Natural Alternatives to Kitchen-Cleaning Chemicals

Why spray chemicals all over your kitchen when, with a little bit of effort, you can make a natural alternative? In our case, the answer is sheer laziness *hangs head in shame* but here are a few recipes for DIY kitchen cleaners that are so simple, even we should be able to follow them.

Natural Alternative: Make Your Own Spray'n'Wipe
Ingredients: borax powder, baking soda
Mix 1/4 cup of borax powder with 1/4 cup baking soda. Add just enough water to make a paste. Use this for cleaning general kitchen surfaces, or add less water for scouring.

Natural Alternative: Make Your Own Window Cleaner
Ingredients: vinegar, newspaper, spray bottle
In a spray bottle, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar and one liter of water. Spray on your windows and use the newspaper to clean.

Natural Alternative: Make Your Own Kitchen Floor Cleaner
Ingredients: white vinegar, baking soda, borax powder
Mix together baking soda and a bit or borax powder and add to your mop water. The borax will keep away many insects, except ants. The white vinegar can be used for rinsing to add a natural shine and keep away ants.

Natural Alternative: Make Your Own Disinfectant
Ingredients: citricidal or tea tree oil, water
Add 20 drops of citricidal or up to 50 drops of tea tree oil to a bucket of water. Stir well. Use this for wiping floors, counters, sinks, bathroom tiles, shower stalls, and toilet seats. If you would like to discourage mold from growing in your showers stalls, add 5 drop of citricidal to a spray bottle filled with water and spray on your tiles.

Note: Citricidal and tea tree oil can be found at your local health food store. Borax powder can be found in some drug stores, grocery stores, or craft stores.

(Please be careful; citricidal, tea tree oil, and borax powder should not be ingested by adults, children or pets. Not that you would, but just in case.)

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