products such as lemons (the cheap bottled juice will often suffice) distilled white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, soda crystals, salt and old fashioned soap flakes.

These simple ingredients can literally work wonders – just like a magic wand.

1. Make your own window cleaning mix with ½ pint cold water and three tablespoons of distilled white vinegar. This mix works a treat when wiped over windows, mirrors etc., allowed to dry off for a minute or two and then polished up with scrunched up newspaper. The Daily Telegraph seems to work particularly well. Any left over mix keeps well.

2. Make a paste from bicarbonate of soda and white distilled vinegar to remove lime scale from taps.

3. This paste of bicarbonate of soda and water can also be used to clean the inside of badly stained cups, also to polish silver and stainless steel cutlery.

4. Distilled white vinegar will also remove lime scale from kettles. Fill the kettle to lime scale level, leave to stand overnight. Empty kettle in the morning and flush out well. Some folk like to boil up the kettle with clean water to avoid any lingering taste of vinegar in the early morning cuppa.

5. I have not tried re-using the vinegar that is used in this way for any other cleaning task, but will do so when the occasion arises and will report progress.

6. To clean burnt pans put half a cup of soap flakes or washing detergent in the pan, cover with boiling water, leave to stand overnight and wash out in the morning.

7. Distilled white vinegar works well on cleaning mould on tiles and shower screens.

8. Lemon juice works well for cleaning brass and copper. Rub on and then polish with a soft cloth. (Use the old T shirt type polishers - Tip No. 9 on ourHousehold page.)

9. Half a lemon in a small bowl half filled with water and heated in the Microwave for two minutes works wonders where cleaning and degreasing is concerned. Just carefully remove the bowl when the timer indicates and clean out the microwave with a damp cloth.

10. A strong mix of household salt in boiling water will kill weeds between paving stones. Use on a hot sunny day.

11. To remove red wine from clothing, cover with household salt, then launder as usual.

12. To clean really grimy windows try mixing 1 tablespoon cornflour with 1/2 pint water. This removes both grease and grime. Use a cloth to apply and polish with a clean cloth.

13. If your pet should have an 'accident' on a carpet, remove the urine (and smell) with a cloth dipped in a strong solution of household soda and water. Press the cloth down hard on the stain. Repeat this several times until your cloth comes up clean. The smell and the stain should be gone.

We will add more to this eco-friendly list as soon as we have tried and tested them ourselves. Meantime, if you would like to contribute with your own ideas, please let us know.

Why not pass your cleaning ideas on to us via the Contact us Page