Spring Cleaning – The Natural Way

I have the WORST allergies on the planet. Everyday cleaning products make them worse. That's why I have decided to make my own, organic and natural cleaning products to spring clean the studio.

Excuse me. (I just sneezed.) The studio is where I spend most of my time, and being the only girl here means I deal with a lot of messy, smelly boys. The dust has taken over the studio and I just can't take it any more. I brought my miracle cleaning products and I'm getting to work.

Here are three of my favorite Organic Cleaning Potions. I call them potions because it's fun and I feel like a wizard making magic. They are safe to use around your home, pets, children and yourself. You can literally eat them.

1. All Purpose Duster: Mix together about 1 liter of water and 1 teaspoon of lavender oil into a spray bottle. Give it a shake and that's it!

I like to use pantyhose to clean with. Not only are they washable, but they really grab the dirt.

This has many uses beyond household dusting. You can even use it to repel mosquitoes! Have clothes that are wrinkled but no time to iron? Spray this potion on your clothes, smooth them out and you are good to go. Not to mention how yummy you will smell.

Seriously! It did a number on our dusty counters!

2. Glass Cleaner: Mix together equal parts of water and denatured alcohol. (You can find denatured alcohol in the paint removal section at your local hardware store.) Give it a shake and start cleaning.

Make sure to use cloth (or not-so-green paper towels) to clean your windows. It's been recommended by some to use newspaper to clean your windows, but that no longer is no longer the case. My cleaning goddess Shannon Lush explains why:

 Often there is truth but it no longer is true, like newspaper on windows. You can't use newspaper to polish windows anymore. Newspaper use to contain lampblack, lampblack is a coal base that was literally taken from the shades of lamps, and that's a fantastic glass polish. Nowadays ink is made with latex and instead (newspapers) smear.

 

You can use this potion to clean mirrors too!

I mean seriously, look how clean our copy board got!

3. The Power of Baking Soda and Vinegar.

The two together, plus a sponge or scrubby pad will become your new best friend. Use it for heavy cleaning, unclogging drains and getting those ugly pans sparkling again.

When using it to clean pans, first create a paste with equal parts vinegar and baking soda. Let it sit for as long as you like. Rinse your pan. Then, sprinkle baking soda on  the pan. Use a spray bottle to spray vinegar onto the baking soda. (I like to put my baking soda in an empty Parmesan cheese shaker to make it easier to sprinkle.) You will see a very neat chemical reaction, releasing oxygen into the stains. Scrub, scrub, scrub... and marvel at your new pan!

Isn't this just great? I'm full of tips and have even more recipes for green cleaning products. What projects would you like me to tackle next? Let me know in the comments below.