Natural Home Cleaning Remedies

Save money and be kind to the environment by seeking natural alternatives to chemical cleaning solutions. Keep a few simple ingredients handy to cover most of the household cleaning tasks you will encounter. Natural ingredients are usually safer to use around children and pets and less likely to cause health issues.

Vinegar

• Distilled white vinegar is a star of home cleaning. Household maven Heloise touts vinegar as a way to remove hard water scale, kill unwanted grass and remove odors. Others use it to clean windows and counters, open drains and clean hardwood floors. It removes grease and mildew. Dilute the vinegar with water for most uses.

Baking soda

• Cynthia Ewer, author of "Houseworks: Cut the Clutter, Speed the Cleaning and Cut the Chaos," recommends baking soda as a natural deodorizer. She uses it as a mild abrasive in dry form or mixes with water into a paste for heavier jobs. It also softens water. Sprinkle a little in the bottom of the garbage can to replace a purchased garbage can deodorizer.

Rubbing alcohol

• "Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles," says Ewer. She mixes 1 cup each of isopropyl alcohol and water with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and uses it from a spray bottle to keep surfaces shining. Alcohol's disinfectant properties earn it a place in the medicine cabinet as well.

Ammonia

• Clear, nonsudsing ammonia provides the basis for a cleaning solution that is stronger than vinegar. To 2 cups water, Ewer adds 1 tablespoon each of ammonia and clear laundry detergent to make a strong all-purpose cleaning spray. Caution: ammonia is hazardous to children and pets. Its strong fumes can be irritating.

Lemon juice

• Clean fish or onion odor from your hands by washing them in lemon juice. Its acid properties make it effective against many types of bacteria. Mix ½ cup lemon juice into 1 cup of olive oil to make Ewer's furniture polish recipe. Shake well and apply a small amount evenly over the furniture with a clean flannel cloth, and then dry.

Newspaper

• Yesterday's newspaper provides an alternative to paper towels for tasks such as window washing. Use it to absorb spills on hard surfaces, but beware of newsprint stains on absorbent surfaces.

Other ingredients

• Anne Field, an extension specialist with Michigan State University, offers additional products for consideration. Common household bleach, linseed oil and cream of tartar are among the ingredients contained in her recipes for a variety of household tasks.