Earth Friendly Cleaning DIY Tips

Organic Stain Solution

Perspiration stains

Combine 1 tablespoon of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Add enough water to make a paste and rub into stain. Let it sit for an hour and then launder.

Organic Insect Repellant

1. Repel flies with herbs

To keep flies away, put out bowls of fresh orange and lemon peels mixed with cloves powder. Flies also dislike the scent of lavender, eucalyptus or cedar. Use one or a combination of these essential oils in an aromatherapy diffuser or cotton balls placed around the room. Or add a few drops of essential oil to small bowls of hot water to help disperse the scent throughout the room.

2. Ant Control

Mix 7.5g of dried organic peppermint leaves, 35g of organic cayenne powder and 30g of baking soda. Sprinkle the mixture liberally around the area where ants enter your home.

3. Repel Cockroaches with Essential Oils

Cockroaches don’t like the scent of eucalyptus or rosemary essential oils. Place a few drops of essential oil on cotton balls and put in areas where you have seen cockroaches. Replace the essential oil every couple of days to keep the scent strong.

Organic Furniture Cleaner

Foam Cleaner for Upholstery

Pour 500ml hot water into a medium-sized bowl and add 1 tablespoon baking soda, stirring thoroughly to dissolve it. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Add a little bit of dishwash liquid and 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil to the mixture. Beat with a wine whisk or egg beater to create foam. Working on a small section at a time, rub the foam onto upholstery with a damp sponge. Immediately remove with a damp cloth. Let it to dry.

Organic Kitchen

1. Clean Cutting Board

Your cutting board could be a source of food poisoning more than you think. What you thought was just a flu could have been from the bits of leftover food that was left out too long on your cutting board. Rub a little bit of sea salt and water onto the board and rinse it off. 1 tablespoon organic lemon juice and a little bit of sea salt, or a little organic apple cider vinegar help to clean and deodorise too.

2. Clean and Deodorise Refrigerator

Add the mixture of 125ml of organic lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 500ml hot water. Dip a sponge in the solution and thoroughly clean the interior of the refrigerator. Finish by wiping with a clean damp cloth.

Good idea: Placing a few bamboo charcoal in your refrigerator helps to deodorise and remove bacteria.

3. Clean and Polish Stainless Steel

To clean and polish stainless steel cookware, rub a thin paste of baking soda and organic apple cider vinegar on to the metal surface with a piece of cloth or sponge, rinse well with water and dry.

Organic Surface Cleaner

1. Glass Cleaner

Add 1 or 2 teaspoon of organic lemon juice to 500ml water. This is great for dirty or greasy windows like the sliding glass door area where kids’ hands and nose prints are gathered. Fresh lemon juice works best, but be sure to strain it well.

2. Drain Cleaner

Use the combination of 60g baking soda, 110g sea salt and 125ml of organic apple cider vinegar. Pour it through the plughole and into the drain. Wait 15 minutes and pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain, taking care not to burn yourself with the steam.