How to maintain a chemical-free home
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Your Kitchen
This is a basic list of ingredients you will need in order to stop using those (often) dangerous chemicals found in most cleaning products. These ingredients are basically non-toxic and some of them are even used in food we eat:
- Bicarbonate of soda - this is found in the cooking section of your local supermarket. Buy lots, as it is used a great deal in natural cleaning
- Lemons - the whole lemon and their juice are used for their excellent acidic nature, use only organic lemons
- Linseed oil - the oil of flax (linseed) has excellent polishing properties for wooden furniture and hardwood flooring
- Olive oil - the oil of olives interestingly has some excellent polishing properties for wooden furniture
- Organic all purpose spray - this should be "100% certified organic" ortherwise it will contain artificial additives and toxic chemicals. This can be used instead of conventional cleaning sprays on any harder to clean surfaces (or for the sake of providing time-poor people with extra convenience, but using a wholesome, natural product)
- Organic dishwashing liquid - this should be "100% certified organic" ortherwise it will contain artificial additives
- Organic laundry liquid - this should be "100% certified organic" ortherwise it will contain artificial additives
- Salt - either rock salt or fine grain rock salt, just make sure it does not have any anti-caking agent
- Soda water - this is excellent to use to remove wine stains
- Vinegar (white) - use only white vinegar as any other type may cause discolouration
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Other items (non-edible) to use:
- Eucalyptus oil - this pure essential oil is produced from the eucalyptus tress, which is native to Australia and has many uses
- Fly swat - this is the best way to avoid using chemical fly and other insect deterrants
- Lavender oil - this pure essential oil is the oil of lavender flowers and has a great number of uses
- Pure soap (unscented) - use only unscented soap with no artificial ingredients (preferably organic)
- Tea tree oil - this pure essential oil is produced by the tea tree which is native to Australia and has many uses
Note: All the essential oils above should not, under any circumstances be ingested orally, as they can cause poisoning. Sometimes you can get the essential oils in a mixture of oil, which is much milder. Always follow the instructions on the labels.
Kitchen
- Aluminium saucepans - you just need to use some bicarbonate of soda mixed with a little bit of water and scrub with sponge; then add some white vinegar - when you do this, the mixture of the base and acid will start to bubble a bit, so scrub a little more (but with gloves one to save your hands from the abrasion)
- Boiled milk spill - sprinkle the area on the stove with salt (preferably the finer grains, not large rock salt) and leave it for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp sponge (or cloth)
- Brass, bronze, copper, pewter - make a paste by mixing 1 tablespoon each of plain white flour, salt and vinegar. Use a damp cloth to rub this paste onto the item and rub it gently; leave the paste on for around an hour and then rinse it off with warm water, ensure to rub it a little, to get every bit off; after rinsing, buff the item dry with a damp cloth
- Brass, bronze, copper, pewter - another method is to put some bicarbonate of soda on a damp cloth (or sponge) and rub it on the item, then let it completely dry and polish with a soft cloth
- Brass, bronze, copper, pewter - another method is to moisten a cloth with vinegar and rub this over the item and then polish with a dry cloth
- Chopping boards - always clean your chopping board each time you use it. Wooden chopping boards need to be cleaned with cold water and rubbed with salt; when it is dry, rub it with olive oil to keep the wood supple and fresh; use a separate wooden chopping board for raw meat and another one for vegetables / fruit and any non meat produce
- Copper pans - cut a lemon in half and dip it in fine salt and rub the surface of the pan with it; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
- Copper pans - an alternative is to apply a paste of salt, white vinegar and white flour (1 tablespoon of each) and rub all over the pan; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
- Copper pans - an alternative is to add a little vinegar to some salt (1 tablespoon of each) and rub all over the pan; rinse with hot water and polish dry with a soft dry cloth
- Drains - for blockages in the drain, pour down a handful or two of bicarbonate of soda followed by about 1/2 cup of white vinegar and let it sit for about half an hour; after this, add a handful of salt together with some boiling water and this should clear the drain well
- Enamel saucepans - use some bicarbonate of soda and scrub with a soft sponge; for tougher stains, add some bicarbonate of soda and some water and bring it to the boil in the pan; leave to soad overnight and then scrub it the next morning with some more bicarbonate of soda
- Enamel surfaces - such as on refridgerators should be rubbed with a soft wet cloth that has been dipped into some bicarbonate of soda and then followed by a clean damp cloth to wipe off all the bicarbonate of soda and then a dry soft cloth to dry the enamel surface
- Glass - you can rub dirty spots with a bit of salt on a damp cloth; when you rinse, add some white vinegar or lemon juice to the rinsing water and air dry the glass (without wiping)
- Hard flooring - in a bucket, mix 1-2 cap-fulls of laundry liquid with warm water and add a few drop of lavender oil and a few drops of eucalyptus oil (it should not be too soapy); then, with a mop (or scrubbing brush), use this to clean the hard flooring. For quicker drying, use a dry mop on the area after it has been cleaned
- Kettle - lime deposits can be easily removed by boiling some water in the kettle which has had 1-2 teaspoons each of white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda; leave to sit for about an hour and then rinse out, rubbing any stubborn stains with a damp cloth which has had some bicarbonate of soda added to it, then this can be rinsed
- Microwave oven - for stubborn stains, put a glass bowl and fill it 3/4 full of water and add two tablespoons bicarbonate of soda and set the oven to simmer for a few minutes (until the interior gets steamy); leave it for a few more minutes and then remove the bowl and wipe away the stains with a warm and damp cloth
- Oven (normal stains) - when the oven is still warm (but not really hot), add some bicarbonate of soda to a damp cloth and wipe the inside of the oven with it
- Oven (stubborn stains) - when the oven is still warm (but not really hot), add a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water to all surfaces of the interior of the oven and leave for about 30-60 minutes, after which you should wipe away all the bicarbonate of soda with a hot, damp cloth. For really stubborn stains, add some white vinegar or lemon juice to the bicarbonate of soda paste
- Oven door (glass) - add some bicarbonate of soda to a warm, damp cloth and wipe over; wipe off the bicarbonate of soda with a clean, damp cloth, followed by a dry cloth
- Refridgerator (insdes) - moisten a cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to wipe over the insides of the refidgerator; finishe with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth
- Stainless steel saucepans - use bicarbonate of soda mixed with a little water and scrub with a sponge; add some white vinegar (when you do this, it starts to bubble a bit) and scrub some more, but make sure you use gloves
- Stainless steel sink - moisten a dry cloth with some white vinegar and add some bicarbonate of soda and use this to wipe the sink; rinse with some warm water to remove all the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar and finish with a wiping over with a clean moist cloth and then a dry cloth
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Last reviewed: 21 June 2009 || Last updated: 18 January 2010
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references
- Samways L. The Non-Toxic House: Making your home and work environment pollutant-free. Green Press, Australia 1991
- Stewart, R. The Clean House Effect: Hundreds of Practical, Inexpensive Ways to Reduce the Use of Chemicals in Your Home.
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.