We’ve all been there. We’re faced with the supermarket cleaning aisle and there are loads of cleaning products all in bright packaging and all with different uses. You get home, and you realise that most of them are really similar, it’s all just packaging… You may not know that there are some hidden ingredients already in your house that will help you to achieve a deep clean without having to use loads of harmful chemicals.
From salt to vinegar, to lemons and bicarbonate of soda, we’ve found you 10 rather amazing eco-friendly cleaning hacks. We’ve addressed cleaning challenges and the eco-friendly home hack you can use to make Mrs Hinch blush.
Plus, by cutting down the products we use, we’re cutting down the amount of packaging we use, and therefore the waste we produce, as well as protecting our health from chemicals that we shouldn’t have in our homes.
KITCHEN CLEANING HACKS
Problem: Clogged up kettleEco-hack: Lemons or vinegar
When your kettle is filled with limescale it’s not going to work effectively, so you’ll use more energy and need to replace it sooner. Plus it means your tea will be terrible, and nobody wants that.
To solve this, add some lemon juice or vinegar to fill the kettle up to about 25%. Then leave to soak for an hour, before topping it up with cool water and boiling it. Pour the mixture away and then give it a thorough clean to remove any trace of the lemon or vinegar.
This will help get rid of the limescale and your tea will be top-notch again.
Problem: A stinky fridgeEco-hack: An open tub of baking powder
Fridges can be home to loads of nasties and can get pretty stinky. First things first, it’s essential to throw away anything that is emitting the smell (like a long-forgotten sandwich) and give all your shelves and drawers a decent clean in hot soapy water.
If the smell remains, put in a tub of baking powder. Perhaps you’ve got some out of date baking powder left over from a lockdown baking project that is past its best? Half a tub is all you need to neutralise the smell and get your fridge smelling fresh again.
Problem: A stained wooden chopping boardEco-hack: Lemons to the rescue
Wooden boards look great and they’re perfect for stopping your knives from getting blunt super quickly. However, wood is porous so it can get dirty, smelly, and stained.
Rub a freshly cut lemon over the surface to deodorise and remove stains. Lemons even have naturally occurring antibacterial properties.
Rather than the lemon juice going to waste, why not use it for another cleaning hack?
Problem: Dirty ovenEco-hack: Baking powder
Baking powder is mildly abrasive so is a fantastic cleaner. Scrub hard surfaces like hobs and kitchen worktops, your bathtub, sink, and shower and the inside of your oven.
To clean a dirty oven, sprinkle baking powder in your oven, rub with a damp cloth, and wash away with a clean cloth. This is a great alternative to a lot of shop-bought oven cleaners that usually use a lot of really destructive harsh chemicals.
HOUSEHOLD CLEANING HACKS
Problem: A carpet or upholstery stainEco-hack: Baking powder and vinegar, the power couple
Turns out, trying to clean a red wine stain with white wine isn’t really that effective when it comes to removing spills. Instead, mix vinegar (or lemon or citrus fruit juice) with baking powder and leave to dry. Then simply hoover away the residue and hey presto, the stain is gone.
Problem: No cleaning cloths?Eco-hack: Cut up old material
Whether it’s a t-shirt that is now stained and covered in holes or even some old bedding. Give them a new lease of life by turning them into cleaning cloths.
It really is that simple.
Problem: Long drying time
Eco-hack: An old clean and dry towel
Sure, you may be able to get your hands on dryer balls but a hack that will cost you nothing is adding a dry towel to your load. Why not use an old one that you’d otherwise throw away (in a neutral colour) and see your drying times decrease significantly.
After just 15 minutes remove the towel and let your dryer do the rest.
Don’t have a dryer? The best thing we can do to dry our clothes is to air them outside. It helps them last longer and doesn’t use any electricity.
Ready to try these 10 eco-friendly cleaning hacks at home?
We’ve summarised some of the toughest cleaning challenges we all face in our homes and suggested some simple ways to solve them. From reducing our laundry dryer time with an old towel to removing a stain with a mixture of baking powder and vinegar, we got you!
We’ve learnt how diverse items like baking powder can be when it comes to washing and cleaning our homes and how rather than throwing away things like old towels they can still have a use.
All these hacks are super easy, eco-friendly (especially if you’re using refill shops) and will save you money - we love to see it!