Reenita's Wisdom

Clean Surfaces With A Natural All Purpose Surface Cleaner

There are plenty of natural cleaning ingredients that you probably already stock in your pantry. Vinegar (acetic acid) removes grease, stains and is an excellent water softener. Washing soda (sodium carbonate) cleans clothes, softens water, cuts grease and increases the cleaning power of soap. Lemon juice, my personal favorite, cuts through grease, removes stains from clothing and is a bleach alternative. Organic vegetable oils condition and create a protective coating over wood. Here is a wonderful all purpose cleaner that can be prepared from these ingredients.

What You Need

• 3 Tbsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp washing soda
• 1/2 tsp vegetable oil based liquid soap
• 2 Cups hot water
• juice of 1 lemon

What To Do

• Mix ingredients in spray bottle or bucket
• Apply and wipe clean

Give Your Tiles & Counter-tops A Scrub Down With Ammonia

Ammonia is good for almost everything. Even though its aroma is quite strong, it can be allayed when mixed with other ingredites. Here is a recipe for a terrific, nontoxic, all-purpose cleaner that is almost odorless. Suggested by Greenpeace, the environmental organization, it is perfect for scrubbing linoleum, walls, bathroom and kitchen tiles and even rugs.

What You Need

• 1/2 Cup ammonia
• 1/4 Cup vinegar
• a handful of baking soda
• 1 bucketful of warm water

What To Do

• Mix ingredients in a bucket
• Apply to tiles or counter-tops and wipe clean

Polish Your Wood Floors With Neem Oil To Keep Termites Away

The neem plant has been used for generations to prevent the buildup of fungus, bacteria and pests both inside and outside the body. In addition to or instead of waxing your wood furniture and floors, consider polishing them with a light coat of neem oil.  Alternatively, you can simply add a cupful of neem oil into the mix the next time you wax your floors. You will achieve wonderful results in terms of keeping termites away.

Keep Wood Surfaces Clean With Vinegar and Water

For floors and other wood surfaces there’s no need to use commercial all-purpose cleaners, which may contain phenol compounds, solvents and surfactants. Oil soap was originally intended for and works beautifully on wood. If you do not want to purchase a specially formulated oil soap then vinegar and water works just as well on wood finishes. Whatever you do, avoid the use ammonia on wood. Many make the mistake of using it but the reality is that over time it can ruin the finish of your furniture or floors.

Clean Your Drains with Vinegar and Baking Soda

Commercial drain cleaners are corrosive and dangerous. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has plenty of articles that warn users about the nasty things the corrosives can do to the human body, inside and out. Vinegar and baking soda on the other hand are the perfect ingredients for keeping drains clean and unplugged.

What You Need

• A handful of baking soda
• 1/2 glassful of vinegar

What To Do

• Dump the baking soda into the drain
• Pour in the vinegar
• Plug the drain immediately to drive the carbon dioxide down the pipe. Keep the plug in until the fizzing stops.
• Run hot water down the drain to clear the pipes completely.