Spring Cleaning Tips 101

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate):
A chemical salt that is a bicarbonate of soda, baking soda can be utilized in a numerous ways around the house. It can be used as a natural deodorizer and a gentle scrub; it helps to remove acidic stains, polish shiny surfaces, and helps to soften hard water. Adding baking soda when doing laundry stabilizes the pH level of the water, thus enhancing the effectiveness of the detergent.

Distilled White Vinegar:
Because white vinegar is a mild acid, it can therefore be used to dissolve tough grinds such as dirt, grease, mould, soap scum, and mineral and hard water deposits. It is a deodorizer, disinfectant, and preservative. The commonly believed notion of the smell remaining after cleaning can be disregarded, because the vinegar smell dissipates after it dries. Either way, the smell of vinegar is more tolerable than the fumes of many toxic cleaning solvents, such as ammonia and bleach.

Lemon:
Lemon can be used for numerous cleaning jobs. Its natural fresh scent is also a bonus. Lemon is a natural deodorizer, stain remover, and grease cutter. Lemon juice can also be used as a natural furniture polish, leaving a great shine with a great scent. Lemon also acts as a mild bleach when it is exposed to sunlight. Add lemon to your vinegar when cleaning for a nice fresh lemon scent! Take that Mr. Clean!

Olive Oil:
Olive oil is a natural oil that helps to nourish and polish wood. Be careful when using it around fabrics, as it can leave a possibly permanent mark.