Guest post by Clara Beaufort

When you clean your home, you want to feel good about the products you are using and know they are eco-friendly and chemical-free to protect the environment and your family at the same time. You want to create the healthiest environment for everyone, but you may not be sure how to start or which products will deep clean your home. It can be hard to break away from traditional cleaning products, but with a little guidance and knowledge, you’ll be on your way to maximizing your cleaning efforts and making your home the healthiest it can be for your entire family.

1. Use Lemon, Baking Soda, and Vinegar

Image via Pixabay by Eagle_ — *Image via* *Pixabay* *by Eagle_*

Eco-friendly cleaning prevents your family and the environment at large from the effects of chemical-based cleaning products. When you switch to all-natural cleaning ingredients and cleaning products, you create a healthier home that is free of toxins. You also can rest easily knowing that you are cleaning with natural ingredients and reduce your anxiety about toxins in your home.

One ingredient that will clean and disinfect your home while deodorizing is lemon. Lemons have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, and they make homemade cleaners with vinegar smell better and work more effectively. Simply combine lemon peel and white vinegar in a jar, marinate for a few days, and strain the peel to use the vinegar as a cleaner. To disinfect a surface, rub a slice of lemon across it.

Baking soda is the workhorse of natural ingredients. Combine baking soda with water to create an all-purpose cleaner that fights grease. To remove surface rust or clean your oven, make a thick paste of baking soda and water and allow it to sit for a few hours before scraping it off and wiping the surface clean. For dirty toilets, add a cup of baking soda to the toilet bowl and allow it to sit a little more than an hour before adding a cup of white vinegar and allowing the mixture to sit before flushing. For laundry, add baking soda to your washing machine to soften clothes and remove odors.

White vinegar is another natural cleaning ingredient with antibacterial properties. Dilute vinegar with water to remove stains from fabrics. To refresh your dishwasher, empty it and place two cups of white vinegar in a bowl on the top rack; then, run one cycle to rid it of odors and bacteria. Use a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water and a microfiber cloth to get a streak-free shine on windows and mirrors. For grungy grout, add one part carbonated water to one part white vinegar, spray it on, and wipe clean. For tough grime, add two parts baking soda to the vinegar-water mix to make a thick paste; allow it to sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing.

2. Declutter to Reduce Stress

Scientists at Princeton University found that clutter makes it difficult to focus and process information. The stress associated with clutter causes muscle tension, headaches and migraines, heart issues, nausea, and obesity. Your family’s mental health is just as important as their physical health, and creating a clutter-free home boosts everyone’s mental health and reduces anxiety. To create the healthiest home environment, and to make cleaning easier, declutter your home.

Decluttering can be a family affair. Choose decluttering weekend, agree on a starting zone, and designate it a no-clutter zone. Many families start with a kitchen counter. Then, expand the zone to the kitchen table and then the whole kitchen. Then, you’ll be able to clean and disinfect with your lemon, baking soda, and vinegar more easily. Also, have your children pick a starting zone in their bedrooms, such as a shelf, and then expand to their entire bedroom.

3. Create a Peaceful Environment

Photo credit: Stuck in Customs via VisualHunt /  CC BY-NC-SA — Photo credit: Stuck in Customs via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-SA

After you’ve decluttered and cleaned with eco-friendly ingredients, your home will be more peaceful and stress-free. Add natural cotton fabrics to your home to promote relaxation. Place houseplants and fresh flowers around your home to reduce stress and anxiety. Listen to relaxing music while you clean and cook. The more comfort, beauty, and serenity you add to your home, the healthier you will be in your clean environment.

You will boost your family’s physical and mental health by switching to eco-friendly, chemical-free cleaning solutions, decluttering your home, and creating a peaceful environment. Your home will be a clean, stress-free, healthy environment with just a few changes to your routine.

Clara Beaufort is a retired small business owner, who was born with two green thumbs. Recently, she handed the reins of the business she ran for 30 years over to her daughter. But retirement didn’t slow her down. She immediately got to work organizing and growing a community garden, but found her passion for gardening still wasn’t satisfied. And so the seed for a new business idea was planted! She created GardenerGigs to connect local gardeners with those in need of plant care help.