You'll have heard lots about alternative medicine, with natural ingredients being applied to aid your physical and mental health.
But what about alternative cleaning? No, we haven't gone mad, so bear with us. Sometimes it can seem as if a sizeable chunk of your weekly shopping bill is going towards washing up liquids, floor polish and other cleaning materials.
Yet it's very likely that you'll have equally good cleaning materials in your shopping basket already and not realise it. What's more, they can be just a fraction of the cost.
Baking soda
The active ingredients in baking soda can help to clean everything from carpets to kitchen counters and even your drains. So make sure you have a healthy supply in your cupboards, as it covers so many bases and works like a dream.
Another property of baking soda is that it's a good deodoriser, which means it can a great way of reducing nasty odours in a room.
White vinegar
This kitchen staple can tackle all sorts of annoying things, from soap scum to dirty window blinds and those frustrating rings after cups have been left on wooden tables.
Salt and lemon
It's so easy for nasty bugs such as e.coli to build up on items like wooden chopping boards and sometimes, a cursory wipe down in hot soapy water won't be enough to get rid of them. It's therefore a good idea to sprinkle some salt on them and then scour them with half a lemon, making sure plenty of juice is released in the process. Leave it for a few minutes and then wipe it down and rinse it off properly. This is a really cheap way of giving wooden chopping boards a deep clean - and it really works too!
Olive oil
If you've got an annoyingly squeaky door, your first thought might be to buy a can of lubricant loaded with harmful chemicals. But simply dabbing some olive oil on the hinges can be a much cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative.
Of course, if this still sounds like too much effort, you can always bring in a professional cleaner to turn your house around. They'll be armed with specialist knowledge and equipment, and maybe plenty of natural ingredients too!
But what about alternative cleaning? No, we haven't gone mad, so bear with us. Sometimes it can seem as if a sizeable chunk of your weekly shopping bill is going towards washing up liquids, floor polish and other cleaning materials.
Yet it's very likely that you'll have equally good cleaning materials in your shopping basket already and not realise it. What's more, they can be just a fraction of the cost.
Baking soda
The active ingredients in baking soda can help to clean everything from carpets to kitchen counters and even your drains. So make sure you have a healthy supply in your cupboards, as it covers so many bases and works like a dream.
Another property of baking soda is that it's a good deodoriser, which means it can a great way of reducing nasty odours in a room.
White vinegar
This kitchen staple can tackle all sorts of annoying things, from soap scum to dirty window blinds and those frustrating rings after cups have been left on wooden tables.
Salt and lemon
It's so easy for nasty bugs such as e.coli to build up on items like wooden chopping boards and sometimes, a cursory wipe down in hot soapy water won't be enough to get rid of them. It's therefore a good idea to sprinkle some salt on them and then scour them with half a lemon, making sure plenty of juice is released in the process. Leave it for a few minutes and then wipe it down and rinse it off properly. This is a really cheap way of giving wooden chopping boards a deep clean - and it really works too!
Olive oil
If you've got an annoyingly squeaky door, your first thought might be to buy a can of lubricant loaded with harmful chemicals. But simply dabbing some olive oil on the hinges can be a much cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative.
Of course, if this still sounds like too much effort, you can always bring in a professional cleaner to turn your house around. They'll be armed with specialist knowledge and equipment, and maybe plenty of natural ingredients too!
